2018
2018 was a year defined by breakthroughs in international diplomacy, such as the historic summit in Singapore between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12, where both parties committed to establishing new relations and working toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.[1] The year also featured France's 4-2 victory over Croatia in the FIFA World Cup final on July 15, securing their second title and captivating global audiences during the tournament hosted in Russia.[2] Natural disasters struck harshly, including the magnitude 7.5 earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Sulawesi, Indonesia, on September 28, which caused approximately 4,340 deaths through shaking, liquefaction, and flooding.[3] In Thailand, the dramatic rescue of twelve boys and their coach from the flooded Tham Luang cave complex, completed by July 10 after an 18-day ordeal involving international divers and sedation protocols, highlighted human ingenuity amid peril.[4] Social and economic unrest emerged prominently in France with the Yellow Vests protests, ignited in November by proposed fuel tax increases and broader grievances over high living costs and perceived elite disconnect, leading to sustained demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's policies.[5] In the United States, midterm elections on November 6 resulted in Democrats regaining control of the House of Representatives while Republicans maintained the Senate, reflecting polarized responses to the Trump administration's trade tariffs and immigration stances.[6] Technological milestones included SpaceX's successful Falcon Heavy launch on February 6, deploying Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster into heliocentric orbit as a test payload, demonstrating reusable rocket capabilities and advancing private space ambitions. These events underscored 2018's blend of optimism in exploration and diplomacy with challenges from environmental hazards and domestic policy frictions, shaping global discourse on governance, innovation, and resilience.[7]Events
January
Protests against economic hardship and government corruption continued across Iran from late December 2017 into January, spreading to over 100 cities and resulting in at least 21 deaths by early in the month, primarily from clashes with security forces.[8] Demonstrators criticized rising prices, unemployment, and state spending on foreign interventions, with chants targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.[9] Iranian authorities arrested over 3,700 people and restricted internet access to suppress the unrest, which authorities claimed was instigated by foreign enemies despite evidence of organic economic grievances.[10] In Syria, government forces intensified aerial bombardments on the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta enclave near Damascus, killing at least 85 civilians by January 6, including strikes on markets and hospitals.[11] Over the following two weeks, nearly 180 more civilians died in similar attacks, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in the besieged area where over 400,000 people faced starvation and medical shortages due to the ongoing civil war.[12] The United Nations condemned the disproportionate use of force, noting schools and hospitals as repeated targets.[13] On January 13, a false emergency alert warning of an incoming ballistic missile was mistakenly broadcast across Hawaii, triggering widespread panic as residents sought shelter for 38 minutes before correction.[14] The error occurred when an employee at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency selected the live alert button instead of a drill during a shift change, amid heightened tensions from North Korean missile tests; no missile was inbound, but the incident exposed vulnerabilities in alert systems and led to the employee's resignation.[15] Psychological studies later documented lingering anxiety among island residents for days afterward.[16] The United Kingdom's second-largest construction firm, Carillion, entered compulsory liquidation on January 15 with approximately £1.5 billion in debt, endangering 30,000 jobs and public contracts worth billions.[17] The collapse stemmed from aggressive accounting, over-reliance on government outsourcing, and failed acquisitions, prompting parliamentary inquiries into procurement practices that favored low bids over financial stability.[18] The U.S. federal government partially shut down from January 20 to 23, the first of the year, after Congress failed to pass a spending bill amid disputes over immigration protections like DACA.[19] Affecting about 800,000 federal workers, the three-day closure ended when President Donald Trump signed a temporary funding measure, averting longer disruptions but highlighting partisan divisions on budget priorities.[20] On January 23, a shooting at Marshall County High School in Kentucky left two students dead and 19 injured, perpetrated by a 15-year-old classmate who faced charges as an adult.[21] Former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University physician Larry Nassar was sentenced on January 24 to 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting over 150 girls and women under the guise of medical treatment, following victim impact statements from dozens.[22] The judge remarked, "I just signed your death warrant," emphasizing the premeditated nature of the abuses spanning decades, which exposed institutional failures in oversight by sports bodies and the university.[23][24] The Australian Open tennis tournament concluded on January 28, with Roger Federer defeating Marin Čilić 6–2, 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 to claim his sixth men's singles title and 20th Grand Slam overall; Caroline Wozniacki won the women's singles.[25] The event drew record crowds amid hot weather conditions.[26] A severe influenza season peaked in the United States, with the CDC reporting over 9 million cases, 84,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths by mid-January, straining healthcare systems due to low vaccination effectiveness against dominant strains.[21]February
February 4 – In Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the defending champion New England Patriots 41–33, marking the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory and their first NFL title since the pre-merger championship in 1960. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns while catching one, earning Super Bowl MVP honors in a game attended by 67,612 spectators.[27][28] February 6 – SpaceX conducted the maiden flight of its Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the most powerful operational rocket at the time, successfully placing a test payload consisting of a red Tesla Roadster with a mannequin dubbed "Starman" into a heliocentric orbit beyond Mars. All three boosters landed vertically for reuse, demonstrating reusable rocket technology aimed at reducing space launch costs.[29] The 2018 Winter Olympics took place from February 9 to 25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with a record 2,920 athletes from 92 nations competing in 102 events across 15 sports, including six new medal disciplines such as big air snowboarding and mixed-team alpine skiing. Norway topped the medal table with 39, followed by Germany with 31, while the Games featured historic inter-Korean participation, including a unified women's ice hockey team and joint opening ceremony march under a unification flag amid diplomatic tensions.[30][31][32] February 14 – At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people and wounded 17 others in a mass shooting using a legally purchased AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, entering the building after being expelled for disciplinary violations and threats. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had received multiple tips about Cruz's potential for violence prior to the attack but failed to investigate adequately, as later acknowledged in official reviews.[33][34] The event prompted student-led activism for stricter gun laws, though causal analyses emphasized failures in school security, mental health intervention, and law enforcement response, including a deputy's inaction outside the building. February 21 – Evangelist Billy Graham died at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, at age 99 after a lifetime of preaching to live audiences totaling over 215 million people in 185 countries and authoring more than 30 books on Christian faith. Graham, who counseled U.S. presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama and founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, lay in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, a rare distinction for a non-governmental figure.[35][36]March
On March 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an address to the Federal Assembly, unveiling footage of advanced weapons systems including the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone, claiming they rendered U.S. missile defenses obsolete. The speech escalated tensions amid ongoing disputes over Russian election interference, with Putin asserting the systems were developed in response to U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. March 4 marked the poisoning of former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England, with the nerve agent Novichok, a Soviet-era chemical weapon later confirmed by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. British authorities attributed the attack to Russian state actors, leading to the expulsion of over 150 Russian diplomats by the UK and allies; Russia denied involvement, suggesting a false flag operation. The incident prompted international sanctions and highlighted concerns over state-sponsored assassinations using prohibited weapons. The Cambridge Analytica data scandal emerged prominently on March 15 when Facebook announced the suspension of the political consulting firm after revelations that it harvested personal data from up to 87 million users without consent via a quiz app developed by researcher Aleksandr Kogan. The data was allegedly used to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election and Brexit referendum; whistleblower Christopher Wylie detailed the firm's psychographic targeting methods.[37] Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced congressional scrutiny later, while the firm filed for bankruptcy in May amid regulatory probes. On March 22, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum imposing tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese imports, citing intellectual property theft and unfair trade practices as justification under Section 301 of the Trade Act. This escalated the U.S.-China trade war, with China retaliating against $3 billion in U.S. goods; markets reacted with volatility, including a sharp drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Economists noted potential risks to global supply chains, though proponents argued the measures addressed long-standing imbalances. The March for Our Lives protests occurred on March 24, drawing an estimated 1.2 million participants across the U.S., including over 800,000 in Washington, D.C., organized by survivors of the February 14 Parkland school shooting that killed 17. Student activists like Emma González demanded stricter gun control, background checks, and bans on assault weapons, criticizing National Rifle Association influence on policy. The events amplified post-Parkland momentum but yielded limited federal legislation, with states enacting varied measures. Natural disasters included a 7.5-magnitude earthquake on March 11 off Papua New Guinea's northern coast, triggering a tsunami warning and killing at least 4 while injuring dozens; the U.S. Geological Survey recorded over 100 aftershocks. Separately, the Austin serial bombings from March 2 to 18, involving package explosives, killed two and injured five before suspect Mark Anthony Conditt died by suicide during a police pursuit. Investigations linked the attacks to racial motivations against African-American and Hispanic targets. Notable deaths included physicist Stephen Hawking on March 14 at age 76 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis complications; his work on black holes and cosmology, including the Hawking radiation theory, revolutionized theoretical physics. Hawking's bestselling A Brief History of Time popularized science, despite his physical limitations requiring a speech synthesizer. On March 30, the Great March of Return began in Gaza, with thousands of Palestinians protesting Israel's blockade and demanding the right of return for refugees; demonstrations continued weekly until mid-May, resulting in over 200 Palestinian deaths from Israeli forces' live fire, per Gaza health ministry figures, amid claims of rioters approaching the border fence. Israel maintained shots targeted threats, including incendiary devices; the UN later investigated excessive force allegations.April
On April 3, the United States imposed 25% tariffs on approximately $50 billion worth of Chinese imports, targeting goods related to technology and intellectual property concerns, escalating bilateral trade tensions. China retaliated the following day with 25% tariffs on $50 billion of American products, including soybeans, automobiles, and chemicals, marking an early intensification of what became known as the US-China trade war. These measures were justified by the US administration as countermeasures against unfair trade practices, while China described them as protectionist and vowed further responses.[38] The 21st Commonwealth Games commenced on April 4 in Gold Coast, Australia, featuring athletes from 71 nations competing in 275 events across 18 sports, with over 6,500 participants marking the largest edition to date. The multi-sport event concluded on April 15, with Australia topping the medal table, followed by England and India; notable achievements included Caster Semenya's gold in the women's 1500 meters for South Africa and Joseph Schooling's swimming victories for Singapore. Hosting challenges included security for the diverse Commonwealth delegations and infrastructure upgrades, but the games proceeded without major disruptions.[39] A tragic bus crash occurred on April 6 near Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada, when a semi-truck failed to stop at a highway intersection, colliding with the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior ice hockey team en route to playoffs. The accident killed 16 people—10 players and 6 staff members—and injured 13 others, prompting national mourning and investigations revealing the truck driver's inexperience with local roads and failure to yield. It led to calls for improved safety protocols in Canadian junior hockey transport and influenced subsequent policy changes on driver training.[40][41] In Syria's Douma suburb on April 7, Syrian government forces allegedly used chlorine gas in an attack that killed at least 43 civilians and injured hundreds, according to reports from first responders and witnesses, amid ongoing civil war offensives. In response, on April 14, the United States, United Kingdom, and France conducted coordinated airstrikes, launching over 100 missiles at three targets—the Barzah research center near Damascus and chemical facilities at Him Shinshar and near Homs—aimed at degrading Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. US officials reported the strikes destroyed key equipment with minimal collateral damage and no allied losses, while Syria claimed partial intercepts; the action was framed as enforcement against prohibited weapons use, though Russia condemned it as aggression.[42][43][44]May
On May 3, 2018, the Kīlauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island initiated a major eruption along its East Rift Zone in the Leilani Estates area, opening multiple fissures that spewed lava, destroying over 700 homes and displacing thousands of residents over the following months.[45] On May 8, 2018, United States President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the multilateral agreement aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, citing the deal's failure to address ballistic missiles and regional activities; the move prompted reimposition of sanctions and criticism from European allies who sought to preserve the accord.[46] The United States formally opened its embassy in Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, relocating it from Tel Aviv in fulfillment of a December 2017 recognition of the city as Israel's capital, an action that sparked Palestinian protests along the Gaza border resulting in dozens of deaths amid clashes with Israeli forces.[47] On May 19, 2018, Britain's Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, drawing global attention with an estimated two billion viewers and marking the first such union involving a biracial American divorcee since the 19th century.[48] Ireland held a referendum on May 25, 2018, to amend its constitution by repealing the Eighth Amendment, which had equated the right to life of the unborn with that of the mother; voters approved the change by 66.4% to 33.6%, enabling legislation to permit abortion up to 12 weeks gestation and in cases of fetal abnormality or maternal risk thereafter.[49][50] South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held an unannounced third inter-Korean summit on May 26, 2018, at the Panmunjom truce village, reaffirming commitments to denuclearization, peace declarations, and family reunions while addressing tensions following a US cancellation threat for the upcoming Trump-Kim meeting.[51]June
The 44th G7 summit occurred on June 8–9 in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada, where leaders discussed trade, security, and climate issues amid rising protectionism. U.S. President Donald Trump advocated for fairer trade practices and proposed readmitting Russia to the group, but tensions escalated over U.S. tariffs, leading Trump to leave early for preparations for his North Korea summit and later retract endorsement of the joint communiqué via Twitter, criticizing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as weak on trade.[52][53] On June 12, U.S. President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore for the first summit between leaders of the two nations, resulting in a joint statement committing North Korea to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, establish new U.S.-DPRK relations, and pursue peace, alongside commitments to recover remains of American POW/MIA from the Korean War. The meeting, lasting about four hours, was hailed by both sides as a step forward, though subsequent progress on denuclearization stalled.[1][54] The 2018 FIFA World Cup commenced on June 14 in Russia, with host nation Russia defeating Saudi Arabia 5–0 in the opening match attended by over 78,000 spectators in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium; the tournament featured 32 teams across 64 matches concluding on July 15, drawing global viewership exceeding 3.5 billion.[55] In the United States, the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, implemented in April to prosecute all adults crossing the border illegally, led to the separation of over 2,000 children from parents by mid-June, sparking widespread criticism for humanitarian concerns; President Trump issued an executive order on June 20 directing that families be detained together while awaiting prosecution, though logistical and legal challenges persisted.[56] On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 in Trump v. Hawaii to uphold the third iteration of the travel ban, restricting entry from several Muslim-majority countries, North Korea, and parts of Venezuela, affirming presidential authority under immigration statutes absent evidence of religious animus.[57] On June 23, twelve boys aged 11–16 from the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach became trapped by flooding in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, prompting a multinational rescue operation involving divers, pumps, and experts from multiple countries; the group was located on July 2 after nine days, with all safely extracted by July 10 through sedated diving amid risks of further floods.[58] The incident highlighted challenges in cave rescue operations and drew international attention, with two Thai Navy SEAL divers credited for survival support inside the cave.[59]July
The rescue operation for the Wild Boars youth soccer team, consisting of 12 boys aged 11 to 16 and their 25-year-old coach, trapped in the flooded Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, since June 23, reached a successful conclusion between July 8 and 10. Divers, including international experts, administered sedatives to the boys to facilitate their extraction through narrow, submerged passages, with the final group—including the coach—rescued on July 10 after an 18-day ordeal. The operation involved over 10,000 participants from multiple countries and highlighted challenges in flooded cave diving, resulting in the death of one Thai Navy SEAL diver earlier. All 13 were reported in good health post-rescue and placed under quarantine.[58][60][61] On July 11-12, the NATO summit in Brussels addressed alliance defense capabilities amid tensions over burden-sharing. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticized several member states for failing to meet the 2% of GDP defense spending guideline, singling out Germany for its energy ties to Russia, which he described as making it "captive to Russia." The summit's declaration reaffirmed NATO's commitment to collective defense, approved enhancements to command structures adding over 1,200 personnel, and emphasized cyber defense adaptations. Trump later characterized the event as productive, noting pledges from allies to increase spending.[62][63][64] The 2018 FIFA World Cup culminated on July 15 at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, where France defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final to secure their second title. Goals came from Mario Mandžukić (own goal), Ivan Perišić (own goal), Paul Pogba, and Kylian Mbappé for France, with Perišić and Mandžukić scoring for Croatia; the match drew a global audience exceeding 3.5 billion. France's victory followed strong performances, including a 1-0 semi-final win over Belgium, underscoring the team's blend of youth and experience under coach Didier Deschamps.[65][66] On July 16, U.S. President Trump held a bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, lasting over two hours in private before a joint press conference. Trump stated he accepted Putin's assurances that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, contradicting U.S. intelligence assessments, and called the meeting successful for improving relations. The encounter drew criticism from U.S. lawmakers across parties for appearing to prioritize rapport over confronting election meddling evidence. No formal agreements were announced, though discussions covered arms control, Ukraine, and Syria.[67][68][69] Other notable events included severe flooding in Japan from July 5-9, triggered by record rainfall, which killed over 200 people and prompted the largest disaster evacuation since 2011. On July 9, Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court following Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement announcement.[70]August
On August 5, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Lombok, Indonesia, causing widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure, injuring hundreds, and contributing to a regional death toll exceeding 500 from a series of seismic events that summer.[71] [72] The quake, occurring on a shallow thrust fault near the Flores Back Arc Thrust, displaced tens of thousands and exacerbated recovery efforts from a prior July tremor in the same area.[71] The United States escalated its trade dispute with China on August 7 by finalizing 25% tariffs on approximately $16 billion in Chinese imports, effective August 23, targeting goods like chemicals and machinery; China reciprocated with identical tariffs on an equivalent value of U.S. products, including fuels and electronics.[73] These measures built on earlier rounds, aiming to address alleged intellectual property theft and trade imbalances, though they disrupted global supply chains.[73] In California, wildfires intensified amid dry conditions, with the Mendocino Complex Fire—comprising the Ranch and River fires—surpassing 300,000 acres by early August and becoming the state's largest recorded blaze, destroying over 200 structures and prompting evacuations of thousands.[74] The Holy Fire, ignited August 6 in the Cleveland National Forest, burned over 22,000 acres across Orange and Riverside counties, leading to arson charges against a suspect.[74] On August 12, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket, marking the first spacecraft designed to repeatedly enter the Sun's corona to study solar wind and magnetic fields.[75] The mission, named after solar astrophysicist Eugene Parker, aims to complete 24 orbits over seven years, approaching within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface.[75] A 50-year-old section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy, collapsed on August 14 amid heavy rain, killing 43 people and injuring others as vehicles plunged 45 meters into a ravine; investigations revealed long-ignored structural corrosion and inadequate maintenance despite prior warnings.[76] [77] Aretha Franklin, renowned singer known as the Queen of Soul for hits like "Respect," died on August 16 at age 76 from advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer.[78] In U.S. legal developments, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted on August 21 in Virginia federal court of eight felony counts, including five for tax fraud and two for bank fraud, related to unreported offshore income from Ukrainian political consulting exceeding $30 million.[79] The same day, Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts, admitting campaign finance violations for hush-money payments totaling $280,000 to women alleging affairs with Trump.[79] U.S. Senator John McCain died on August 25 at age 81 from glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor diagnosed the prior year; the Arizona Republican, a Vietnam War veteran and POW survivor, had suspended treatment days earlier.[80]September
Hurricane Florence, a Category 1 storm at landfall, struck the Carolinas on September 14, causing widespread flooding, at least 54 deaths, and over $22 billion in damages across the southeastern United States.[81] The storm's slow movement led to record river crests, with the Little River in South Carolina reaching 22.88 feet, prompting the evacuation of over 1 million people and the shutdown of nuclear power plants. Typhoon Mangkhut battered the Philippines on September 15 as a super typhoon with winds exceeding 125 mph, killing 134 people and destroying over 500,000 homes before moving to southern China, where it caused 4 deaths and $3.5 billion in economic losses.[81] In Japan, Typhoon Jebi on September 4, the strongest to hit the country in 25 years, resulted in 11 deaths, disrupted Kansai International Airport, and caused $8.9 billion in damages amid ongoing floods and earthquakes.[82] On September 8, Naomi Osaka defeated Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 in the US Open women's final, becoming the first Japanese Grand Slam singles champion, though the match drew controversy after Williams received code violations for coaching, smashing her racket, and verbal abuse toward the umpire, leading to a $17,000 fine.[83][84] Williams called the penalty sexist, while supporters argued the rulings were consistent with men's matches; Osaka, emotional post-match, apologized to the crowd.[85] Apple held its annual product event on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater, unveiling the iPhone XS and XS Max with edge-to-edge OLED displays and A12 Bionic chips, the more affordable iPhone XR, and the Apple Watch Series 4 featuring ECG capabilities and fall detection for health monitoring.[86] The devices emphasized improved cameras, processors 30% faster than predecessors, and wireless charging, with pre-orders starting immediately and releases on September 21.[87] The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee began confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination on September 4, with initial testimony focusing on his judicial record amid Democratic protests over withheld documents from his White House counsel tenure.[88] Allegations of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford surfaced publicly on September 16, leading to a supplemental hearing on September 27 where Ford testified to an attempted assault in the 1980s and Kavanaugh vehemently denied the claims, accusing opponents of a "calculated and orchestrated political hit."[89][90] On September 24, thousands of Google employees staged a global walkout protesting the company's handling of sexual harassment, following reports of executive misconduct with minimal repercussions, demanding better reporting mechanisms and an end to forced arbitration.[91] The action, coordinated via an internal memo, affected over 50 offices and prompted CEO Sundar Pichai to acknowledge concerns and commit to improvements.[92] A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, on September 28, triggering a tsunami and soil liquefaction that liquefied the Petobo district, killing over 4,300 people, displacing 200,000, and causing $1.3 billion in damages in one of the deadliest events of the year.[93][94] Rescue efforts faced challenges from damaged infrastructure, with international aid arriving amid reports of over 1,000 missing.[95] Elsewhere, India's Supreme Court decriminalized homosexuality on September 6 by striking down parts of Section 377, a colonial-era law, advancing LGBTQ+ rights for 1.3 billion people.[96] Bill Cosby was sentenced to 3-10 years in prison on September 24 for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, marking a milestone in the #MeToo movement.[92] Brazil's National Museum in Rio de Janeiro burned on September 2, destroying 92% of its 20 million artifacts, including royal mummies and indigenous relics, due to underfunding and poor maintenance.[96]October
