1) Protests in Hong Kong
Protests began in June in Hong Kong as a mark of opposition to the city government’s Extradition Bill that would have seen offenders sent to mainland China
2) The U.S. President is impeached
U.S. President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 18 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. However, the Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to convict him
3) Fire in the Gulf
Trump approved a retaliatory strike in June in response to the downing of a U.S. drone by Iran, but backed off.
On September 14, two oil plants of Saudi giant Aramco were targeted by 18 drones and three missiles shutting down more than 5% of global oil supply and causing a spike in oil prices.
4) Brits bet on Boris
Giving the biggest victory to the Conservative Party since the era of Margaret Thatcher. Boris Johnson emerged as the Prime Minister who could finally 'get Brexit done'.
5) Death of a terrorist
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, kills himself by detonating a suicide vest after a U.S. special forces chase him down in northwestern Syria’s Idlib.
6) War and peace in Afghanistan
Trump launched peace talks with the Taliban despite the group continuing militant attacks. They reached a draft agreement, but Trump called off the talks after the killing of a U.S. soldier in September.
7) MAX grounded
On March 10, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 bound for Nairobi crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board.
All Boeing 737 MAX aircraft were subsequently grounded worldwide.
8) No collusion, but no exoneration
U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on his inquiry into Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election described how President Donald Trump tried to impede the probe.
It raised questions about whether he committed the crime of obstruction of justice.
9) Return of the Rajapaksas in Sri Lanka
The wartime Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the Presidential election on promises of better security in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings.
10) Only handshakes in North Korea
At the end of June, Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a third time this time near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, becoming the first U.S. President to cross the border.
However, consensus on de-nuclearisation eludes both parties.
