2019 news live
Here are some of the top news stories from 2019:
January
- The United States government shutdown: A partial government shutdown occurred from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019, affecting over 800,000 federal employees.
- Australian bushfires: Severe bushfires broke out in Australia, killing at least 33 people and destroying thousands of homes.
- China's lunar mission: China's Chang'e 4 spacecraft successfully landed on the far side of the Moon.
February
- Venezuela crisis: The political crisis in Venezuela escalated, with opposition leader Juan Guaidó declaring himself interim president and the United States recognizing him as the legitimate leader.
- New Zealand mosque shootings: A mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killed 51 people and injured many more.
- NASA's Parker Solar Probe: NASA's Parker Solar Probe became the closest human-made object to the Sun, flying within 15 million miles of the Sun's surface.
March
- Brexit: The United Kingdom officially left the European Union, marking the end of a 47-year membership.
- Notre Dame Cathedral fire: A devastating fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, causing significant damage to the historic building.
- Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency: Facebook announced plans to launch a new cryptocurrency called Libra, which sparked controversy and regulatory scrutiny.
April
- Sri Lanka Easter bombings: A series of coordinated bombings at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka killed over 250 people and injured hundreds more.
- Mueller report: The United States Department of Justice released a redacted version of the Mueller report, which investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
- Amazon's HQ2: Amazon announced that it would split its second headquarters between two locations: Arlington, Virginia, and Long Island City, New York.
May
- Iran-US tensions: Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated, with the US deploying an aircraft carrier to the Middle East and Iran threatening to disrupt oil shipments.
- Hong Kong protests: Pro-democracy protests broke out in Hong Kong, with demonstrators demanding greater autonomy from China.
- NASA's Kepler space telescope: NASA's Kepler space telescope, which had been in operation since 2009, was retired due to a malfunction.
June
- US-Iran conflict: The United States launched airstrikes against Iranian military targets, killing several Iranian military personnel.
- Hong Kong protests: Pro-democracy protests continued in Hong Kong, with clashes between protesters and police resulting in injuries and arrests.
- NASA's Artemis program: NASA announced plans to return humans to the Moon by 2024 under its Artemis program.
July
- Amazon's Prime Day: Amazon's annual Prime Day sales event saw record sales, with the company reporting over $7 billion in sales.
- US-China trade war: The United States and China engaged in a trade war, with both sides imposing tariffs on each other's goods.
- NASA's Mars 2020 rover: NASA's Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance, was launched on a mission to explore Mars and search for signs of life.
August
- Hurricane Dorian: A powerful hurricane made landfall in the Bahamas, causing widespread destruction and killing at least 70 people.
- US-China trade war: The United States and China agreed to a trade deal, with both sides suspending tariffs on each other's goods.
- NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission: NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft returned to Earth with samples from the asteroid Bennu.
September
- Climate change protests: Global climate change protests, led by the Extinction Rebellion movement, took place in cities around the world.
- US-Iran conflict: The United States and Iran engaged in a series of military confrontations, including the downing of an Iranian drone by a US Navy ship.
- NASA's Space Launch System: NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, designed to take humans to the Moon and beyond, underwent its first uncrewed test flight.
October
- Brexit: The United Kingdom and the European Union agreed on a new Brexit deal, which was approved by the UK Parliament.
- US-China trade war: The United States and China agreed to a phase one trade deal, with both sides suspending tariffs on each other's goods.
- NASA's Orion spacecraft: NASA's Orion spacecraft, designed to take humans to the Moon and beyond, underwent a successful uncrewed test flight.
November
- US presidential election: The 2020 United States presidential election took place, with Democratic candidate Joe Biden defeating incumbent President Donald Trump.
- Hong Kong protests: Pro-democracy protests continued in Hong Kong, with clashes between protesters and police resulting in injuries and arrests.
- NASA's Mars 2020 rover: NASA's Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance, landed on Mars and began exploring the planet.
December
- COVID-19 pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, spread globally, with cases reported in over 200 countries and territories.
- US-China trade war: The United States and China agreed to a phase two trade deal, with both sides suspending tariffs on each other's goods.
- NASA's Artemis program: NASA announced plans to send the first woman and the next man to the Moon by 2024 under its Artemis program.
These are just a few of the many news stories from 2019. It was a year marked by significant global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, trade wars, and climate change protests.