On October 2, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics to Arthur Ashkin for his invention of optical tweezers, and jointly to Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses, marking the first time a woman received the prize in the category since 1963.[97] Later that day, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and Washington Post columnist, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain marriage documents but was killed inside by a team of 15 Saudi agents, according to Turkish intelligence audio evidence and subsequent investigations; his body was dismembered and disposed of, with Saudi Arabia initially denying involvement before admitting it was a "rogue operation." The Nobel Peace Prize was announced on October 5 to Nadia Murad, a Yazidi human rights activist who escaped ISIS captivity, and Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecologist treating victims of sexual violence, recognizing their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.[98] On October 6, the U.S. Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court by a 50-48 vote amid allegations of sexual misconduct from his youth, which he denied; an FBI supplemental investigation found no corroborating evidence for the claims, and he was sworn in the same day. Also on October 6, a limousine crash in Schoharie, New York, killed 20 people, including 18 passengers, the driver, and two pedestrians, attributed to brake failure and excessive speed; the vehicle, operated by an unlicensed company, prompted new state regulations on stretch limousines. Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on October 10 as a Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds, the strongest ever recorded in the Florida Panhandle, causing 45 deaths across the U.S., $25 billion in damage, and widespread destruction including leveled homes and power outages for millions.[99] Recovery efforts continued from the September 28 Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, where soil liquefaction in areas like Petobo buried entire neighborhoods; by mid-October, the confirmed death toll exceeded 3,400 with thousands missing, highlighting inadequate early warning systems and building codes in the region. On October 23-24, pipe bombs were mailed to prominent Democrats including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and CNN's New York office, along with George Soros; the devices were intercepted without detonating, and Florida man Cesar Sayoc, a Trump supporter with a criminal history, was arrested on October 26 and later pleaded guilty to 65 charges, receiving a 20-year sentence. Google employees staged a global walkout on October 25, involving about 20,000 workers at over 50 offices, protesting the company's handling of sexual harassment claims, including executive payouts; it led to policy changes on reporting but no firings of top executives. The month ended with the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on October 27, where Robert Bowers, motivated by antisemitic conspiracy theories and opposition to immigration, killed 11 worshippers and wounded six at the Tree of Life synagogue, the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history; Bowers was convicted on 63 federal counts including hate crimes and sentenced to death.November
On November 6, the United States conducted midterm elections, with Democrats securing a majority in the House of Representatives (235 seats to Republicans' 199) while Republicans retained control of the Senate and gained two seats for a 53-47 advantage. Voter turnout among eligible citizens hit 53 percent, the highest midterm participation since 1914, driven by polarized national debates over immigration, healthcare, and economic policy under President Donald Trump. The election produced the most diverse Congress in history, including a record 102 women elected to the House and the first Muslim women, Native American women, and openly gay governors.[100][6] The Camp Fire erupted on November 8 near Pulga in Butte County, California, ignited by a live power line from Pacific Gas and Electric equipment contacting dry vegetation amid high winds gusting to 50 mph. Rapidly spreading through dense, drought-stressed fuels, it destroyed over 18,000 structures, including nearly all of Paradise's 27,000 residents' homes, and killed 85 people—mostly elderly trapped in vehicles or residences—marking California's deadliest wildfire on record. The blaze scorched 153,336 acres across rugged terrain before containment on November 25, displacing tens of thousands and incurring damages exceeding $16.5 billion; investigations later attributed the origin to PG&E's neglected transmission line maintenance.[101][102] A mass shooting unfolded on November 7 at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, during a college country-western dance night, where 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former Marine Corps veteran with documented traumatic brain injury and mental health issues, fatally shot 11 patrons and a responding Ventura County Sheriff's sergeant, Ron Helus, before killing himself. Long fired over 100 rounds from a .45-caliber pistol legally purchased in 2016, despite prior police welfare checks revealing erratic behavior but no grounds for firearm confiscation under then-existing red-flag laws. The attack wounded 17 others, many survivors of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting who had gathered at the venue for solace.[103][104] On November 16, U.S. intelligence officials, including the CIA, concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had personally ordered the October 2 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, based on intercepted communications and circumstantial evidence linking the crown prince's inner circle to the 15-member hit squad. Saudi authorities, after initial denials, admitted the killing as a "rogue operation" gone wrong during an attempted forcible repatriation, leading to the arrest of 18 suspects and dismissal of several aides; the assessment prompted U.S. congressional calls for sanctions but no immediate action against the prince amid ongoing Saudi cooperation in Yemen and Iran containment. This revelation exacerbated tensions in U.S.-Saudi relations, with European nations halting some arms sales.[105][106]December
The 2018 G20 Summit convened in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from November 30 to December 1, where leaders of the world's major economies adopted a declaration emphasizing fair and sustainable development, including commitments to future-oriented infrastructure and combating corruption. A significant bilateral agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping paused new tariffs for 90 days to allow trade negotiations, averting further escalation in the U.S.-China trade dispute.[107][7] On December 1, Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies and daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver, Canada, at the request of U.S. authorities on charges of bank and wire fraud related to violations of sanctions against Iran. The detention, kept secret until December 5, sparked diplomatic tensions, with China demanding her release and later detaining two Canadian citizens in apparent retaliation. Meng was released on bail but remained under restrictions pending extradition proceedings.[108][109] France's Yellow Vests (Gilets Jaunes) protests, initially sparked by fuel tax hikes, escalated throughout December with weekly mobilizations drawing tens of thousands and marked by widespread violence, property damage, and clashes with police. On December 1, demonstrators vandalized the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to suspend the fuel tax increase on December 4; further concessions included a national debate on policy and wage hikes, but unrest persisted, with over 125,000 participants on December 8 and riots during "Act V" on December 22. The movement highlighted grievances over living costs, taxes, and perceived elite disconnect, evolving into broader anti-government sentiment without centralized leadership.[110][111][112] In the United States, a partial federal government shutdown commenced at midnight on December 22 after Congress failed to pass funding legislation amid a dispute over $5.7 billion for border security, including a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Affecting about 800,000 federal employees, the shutdown—the longest in U.S. history at 35 days—halted non-essential services, furloughed workers, and delayed paychecks, with economic costs estimated at $11 billion. It stemmed from President Trump's insistence on wall funding, opposed by Democrats prioritizing other priorities post-midterm elections.[113][114][115] On December 11, an Islamist attacker killed three and injured 13 at a Strasbourg Christmas market, prompting heightened security amid France's ongoing protests and terror threats; the perpetrator, Cherif Chekatt, was killed by police two days later. In Britain, Prime Minister Theresa May postponed the Brexit parliamentary vote indefinitely on December 10 due to expected defeat, intensifying uncertainty over the UK's EU withdrawal set for March 2019.[116][117]Politics and Governance
United States Domestic Politics
In January 2018, the U.S. federal government experienced a three-day partial shutdown from January 20 to January 23, triggered by disagreements over a spending bill that included funding for children's health insurance and border security measures; approximately 800,000 federal employees were furloughed, marking the first shutdown of the 115th Congress.[118] The impasse ended when Congress passed a continuing resolution averting further disruption, though it highlighted ongoing partisan divides on immigration and discretionary spending.[119] The Supreme Court confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh dominated much of the year's judicial politics. Following Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement announcement on June 27, President Donald Trump nominated D.C. Circuit Judge Kavanaugh on July 9, citing his judicial experience and originalist philosophy. Confirmation hearings began in September, but allegations of sexual misconduct from Christine Blasey Ford and others surfaced, leading to a temporary halt for an FBI supplemental background investigation requested by Senator Jeff Flake; the probe, limited in scope, interviewed fewer than 10 witnesses and produced no corroborating evidence of the claims.[120] On October 6, the Senate confirmed Kavanaugh by a 50-48 vote, with all Republicans except Senator Lisa Murkowski supporting and Democrats united in opposition, shifting the Court's ideological balance further conservative.[121] Congress enacted several significant pieces of legislation amid divided government. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, signed February 9, raised spending caps by $300 billion over two years, allocating $165 billion for defense and $131 billion for non-defense discretionary funding, temporarily easing fiscal tensions. The First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform measure, was signed into law on December 21, reducing mandatory minimum sentences for certain nonviolent offenses, expanding rehabilitation programs, and retroactively applying fair sentencing adjustments, affecting thousands of federal inmates. Other actions included the Music Modernization Act, modernizing royalty payments for songwriters in the digital era, and reauthorization of the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed with provisions for military pay raises and border security enhancements. The November 6 midterm elections represented a pivotal shift, with Democrats flipping 41 House seats to secure a 235-199 majority, their largest gain since 1974, driven by high turnout exceeding 113 million voters and suburban backlash against Trump administration policies.[122] Republicans, however, expanded their Senate majority to 53-47 by defending all seats and winning two Democratic-held ones in red states like Indiana and North Dakota, benefiting from a favorable map with 26 GOP seats versus 9 Democratic ones.[123] The results curbed Trump's legislative agenda, enabling House Democrats to launch investigations into executive actions, while bolstering Senate confirmation powers for judicial and cabinet nominees. Voter concerns centered on health care, with pre-election polls showing 39% prioritizing it, alongside immigration and the economy.[124] Ongoing investigations, including Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian election interference, fueled partisan recriminations; by year's end, several Trump associates like Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen faced indictments or guilty pleas on unrelated charges, though no direct collusion findings emerged in 2018 public reports.[125] Debates over immigration intensified with the administration's "zero tolerance" policy leading to family separations at the border, prompting executive orders and congressional hearings, but no comprehensive reform passed. These dynamics underscored a polarized landscape, with approval ratings for Congress hovering below 20% and Trump's at around 42%.[126]International Diplomacy and Conflicts
On May 8, 2018, President Donald Trump announced the United States' withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, citing its failure to curb Iran's ballistic missile program and regional destabilization activities.[46] The move reimposed U.S. sanctions on Iran, prompting European allies to criticize it as undermining non-proliferation efforts while Iran vowed to increase uranium enrichment if the deal collapsed.[127] The poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury, UK, on March 4, 2018, led to a major diplomatic rift, with Britain attributing responsibility to Russia and expelling 23 Russian diplomats; over 20 countries followed suit, expelling more than 150 Russian officials in solidarity.[7] Russia denied involvement and reciprocated by expelling Western diplomats, escalating tensions amid accusations of state-sponsored assassination. In the Korean Peninsula, the June 12 Singapore Summit marked the first meeting between a U.S. president and North Korean leader, as Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un signed a joint statement committing to complete denuclearization, recovery of war remains, and peace establishment.[1] Preceded by inter-Korean talks, the summit reduced immediate missile threats but yielded no verifiable steps toward dismantling North Korea's arsenal by year's end.[128] The Syrian Civil War intensified in 2018 with Syrian government forces, backed by Russia and Iran, recapturing Eastern Ghouta from rebels by April after a prolonged siege and bombardment that killed over 1,100 civilians.[129] On April 14, the U.S., UK, and France conducted missile strikes on Syrian chemical weapons sites in response to a suspected chlorine attack in Douma.[130] Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in January captured Afrin from Kurdish YPG forces, displacing over 200,000 civilians amid allegations of war crimes by all sides.[131] Israel escalated airstrikes against Iranian positions in Syria, launching over 200 in May following rocket fire toward the Golan Heights.[132] The Yemeni Civil War continued with over 10,000 deaths in 2018, as Houthi rebels clashed with Saudi-led coalition forces, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis affecting 24 million people.[133] In November, Russia's capture of Ukrainian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait after a confrontation heightened Black Sea tensions, prompting Ukraine to declare martial law.[7] The NATO Brussels Summit on July 11-12 saw U.S. demands for increased allied defense spending to 2% of GDP, amid Trump's criticisms of burden-sharing, though no new troop commitments emerged.[128] Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a peace agreement on July 9, ending two decades of hostility and border disputes.[7]Elections and Political Shifts
In 2018, elections across multiple continents highlighted a global trend toward political fragmentation and the ascendance of anti-establishment figures, often rooted in voter frustration with economic stagnation, corruption scandals, and migration pressures. Populist and nationalist parties gained ground in Europe and Latin America, challenging centrist and leftist incumbents, while traditional democratic strongholds like the United States experienced divided government outcomes that intensified partisan divides. These contests, occurring amid rising inequality and cultural anxieties, underscored a shift away from multilateralism toward sovereignty-focused agendas, though outcomes varied by regional context.[134][135] The United States held midterm elections on November 6, 2018, resulting in Democrats securing a majority in the House of Representatives by flipping 41 seats, thereby gaining oversight powers and halting some Republican legislative priorities under President Donald Trump. Republicans, however, strengthened their Senate control, netting a gain of two seats to reach 53, which preserved their ability to confirm judicial appointments. Voter turnout reached approximately 113 million, the highest for a midterm since 1914, driven by polarized mobilization on issues like healthcare, immigration, and trade.[122][123] In Latin America, Brazil's general elections culminated in a presidential runoff on October 28, 2018, where Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain advocating law-and-order policies and economic liberalization, defeated Workers' Party candidate Fernando Haddad with 55.13% of the vote amid widespread anti-corruption sentiment following the Lava Jato investigations. His victory, alongside gains for his allies in Congress, marked a decisive rejection of the leftist establishment blamed for economic recession and crime surges. Similarly, Mexico's July 1, 2018, general election saw Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the left-wing Morena party win the presidency with over 53% of the vote—more than 30 million ballots—securing congressional majorities and promising austerity, anti-corruption reforms, and social welfare expansions in response to cartel violence and inequality.[136][137][138] European parliamentary votes further evidenced populist momentum, as Italy's March 4, 2018, elections delivered pluralities to the Five Star Movement (32.7% of the vote) and the League (17.4%), forming a coalition government that prioritized Euroskepticism and immigration curbs. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party won a supermajority on April 8, 2018, with 49.3% of votes, enabling constitutional changes amid campaigns against George Soros-linked influences and EU migration quotas. Malaysia's May 9, 2018, polls represented a rare opposition triumph, with the Pakatan Harapan coalition, led by Mahathir Mohamad, ousting the long-ruling Barisan Nasional after 61 years, fueled by the 1MDB scandal and promises of graft probes. These results reflected causal drivers like elite capture and policy failures, rather than mere media narratives of extremism.[135][139] Broader political shifts in 2018 amplified these electoral patterns, with populist governance peaking as 16 countries featured such leaders by year's end, correlating with public demands for direct sovereignty over technocratic elites. Economic dislocations from automation and trade imbalances, combined with cultural backlash against rapid demographic changes, propelled this wave, evident in Brazil's and Italy's anti-globalist turns despite differing ideological flavors. Mainstream analyses often underplayed these structural causes in favor of personality-driven explanations, yet data from diverse contexts affirm voter agency in prioritizing tangible security over abstract cosmopolitanism.[140]Economy and Finance
