Foreign news 2018
Here are some of the most significant foreign news stories from 2018:
Politics and Diplomacy
- North Korea-US Summit: In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump held a historic summit in Singapore, where they signed a joint statement agreeing to work towards denuclearization.
- Russia-US Relations: Tensions between Russia and the US escalated in 2018, with the US imposing sanctions on Russia over its alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election and its annexation of Crimea.
- Brexit: The UK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) continued to dominate headlines in 2018, with the UK and EU negotiating the terms of the divorce.
Conflicts and Crises
- Syrian Civil War: The conflict in Syria continued to rage in 2018, with the Syrian government, backed by Russia and Iran, making gains against rebel forces.
- Yemen Civil War: The conflict in Yemen, which has been ongoing since 2015, escalated in 2018, with the Saudi-led coalition launching airstrikes against Houthi rebels.
- Venezuela Crisis: The political and economic crisis in Venezuela deepened in 2018, with President Nicolás Maduro facing opposition from the US and other countries over his government's human rights record and alleged corruption.
Natural Disasters
- Indonesian Earthquake and Tsunami: A powerful earthquake and tsunami struck Indonesia in September, killing over 2,000 people and displacing thousands more.
- Hurricane Florence: Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina in September, causing widespread flooding and damage in the US.
- California Wildfires: Devastating wildfires swept through California in November, killing at least 85 people and destroying thousands of homes.
Economic News
- Global Trade Tensions: Trade tensions between the US and other major economies, including China, the EU, and Canada, continued to escalate in 2018, with the US imposing tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of goods.
- Cryptocurrency Crash: The value of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum plummeted in 2018, with many investors losing significant amounts of money.
- Global Economic Growth: The global economy continued to grow in 2018, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicting a 3.7% growth rate for the year.
Other Significant Events
- Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: In March, Malaysian authorities announced that they had found the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared in 2014.
- Khashoggi Murder: In October, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, sparking international outrage and diplomatic fallout.
- Papua New Guinea Earthquake: A powerful earthquake struck Papua New Guinea in February, killing at least 67 people and injuring hundreds more.
These are just a few of the many significant foreign news stories from 2018.