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| former Serbian province declares independence, 195th country, recognized by major world powers excluding Russian and China |
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5-day war, Kremlin supported South Ossetian separatists escalate attacks in Georgia, Georgia attacks separatist captial Tshkihnvali, MOscow responds with excessive force to protect South Ossetia region
Russia goals:
Expulsion of Georgian troops and termination of Georgian sovereignty in South Ossetia and Abkhazia;
"Regime change" by bringing down President Mikheil Saakashvili and installing a more pro-Russian leadership in Tbilisi;
Preventing Georgia from joining NATO and sending a strong message to Ukraine that its insistence on NATO membership may lead to war and/or its dismemberment;
Pro-Russian regime to bring Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Erzurum (Turkey) under Moscow control
Recreating a 19th-century-style sphere of influence in the former Soviet Union, by the use of force if necessary. |
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| Runaway inflation (printed $500 million bill), election issues (Mugabe challenged by Morgan Tsvangirai), cholera epidemic |
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| 7.9 magnitude, killed more than 69,000 people, worst disaster in China in 30 years |
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| 75.54% of Greenlanders voted for greater automoy from Denmark, Beginning June 2009 will see greater sare of oil revenue, offical langauge switch from Danish to Kalaallisut, consideration as separate people under int'l law |
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| Venezuela Selects Offset Time Zone |
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| Only country in Americas to possess an offset time zone (minor exception: small part of Canada) |
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| Percentage of World Pop Living in Cities |
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| UN reported half of world pop. will live in cities by then od 2008, 70% by 2050 |
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| Beijing, just months after earthquake, preempted by Russia-Georgia war, Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals |
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| Proposed Mediterranean Union |
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| French President Nicolas Sarkozy initiated proposal to bring union of Mediterranean bordering southern European and Muslim countries and (and Israel) |
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| Charltan Heston, Heath Ledger, Cyd Charisse, Patriarch Aleksy II |
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| India's financial capitol, Pakistan-based terrorist organization coordinated more than ten shootings, one attacker captured alive |
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| Which country was removed from the US "state sponsor of terrorism" list? |
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| Which software platform, for mobile devices, was released by Google this year? |
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| Which states legalized marijuana? |
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| Michigan (medicinal), Massachusetts |
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| Above 6.7%, highest in 26 years |
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| Launched at CERN to research the smallest known particles, Higgs Boson |
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