Global Economic Trends
The global economy expanded by 3.7 percent in 2018, reflecting sustained momentum from advanced economies and solid performance in many emerging markets, though growth showed signs of moderation in the second half amid rising trade barriers and tightening financial conditions.[141] This rate aligned closely with the prior year's 3.8 percent expansion but fell short of earlier forecasts due to escalating protectionist measures and external shocks affecting trade and investment flows.[141] A defining feature was the intensification of trade disputes, particularly the U.S.-China trade war, which began with U.S. tariffs on solar panels and washing machines in January, followed by 25 percent duties on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports in March, prompting retaliatory measures from affected nations including China, the EU, and Canada.[142] These actions disrupted supply chains and contributed to a slowdown in global merchandise trade volume growth to 3.0 percent for the year, down from 4.6 percent in 2017, as exporters faced higher costs and reduced demand certainty. The World Trade Organization noted that while early-year optimism supported a 4.4 percent forecast, actual outcomes reflected the drag from bilateral tariffs covering over $250 billion in goods by year-end.[143] Financial markets exhibited heightened volatility, with the S&P 500 index posting a total return of -4.38 percent, its worst annual performance since 2008, driven by concerns over trade frictions, Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, and decelerating global growth signals.[144] Equity declines were widespread, particularly in trade-sensitive sectors, while emerging markets grappled with capital outflows amid a stronger U.S. dollar and rising borrowing costs; currencies in Turkey and Argentina depreciated sharply, exacerbating inflation and debt vulnerabilities.[145] Commodity prices showed mixed trends, with Brent crude oil averaging $71 per barrel, up from 2017 levels due to OPEC production cuts and robust demand from Asia, though prices peaked at $86 in early October before retreating amid supply increases and trade-related demand worries.[146] Energy importers benefited from the earlier price surge's moderation, but oil exporters faced revenue volatility; overall, these dynamics underscored vulnerabilities in resource-dependent economies.[147]United States Economic Performance
The United States economy in 2018 continued its expansion from the post-2008 recovery, achieving real GDP growth of 2.9 percent for the year, the highest annual rate since 2014 and reflecting contributions from consumer spending, business investment, and government outlays. This performance occurred amid implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of December 2017, which reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent and provided temporary individual tax cuts, stimulating corporate profits and repatriation of overseas earnings that bolstered domestic investment in the short term.[148] The civilian unemployment rate averaged 3.9 percent, a near five-decade low, with nonfarm payroll employment adding 2.7 million jobs, driven by gains in sectors like health care, construction, and manufacturing. Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, rose 2.4 percent year-over-year, remaining close to the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target despite upward pressure from energy prices and wage growth in a tightening labor market.[149] The Federal Reserve responded with four 25-basis-point increases to the federal funds rate—on March 21 (to 1.50–1.75 percent), June 13 (to 1.75–2.00 percent), September 26 (to 2.00–2.25 percent), and December 19 (to 2.25–2.50 percent)—aiming to normalize policy amid sustained growth and to preempt inflationary risks without derailing expansion.[150] Financial markets showed volatility, with the S&P 500 index posting a total return of -4.38 percent for the year, including a sharp 9 percent decline in December amid concerns over rate hikes, trade tensions, and global slowdown signals.[144]| Key Economic Indicators | 2018 Value |
|---|---|
| Real GDP Growth | 2.9% |
| Unemployment Rate (avg.) | 3.9% |
| CPI Inflation | 2.4% |
| Nonfarm Payroll Jobs Added | 2.7 million |
| Federal Funds Rate (end) | 2.25–2.50% |
Science, Technology, and Innovation
Scientific Breakthroughs
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their discoveries of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation, specifically targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1 proteins to unleash T-cell attacks on tumors.[154] These findings, developed over decades, underpinned checkpoint inhibitor drugs that by 2018 had demonstrated efficacy in treating melanoma, lung cancer, and other malignancies, with clinical trials showing response rates up to 40% in advanced cases.[155] In Chemistry, Frances H. Arnold received half the prize for directed evolution of enzymes, a method mimicking natural selection to engineer proteins for industrial applications like biofuels and pharmaceuticals, achieving catalytic efficiencies unattainable by traditional means.[156] The other half went to George P. Smith and Gregory P. Winter for phage display, enabling rapid selection of peptides and antibodies, which facilitated therapeutic antibody development such as adalimumab for autoimmune diseases.[156] The Physics prize honored Arthur Ashkin for optical tweezers, allowing precise manipulation of microscopic particles including viruses and DNA, with applications in biophysics; and Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland for chirped pulse amplification, enabling ultrafast, high-intensity lasers used in corrective eye surgery.[157] In developmental biology, researchers advanced techniques for tracking cell lineages and gene expression in embryos at single-cell resolution, designated by Science as the 2018 Breakthrough of the Year.[158] Methods combining CRISPR-based lineage barcoding with single-cell RNA sequencing mapped trajectories in zebrafish, frog, and mouse embryos, revealing how initial cell states predict organ formation and identifying regulatory networks driving differentiation.[158] For instance, Harvard teams profiled over 100,000 cells in zebrafish embryos over 24 hours, constructing fate maps that illuminate principles of morphogenesis applicable to human development and regenerative medicine.[159] A milestone in cloning technology occurred with the birth of Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua, the first primates produced via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), on 24 January 2018.30057-6) Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers optimized SCNT protocols, incorporating histone deacetylase inhibitors and caffeine to improve reprogramming efficiency, yielding viable long-tailed macaque clones after prior failures in non-human primates.30057-6) This overcame species-specific barriers like inefficient epigenetic resetting, advancing potential models for human disease research but raising ethical concerns over animal welfare and cloning scalability.[160] The announcement of the first gene-edited human babies by He Jiankui on 28 November 2018 marked a contentious application of CRISPR-Cas9, claiming editing of the CCR5 gene in embryos to confer HIV resistance, resulting in twins Lulu and Nana.[161] He reported using CRISPR to introduce a delta-32 mutation in non-human primate embryos with partial success, but verification of the human edits was lacking, and the procedure violated international ethical norms against germline editing.[161] The claims prompted global condemnation, leading to He's imprisonment in 2019 for illegal medical practices, underscoring risks of off-target mutations and mosaicism in clinical gene editing.[162]Technological Developments
 In January 2018, researchers disclosed Meltdown and Spectre, two critical hardware vulnerabilities affecting modern processors from Intel, AMD, and ARM. These side-channel attacks exploited speculative execution to leak sensitive data across security boundaries, impacting billions of devices including desktops, laptops, and cloud servers.[163] Mitigations involved microcode updates and software patches, though they incurred performance penalties of up to 30% in some workloads.[164] On February 6, 2018, SpaceX conducted the inaugural launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. This heavy-lift vehicle, comprising three Falcon 9 cores, generated 23,000 kilonewtons of thrust, surpassing NASA's Saturn V as the most powerful operational rocket by payload capacity to low Earth orbit. The mission successfully deployed a test payload—a Tesla Roadster with a mannequin named Starman—into a heliocentric orbit beyond Mars, while two boosters landed synchronously on ground pads, validating partial reusability.[165][166] In May 2018, Google unveiled Duplex, an AI system capable of conducting natural-sounding phone conversations to perform tasks like booking reservations. Demonstrated at Google I/O, Duplex used a recurrent neural network trained on anonymized audio data to handle interruptions, filler words, and context, achieving human-like intonation. Ethical concerns prompted Google to require disclosure of AI identity in calls.[167] November 2018 saw Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui announce the birth of twin girls whose embryos he had edited using CRISPR-Cas9 to disable the CCR5 gene, purportedly conferring HIV resistance. Performed without broad scientific consensus or regulatory approval, the germline edits raised profound ethical issues regarding heritable changes and off-target effects, leading to He's conviction for illegal medical practice in China.[161][162] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project finalized the standalone 5G New Radio standard in June 2018, enabling initial commercial trials. Carriers like Verizon planned fixed wireless access in select U.S. cities by late 2018, promising peak speeds over 1 Gbps and latency under 1 ms, though full deployment awaited spectrum auctions and infrastructure builds.[168]Environment, Disasters, and Health
Natural Disasters
In 2018, natural disasters worldwide resulted in 11,804 deaths, affected over 68 million people, and caused economic losses exceeding $131.7 billion, according to data from the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).[169] Among the deadliest events was the Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia on September 28, which struck with a magnitude of 7.5, triggering liquefaction, landslides, and tsunami waves up to 1.5 meters high, killing at least 4,402 people and displacing over 200,000.[170] The disaster devastated Palu and surrounding areas, with soil liquefaction burying entire neighborhoods and complicating rescue efforts due to the remote terrain and ongoing aftershocks.[171] The Camp Fire, ignited on November 8 in Butte County, California, became the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history, claiming 85 lives and destroying over 18,000 structures, including nearly the entire town of Paradise.[172] Driven by hurricane-force winds exceeding 50 mph and fueled by dry vegetation, the fire spread at rates over 80 football fields per minute, burning 153,336 acres before containment on November 25.[173] Economic damages reached $16.5 billion, highlighting vulnerabilities in power infrastructure after investigations linked the ignition to Pacific Gas and Electric transmission lines.[174] Hurricane Michael made landfall as a Category 5 storm near Mexico Beach, Florida, on October 10, with sustained winds of 160 mph—the strongest recorded in the Florida Panhandle.[99] The storm caused at least 45 deaths in the U.S., widespread structural devastation, and power outages affecting millions, with storm surges up to 20 feet and rainfall exceeding 20 inches in parts of the Southeast.[175] Recovery efforts focused on rebuilding military installations like Tyndall Air Force Base, which sustained severe damage from winds and flooding.[176] Heavy rains from late June to mid-July in southwestern Japan triggered floods and landslides, resulting in over 225 fatalities, the highest toll from such events in the country since 1982.[177] Torrential downpours, exceeding 500 mm in 24 hours in some areas, caused rivers to overflow and mudflows to bury homes, with Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures hardest hit, displacing millions temporarily.[178] The disaster prompted international aid and exposed gaps in early warning systems despite Japan's advanced infrastructure.[179] Other notable events included the eruption of Guatemala's Volcán de Fuego on June 3, which pyroclastic flows killed nearly 200 and buried villages, and Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano activity from May onward, which destroyed over 700 homes through lava flows.[180] These incidents underscored the year's pattern of geophysical and hydrometeorological extremes, with earthquakes and floods accounting for the majority of fatalities globally.[93]Environmental and Health Events
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C on October 8, 2018, assessing the impacts of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels compared to 2°C, as targeted under the Paris Agreement.[181] The report, approved by 195 member governments, concluded that human-induced warming had reached approximately 1°C by 2017, with pathways to 1.5°C requiring net-zero CO2 emissions by mid-century and substantial reductions in other greenhouse gases, alongside rapid societal transformations in energy, land use, and infrastructure.[182] It emphasized greater risks of irreversible impacts like sea-level rise and biodiversity loss beyond 1.5°C, though feasibility depends on political and economic implementation rather than technical barriers alone.[181] From December 2 to 15, 2018, the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change convened in Katowice, Poland, where nearly 200 nations adopted the Katowice Climate Package to operationalize the Paris Agreement.[183] Key outcomes included standardized guidelines for nationally determined contributions (NDCs), transparency frameworks for emissions reporting, and mechanisms for global stocktakes every five years starting in 2023, though the package deferred contentious issues like loss and damage finance to future talks.[184] Critics noted insufficient ambition in pre-2020 actions, with NDCs projected to yield 2.5–3.5°C warming by 2100 absent stronger commitments.[184] In public health, the Democratic Republic of the Congo faced its tenth Ebola virus disease outbreak, declared on August 1, 2018, in North Kivu province amid ongoing armed conflict, marking the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record.[185] The outbreak, involving Zaire ebolavirus, reported 3,481 cases and 2,299 deaths by its end in June 2020, with initial cases traced to late July 2018; response efforts included experimental vaccine deployment (rVSV-ZEBOV) and therapeutics like mAb114, achieving a case fatality rate of about 66% despite challenges from insecurity and community resistance.[185] A separate, smaller Ebola outbreak occurred in Équateur province from May to July 2018, with 54 cases and 33 deaths, contained through rapid vaccination.[185] India experienced a Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala state from May to June 2018, with 18 laboratory-confirmed cases and 17 deaths, yielding a case fatality rate of 94%.[186] Linked to consumption of date palm sap contaminated by fruit bats, the cluster centered in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, prompting public health measures like contact tracing, quarantine, and awareness campaigns; no secondary transmission beyond close contacts was sustained after June 10.[186] The event highlighted Nipah's potential for human-to-human spread and the need for improved surveillance in bat-endemic regions.[187]Culture, Society, and Social Movements
Cultural Milestones
In film, Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler and released on February 16, grossed $1.346 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film with a black director and predominantly black cast, while sparking widespread discussions on African heritage and black empowerment through its fictional nation of Wakanda.[188] [189] The film's cultural resonance extended beyond box office success, inspiring global fashion trends, academic analyses of representation, and community events celebrating African diaspora narratives. Similarly, Avengers: Infinity War, released April 27, achieved the year's highest global earnings at $2.048 billion, marking a peak in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's interconnected storytelling that drew over 1.3 billion viewers cumulatively across the franchise by that point.[188] In music, the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman topped global sales with 3.5 million copies, reflecting renewed interest in theatrical musicals and contributing to the film's delayed commercial breakthrough after its 2017 release.[190] South Korean group BTS solidified their international breakthrough with albums Love Yourself: Tear (May 18) and Love Yourself: Answer (August 24), selling over 5 million combined units and dominating charts in multiple countries, which highlighted the rising global influence of K-pop through streaming and fan-driven economies.[191] Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming, published November 13, sold more than 2 million copies in the United States and Canada within its first 15 days, making it the best-selling adult book of the year and underscoring public interest in post-presidential personal narratives.[192] In video games, Red Dead Redemption 2, released October 26 by Rockstar Games, generated $725 million in retail sales during its first three days and became the top-selling title of 2018 in the U.S., praised for its immersive open-world depiction of the American Old West and narrative depth.[193] [194]Social and Cultural Controversies
The confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, held in September 2018, sparked intense national debate over sexual misconduct allegations from his high school and college years. Christine Blasey Ford testified on September 27 that Kavanaugh assaulted her in 1982, while Kavanaugh denied the claims and described them as a partisan smear; a supplemental FBI investigation, limited to one week and interviewing only 10 witnesses, uncovered no corroborating evidence for Ford's account or subsequent allegations by Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. Despite protests and a 50-48 Senate vote on October 6, Kavanaugh was confirmed, highlighting divisions over due process, memory reliability in decades-old claims, and the role of uncorroborated testimony in high-stakes nominations. The #MeToo movement, which gained momentum in 2017, expanded globally in 2018 with accusations leading to the professional downfall of over 200 prominent men, including executives in media, politics, and entertainment, amid claims of sexual harassment or assault.[195] High-profile cases involved figures like CBS CEO Les Moonves, who resigned in September following multiple allegations, and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who stepped down in May after reports of physical abuse; however, the movement faced criticism for instances of insufficient evidence, rushed judgments, and potential incentives for false claims, as seen in retracted accusations against figures like Aziz Ansari. By year's end, #MeToo prompted corporate policy changes but also backlash over perceived erosion of presumption of innocence, with surveys indicating public support waning amid due process concerns.[196] The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, implemented in April 2018, resulted in the separation of approximately 2,300 migrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border as adults faced criminal prosecution for illegal entry, fueling debates over child welfare, deterrence efficacy, and legal obligations under asylum laws.[197] Critics, including human rights groups, highlighted psychological trauma to children and poor reunification tracking, while proponents argued it enforced existing statutes and reduced repeat crossings, with data showing a decline in family units apprehended post-policy.[198] A federal judge ordered family reunifications in June, exposing administrative challenges, and the controversy underscored cultural rifts on border enforcement versus humanitarian priorities, with mainstream media coverage often emphasizing emotional imagery over policy precedents from prior administrations.[199] The Cambridge Analytica scandal, revealed in March 2018, exposed how the firm harvested data from up to 87 million Facebook users via a quiz app without consent, using it to target political ads during the 2016 U.S. election and Brexit campaign, igniting concerns over digital privacy, algorithmic manipulation, and tech platforms' role in democracy.[37] Cambridge Analytica, which shut down in May, claimed psychographic profiling influenced voters, though subsequent analyses questioned its causal impact on outcomes; the episode prompted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's congressional testimony in April and regulatory scrutiny, including the EU's GDPR enforcement, while revealing systemic vulnerabilities in social media data practices.[200] Debates ensued on balancing innovation with safeguards against misuse, with evidence of platform biases in content moderation amplifying cultural distrust in big tech's neutrality.[201] Implementation of restrictions on transgender individuals in the U.S. military, formalized in March 2018 memos following President Trump's 2017 announcement, barred those with gender dysphoria diagnoses or who had undergone gender transition from serving in their identified gender, citing medical costs estimated at $8-12 million annually and deployability concerns based on a Department of Defense panel review.[202][203] The policy, partially upheld by courts amid lawsuits, reversed Obama-era openness and sparked arguments over biological sex realities, unit cohesion, and whether gender identity accommodations impose undue burdens, with data from military studies showing elevated mental health risks among transgender service members.[204] Proponents referenced empirical findings on transition regret rates and surgical complications, while opponents framed it as discriminatory, though the policy aligned with standards disqualifying others for similar untreated conditions.[205]Sports and Entertainment
Major Sporting Events
The 2018 Winter Olympics took place from February 9 to 25 in PyeongChang, South Korea, featuring 2,920 athletes from 92 nations competing in 102 events across 15 sports.[30][31] Norway led the medal standings with 39 medals, including 14 gold, followed by Germany with 31 medals and Canada with 29.[32] Notable performances included alpine skier Marcel Hirscher of Austria securing two gold medals and the United States men's curling team winning its first Olympic gold.[206] The FIFA World Cup, hosted by Russia from June 14 to July 15, involved 32 national teams in 64 matches across 12 stadiums in 11 cities.[207] France defeated Croatia 4–2 in the final on July 15 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, securing their second World Cup title with goals from Mario Mandžukić (own goal), Ivan Perišić (own goal), Paul Pogba, and Kylian Mbappé.[208] Croatia reached the final for the first time, overcoming Denmark, Russia, and England in penalty shootouts during the knockout stages.[209] Other significant events included the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4 to 15, where England topped the medal table with 136 medals, and host Australia earned 121.[210] The Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, from August 18 to September 2, saw China dominate with 289 medals.[210] In American football, the Philadelphia Eagles upset the New England Patriots 41–33 in Super Bowl LII on February 4.[206]Entertainment and Media
In cinema, Avengers: Infinity War, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and released on April 27, grossed $2,048,359,754 worldwide, marking it as the highest-earning film of the year and the fourth-highest of all time at that point.[211] Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler and released February 16, earned $1,346,913,161 globally, achieving the highest domestic opening for a superhero film at $202 million and cultural significance through its focus on African themes and all-black leads.[211] Other top performers included Incredibles 2 ($1,242,805,359 worldwide, June 15 release) and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ($1,308,323,035 worldwide, June 22 release), both animated and franchise sequels that underscored audience preference for established IP.[211] The 90th Academy Awards on March 4 honored 2017 productions, with The Shape of Water winning Best Picture amid controversy over its fantastical narrative outperforming films like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Music saw hip-hop and pop dominance on charts, with Drake's Scorpion (June 29 release) topping the Billboard 200 year-end list for 2018 units consumed, holding the number-one spot for five weeks and featuring hits like "God's Plan" and "In My Feelings."[212] Post Malone's Beerbongs & Bentleyds ranked third year-end, driven by tracks such as "Rockstar" and "Psycho," reflecting streaming's role in sustaining sales.[212] Taylor Swift's Reputation (2017 release) led year-end despite prior-year debut, boosted by tour revenue exceeding $345 million, the highest-grossing by a woman at the time.[212] Cardi B's debut Invasion of Privacy achieved diamond certification later but marked her breakthrough with "Bodak Yellow," while K-pop group BTS gained U.S. traction via sold-out stadium tours and Love Yourself: Tear charting high. Television highlighted streaming's ascent, with Netflix originals like Stranger Things Season 2 (October 27) and Ozark Season 2 drawing millions, though traditional networks retained viewership leads via Nielsen metrics: NFL Sunday Night Football averaged 19.3 million viewers, followed by The Big Bang Theory at 17.4 million.[213] HBO's Game of Thrones Season 8 preparation built anticipation, but the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 17 awarded it Outstanding Drama Series for prior seasons, alongside The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel for Comedy Series, signaling prestige for period and character-driven narratives.[214] Limited series like The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story won for Darren Criss's portrayal, emphasizing anthology formats' Emmy success.[215] Video games marked a peak year for sales and critical acclaim, with Red Dead Redemption 2 (October 26, Rockstar Games) selling over 17 million copies in its first two weeks, praised for its open-world realism and narrative depth in the American West. God of War (April 20, Sony Santa Monica) revitalized the franchise with a father-son story, earning Game of the Year at The Game Awards and over 19 million sales by 2021. Battle royale mode in Fortnite exploded in popularity, peaking at 78.3 million monthly players by May, driven by free-to-play model and cross-platform play, while Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (October 12) shifted to no-single-player focus, selling 10 million in three days via multiplayer and battle royale.Awards and Recognitions
Nobel Prizes
The Nobel Prizes for 2018 were awarded in six categories, recognizing advancements in medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and economic sciences.[216] Twelve individuals received the prizes, with the literature award deferred to 2019 due to a scandal within the Swedish Academy involving sexual misconduct allegations that led to resignations and a temporary halt in awards.[217]| Category | Laureates | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Physiology or Medicine | James P. Allison (USA), Tasuku Honjo (Japan) | For their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immunoregulatory mechanisms, enabling the immune system to attack cancer cells.[154] |
| Physics | Arthur Ashkin (USA), Gérard Mourou (France/USA), Donna Strickland (Canada) | For groundbreaking inventions in laser physics: Ashkin for optical tweezers to manipulate microscopic objects; Mourou and Strickland for chirped pulse amplification enabling high-power, ultra-short laser pulses.[157] |
| Chemistry | Frances H. Arnold (USA); George P. Smith (USA), Sir Gregory P. Winter (UK) | Arnold for directed evolution of enzymes; Smith and Winter for phage display of peptides and antibodies, facilitating production of new proteins and antibody drugs.[156] |
| Literature | Olga Tokarczuk (Poland) | For a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life; awarded in 2019 following the Academy's internal crisis.[218] |
| Peace | Denis Mukwege (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Nadia Murad (Iraq) | For efforts to end use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict, with Mukwege treating victims and Murad advocating as a survivor of ISIS captivity.[219] |
| Economic Sciences | William D. Nordhaus (USA), Paul M. Romer (USA) | Nordhaus for integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis; Romer for integrating technological innovations into long-run macroeconomic analysis.[220] |