12. Alexander Litvinenko

A public inquiry into the killing of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko has concluded that President Putin probably approved his assassination. But who was Alexander Litvinenko and why did his death cause such controversy?

Litvineko was a former spy who was killed in March of 2006. He was 46 years old. He had previously been an officer with the Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the KGB, but he unexpectedly and abruptly fled to Britain. In his final years, he even went as far as to become a British citizen. His death led to a clouding of relations between London and Moscow.

After he was killed by radioactive polonium-210, believed to have been administered in a cup of tea, it emerged the father-of-one was being paid by the British secret service MI6. It is often theorized that Litvineko was investigating Spanish links to the Russian mafia.

His widow has said he blamed the Kremlin as he lay dying in hospital saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for “everything that happened to him.” Russia denies any involvement.

For those of you non-Russians, the Kremlin refers to The Moscow Kremlin, usually referred to as the Kremlin, is a fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River to the south, Saint Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square to the east, and the Alexander Garden to the west. It is also another word for The President of Russia.

13. Malcolm X

Malcolm X was a revolutionary activist and writer. He was assassinated in 1665 in New York City by rival Black Muslims while addressing his Organization of Afro-American Unity in Washington Heights.

Malcolm X publicly promoted self-defense and the liberation of African Americans “by any means necessary.” Malcolm was admired by the African American community in New York and around the country.

The three Black Muslim men that were held responsible for Malcolm X’s death were Talmadge Hayer (Thomas Hagan), Norman 3X Butler, Thomas 15X Johnson.

Malcolm X had defected from the Nation of Islam, and his assassins were agents of the Nation of Islam. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expressed his sadness and motivated other activists and other radicals to continue his legacy.

Malcolm X’s father was also killed for what he believed in. In 1931, Malcolm’s father was brutally murdered by the white supremacist Black Legion.

14. Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto was the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. The only woman on this list, Bhutto was assassinated in 2007. Bhutto was in office from 1988-1990 and again from 1993 to 1996.

Bhutto was hanging out of the sunroof of her bulletproof vehicle while she rode off from a campaign rally she had just attended. She was shot as bombs exploded around her. She died in the hospital hours later.

There are a few theories going around as to who killed Benazir Bhutto. Al-Qaeda commander Mustafa Abu al-Yazid claimed responsibility for the attack and referred to her as “the most precious American asset.”

The blame also falls on ex-military director and former President Pervez Musharraf, according to a four-page statement recently released by her friend and American journalist Mark Siegel, the Press Trust of India for not ordering enough protection for her.

Riots broke out in Pakistan after news of Bhutto’s assassination hit. Over 20 people were killed and lots of properties were destroyed. Bhutto’s death also caused the international community to encourage Pakistan to continue to push for democracy.

15. John Lennon

Easily one of the most infamous assassinations of all time, not including government officials, was that of Beatles member and activist, John Lennon.

On the night of March 8, 1980, an initial bulletin came over the Associated Press newswire shortly after 11:25 p.m., Eastern Standard Time: “There’s a report that John Lennon has been shot. It happened in New York. On the Upper West Side.”

John and his wife, Yoko Ono, were returning to their home from a session at the recording studio. When they got out of their limousine, a man named Mark David Chapman shot Lennon dead in the street.

Chapman was caught minutes later by the authorities. They found him reading a copy of The Catcher in the Rye, “I’m sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil.”

A worldwide outpouring of grief and tribute followed John Lennon’s assassination, culminating in a 10-minute silent vigil on March 14 that saw some 100,000 people gather in New York’s Central Park and tens of thousands of others in cities around the world.

At least two of John Lennon’s fans committed suicide after his assassination. The world was grieving a fallen star that had been taken too soon. There was a 10-minute silent vigil for him in New York City’s Central Park that saw over 100,000 people.

Yoko Ono later made a statement regarding Mark David Chapman, saying “I don’t even want to think about him, and I usually don’t. Because it’s so irrelevant who pulled the trigger. That was not what was relevant. The fact that John’s gone is what we’re living with.”