What we missed

Kim Jong Il deceased

Kim Jong Il, the authoritarian leader of North Korea since 1994, died on Dec. 17, reportedly of a heart attack. On Dec. 30 Kim Jong Il's son, Kim Jong Un, was declared Supreme Leader of North Korea by the ruling "Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea", following succession plans laid out by his father. Very little is known about Kim Jong Un outside of the North Korean government – even his age is only known vaguely. Kim Jong Il had been suffering from poor health since at least 2008, when rumors spread that he had already died and had been replaced by a body double. The power shift has created great uncertainty for North Korea's future, as it is unknown whether Kim Jong Un will be able to keep the country together, or if the already impoverished nation will fall into even harder times.

Syrian government clamps down on dissent

The unrest in Syria has grown more deadly, as the mostly peaceful anti-government protests continue to be violently opposed by the country's military. The unrest, which began as part of the Arab Spring riots which toppled the authoritarian governments of Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, has led to the deaths of an estimated 5,000 people, and has prompted the Arab League — a consortium of Middle Eastern and North African states of which Syria is a member — to send about 100 observers to ensure that the protestors are able to demonstrate without risk of death or bodily harm. Syria has opposed the Arab League's decision, and has made many ongoing attempts to thwart or impede the observers' work.

United States to allow "indefinite detentions"

On Dec. 31 American President Barak Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year of 2012 – which authorizes the United States's military spending for that year. The NDAA has proven highly controversial due to a provision it contains authorizing the "indefinite detention," without trial, of American citizens who are suspected of terrorist activity. During the debate, Obama had threatened to veto the bill if the provision was included, but rescinded the threat following amendments. The bill has been criticized by a number of news organizations and advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, The New York Times, The Guardian and Al Jazeera.

American Republican primary heats up

The campaign to select which member of the Republican Party will run against incumbent US President Barack Obama in the 2012 US Presidential election has proven to be heated. Following a series of gaffs, one-time frontrunner Herman Cain dropped out of the race, and was recently followed by Michelle Bachman, who ended her campaign after a poor showing in the recent Iowa primary election. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich started his campaign with high poll numbers, but soon lost his lead after failing to respond to a series of attack ads from the other candidates. The Jan. 3 Iowa primary election — the first primary of the election cycle — ended with a virtual tie between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, the latter falling short of victory by less than  votes, and with 10 both candidates holding 25 per cent of the vote. Libertarian candidate Ron Paul placed third with 21 per cent, and Newt Gingrich placed fourth with 13 per cent.

Canada pulls out of Kyoto Protocol

On Dec. 12 the Federal Government officially rescinded Canada's support for the 1997 Kyoto Protocol – the only piece legally-binding international global warming legislation in the world. The protocol — named after Kyoto, Japan, where it was signed — required each signatory nation to reduce its output of greenhouse gasses (including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide),  to 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012, and stated that each country that failed to do so would be forced to pay sanctions. Canada ratified the treaty under Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, and has been opposed since then by the Conservative Party. Canada's withdrawal is the first in the Protocol's history, and it is unclear whether it will lead to similar moves from other nations in the future.

Russian election ends in controversy

Allegations of fraud following Russia's Dec. 11 parliamentary elections sparked protests across the country, with tens of thousands of angry Russians filling the streets in opposition to United Russia — the center-right political party headed by current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin — whose victory in the election has been called into question. Though the clear winners, United Russia's victory proved disappointing, as their percentage of the vote had dropped to only 49 per cent – far lower than 64 per cent they claimed in 2007. The Russian government took many steps to stymie the demonstrations – arresting leaders and demonstrators, increasing Moscow's police presence, and scheduling mandatory high school tests during the expected protest time. Russia will hold its next presidential elections in March, 2012, during which Vladimir Putin is expected to run.