Top News Stories of 2008

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Posted: 1/13/09

1. The 2008 Presidential Election

From Jeremiah Wright to the Florida and Michigan primary fiascos, the 2008 election captivated an anxious world. The primaries kicked off to an unexpected start and ended up the resignation of the now-Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Illinois Senator Barack Obama dueled Arizona Senator John McCain for the position of United States President in one of the most inspiring elections in modern history. In the end, the voters of the United States elected the first bi-racial man in our history - President Barack Obama.

2. Economy Crisis

Lows and highs, peaks and drastic drops, the economic crisis was unavoidable in 2008. The hurting American economy caused a global backlash in budget cuts, set backs and drastic financial changes. Still a controversial issue and Obama's "number one concern," the economy dominated news channels and isn't expected to retire from primetime-coverage anytime soon.

3. Russia invades Georgia

An invasion of massive proportions caught the western world off-guard as Putin sent troops into Georgia after a series of confusing attacks between the two regions. The world watch distressed, awaiting the outcome of what seemed like could be another world war. The situation still remains unclear to many, but the violence has halted for now.

4. India Bombings

India Bombings: During Thanksgiving weekend, Mumbai, India was attacked by a group of Pakistani terrorists who coordinated ten attacked across the region in everywhere from places of worship to hotels. Over 150 people were killed and more were injured.

5. Midwest Floods

The remnants of Hurricane Ike managed to extend well beyond the Gulf Coast states. Heavy rains and floods swept across the Midwest from Arkansas to Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, leaving approximately 20 dead, millions without power, and property damage - including crops - in the billions of dollars.

6. Myanmar Cyclone

More than 3,900 people, and as many as 15,000 people, were killed in a cyclone in Myanmar last May. Thousands were left homeless and the death toll marked the highest in the Asian region since the 2004 tsunami.

7. Chinese Earthquakes

A mere three months before China's spotlight on the world stage for the 2008 Olympics, tragedy struck the province of Sichuan when a magnitude 7.9 earthquake killed over 55,000 people. Rescue efforts from around the world were hampered by inaccessibility and the sheer scale of the disaste, and the country fell into a three-day period of mourning. Aid from both outside and within China flowed swiftly afterwards, raising billions of dollars from nations, companies and individuals to help cope with the disaster.

8. Eliot Spitzer

Eliot Spitzer won the 2006 New York state election on a platform of ethics and integrity, which only made his downfall the more ironic. After a federal investigation revealed that he had been involved with a high-end prostitution ring and a 22-year-old escort named Ashley Dupré, Spitzer promptly fumbled a terse apology and resigned his post as governor.

9. Heath Ledger's death

The young actor, previously famous for his roles in "Brokeback Mountain" and "A Knight's Tale," died of an accidental drug overdose shortly after he filmed "The Dark Knight." The film was released in July and grossed more than $400 million, earning Ledger a posthumous Golden Globe - his first - for his portrayal of the demented villain, "The Joker."

10. Murder of Kaylee Anthony

The disappearance and murder of toddler Kaylee Anthony exploded onto the national media scene when CNN reporter Nancy Grace introduced the situation on her show. The coverage lasted for months as mother Casey Anthony was put on trial for the murder.

11. Buying off Obama's senate seat

Rod R. Blagojevich, governor of Illinois, was found trying to sell Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder, among other charges of corruption.

12. OJ sent to prison

Although the size of the glove saved him before, Simpson couldn't run far enough from the law. He was arrested in Las Vegas for charges of armed robbery and first degree kidnapping. Now he faces nine years in prison.

13. Hurricane Ike

On the third anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, another natural disaster threatened the Gulf Coast region. The category-four hurricane was the third most destructive to hit the US and devastated the Texas region and several Caribbean islands, just missing the delicate coastal region.

14. California Burning

Two major brushfires swept the California region there were 2,780 individual fires across the state and even some that spread to Oregon.

15. Large Hadron Collider

The physicists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland, unveiled the world's largest particle accelerator ever constructed, a machine designed to help understand more about how the universe was formed during the Big Bang. The Collider sparked fears that its experiments would form black holes that would destroy the entire universe, and the studies were put on hold by a number of environmental groups.