CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is officially inaugurated during October. The LHC was built in Switzerland with the help of thousands of engineers and scientists between 1998 and 2008. The world’s largest particle accelerator has a circumference of 17 miles and it is used by scientists to test particle physics theories. It was originally turned on for a brief test in the previous month but it did not have its official unveiling until the following month. While scientists assured the world that the machine was safe, there was some speculation in the media that the LHC could cause the end of the world if it was used to created a small black hole.
European Union
Cyprus and Malta adopt the Euro joining 13 other European countries using the single currency
Kenya ethnic violence
The ethnic violence in Kenya continues to worsen following the Election.
Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger rebels
The truce between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels has ended following continued violence
Pakistan Ms. Bhutto
Following the murder of Ms. Bhutto Pakistan Elections have been postponed to 18th February. A long period of political unrest follows her death.
Property prices continue to fall
Property prices continue to fall on both sides of the Atlantic in Europe and America causing hardship to many homeowners, and problems for the financial institutions.
India Nano introduced
The Tata Group introduces the Nano at the New Delhi car show its ultra-cheap car in India costing 100,000 rupees the equivalent of $2,500
Bank of America
Bank of America, is to take over the country's biggest mortgage lender, Countrywide Financial which was rumored to be close to bankruptcy in a $4bn (£2.04bn) deal.
Citigroup fourth-quarter loss
Citigroup, the nation’s largest bank, joins a number of other high profile financial institutions and reported a fourth-quarter loss of $9.83 billion caused by the sub prime mortgage problems
U.S. series of interest rate cuts
The Fed announced a series of interest rate cuts with federal funds target rate falling to 2.25%
How Much things cost in 2008
Average Cost of new house $238,880.00
Average Income per year $40,523.00
Average Cost for house rent $800.00
Average New Car: $27,958.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $3.39
US Postage Stamp 42 cents
Writers strike against Hollywood studios, networks and production companies demanding a percentage of revenue instead of a fixed fee for Internet content. The strike lasted for nearly 3 months and a compromise agreement is reached. The strike meant many popular TV programmes were affected including talk shows.
U.S. $150 billion stimulus package
President Bush and House leaders agree to a $150 billion stimulus package, including rebates for most tax filers of up to $600 for individuals, $1,200 for couples and, for families, an additional $300 a child.
U.S. cloned animals
The US government gives the OK to the production and marketing of foods derived from cloned animals
U.S. radio spectrum licenses
The US government auctions off radio spectrum licenses that will provide the growth for the next generation of wireless broadband devices. Verizon Wireless wins the lion's share of the spectrum during the auction.
India Internet access
Internet access is disrupted in large parts of the Middle East and India which suffered up to 60% disruption due to breaks in submarine cable systems in the Mediterranean.
Iraq war costs $3 trillion
Estimates are coming out which put the cost so far for the war in Iraq at close to $3 trillion
U.S. tornados
Severe thunderstorms with tornados sweep through Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama .
U.S. Northern Illinois University
A lone gunman Steven Kazmierczak opens fire at the Northern Illinois University killing five and injuring twenty-one, before committing suicide before taking his own life
U.S. Rod Blagojevich
The Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich is arrested on federal corruption charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, following his arrest the Illinois House of Representatives voted by a 114–1 vote to impeach Blagojevich for corruption and misconduct in office.
U.S. General Motors
General Motors Corp. reports the largest ever recorded loss for a maker of $38.7 billion loss for 2007
Cuba Fidel Castro steps down
Fidel Castro steps down as president of Cuba after almost 50 years in power
UK earthquake
UK experiences largest earthquake ( 5.2 ) in 25 years
UK Prince Harry
Following a leak by the press Prince Harry is on his way back to the UK from Afghanistan
Pakistan Suicide Bomber
Suicide Bomber Kills 40 during a gathering of tribal elders and local officials in north-west Pakistan
Increased oil prices
Governments around the world face the continuing problems of increased oil prices causing inflation and unemployment increasing. Oil hits an all time high of $147 a barrel
Shuttle Endeavour
Shuttle Endeavour goes for a 16 day mission to the International Space Station.
Burma tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone devastates parts of the Irrawaddy region of Burma / Myanmar leaving over 50,000 dead.
China Earthquake
An Earthquake measuring 7.8 strikes near Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital leaving an estimated 60,000 dead and up to 5 million homeless.
Greece Olympic Torch Relay
Olympic Torch Relay begins from Olympia, Greece, promoting the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The relay is marred by protests over Chinese treatment of protesters in Tibet.
One Laptop Per Child
Following on from more production of the "One Laptop Per Child" laptops more children in third world countries are given the opportunity to use the Internet for education and to join the global community.
Paraguay election
The centre-left Patriotic Alliance for Change wins Paraguay's presidential election.
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
President Bush signs the $700 billion bailout / Rescue package bill ( Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 ) is signed into law
Sony’s Blu-ray HD format now has about 70 percent of the new high-definition market and is expected to win over the rival format, HD DVD.
Apple sells the new ultra-thin MacBook Air notebook that is less than an inch thick and turns on the moment it's opened.
Microsoft attempts to buy Yahoo for $44.6bn
Europe's space laboratory, Columbus, docks with the International Space Station, on June 4th
Honda begins selling it's zero-emission, hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicle The Honda FCX Clarity.
US Missile Strikes a US Spy Satellite Falling From Its Orbit proving it's missile defense system works.
Chumby released a tiny computer enclosed in a stuffed leather pillow with a 6-inch LCD touch-sensitive screen which shows pictures, news headlines, games, incoming e-mail from the Internet.
Australia Prime Minister JKevin Rudd
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao
France President Nicolas Sarkozy
Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel
India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
Japan Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda / Taro Aso
Mexico President Felipe Calderón
Russia / Soviet Union
Vladimir Putin / Dmitry MedvedevSouth Africa State President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki / Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe
United States President George W. Bush
United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown