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What Happened in 2008 Major News Events, Popular Culture, History Prices

Switzerland - Large Hadron Collider

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

Popular Culture 2008

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

2008 Calendar

Technology 2008

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.

Major World Political Leaders 2008

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 Medvedev

South Africa State President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki / Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe

United States President George W. Bush

United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown