The world as it was in 2019...
Tunnel collapse kills miners in Afghanistan
On January 6, at least 30 miners were killed in Afghanistan after a tunnel collapse. According to officials, the victims were mining for gold illegally
Julian Assange arrested
On April 11, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, was arrested in London. It is still undetermined whether or not Assange will be extradited to the United States
School shooting in Brazil
On March 13, two gunmen entered a Sao Paulo school and began shooting teachers and students. At least 8 people died from the gunfire and another ten were injured. The suspected shooters are also dead
Christchurch Mosque shooting
On March 15, a gunman entered two mosques and began firing. He killed 49 people and injured many more. The suspect, 28-year-old Brenton Terrant, is a self-proclaimed white supremacist and is currently in custody.
The court judge has ruled his face to be pixelated in all photographs to ensure he gets a fair trial. Terrant also live-streamed the attack to Facebook, which has been shared many times and created outrage over social media measures.
Protests in Hong Kong
On June 10, more than 1 million protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong. The group is protesting an extradition bill that allows China to extradite fugitives.
On June 12, police began shooting rubber bullets in the crowd. On June 15, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam suspended the bill.
Civil unrest in Indonesia
On May 27, Indonesian authorities arrested at least six people who were plotting to kill state officials during the civil unrest. So far, 900 people have been injured and 8 killed during the protests for the past two nights
Islamic State nears defeat
On February 20, it appears that IS is near defeat in its last enclave in eastern Syria. Nearly 2,000 civilians were able to leave the area on the 20th.
Japan's emperor abdicated
On April 30, in the first time in over 200 years, Japan Emperor Akihito has announced he is stepping down. His son is expected to be his successor
Macedonia to change its name
On January 25, after years of debate, an agreement has been made between Athens and Skopje to change the name of Macedonia. The Republic of Macedonia will now be called the Republic of North Macedonia
Whatsapp, Facebook, and Instagram to merge
On January 25, Zuckerberg announced plans to merge Whatsapp. Facebook, and Instagram. Despite this, the three services will remain their own individual apps.
Below freezing temperatures for over half US
On January 28, yet another winter storm blew over 75% of the US. Most of the population will face below freezing temperatures, as snow continues to impede travel plans.
On January 31, the windchill and frigid cold left much of the Midwest feeling colder than Antarctica. Twenty-one people have been killed by the cold thus far
Los Angeles teachers strike
On January 14, more than 32,000 teachers began their strike, leaving 600,000 students without class.
The strike comes after negotiations between the union and the school district went nowhere. By January 18, the strike had cost over $125.1 million, causing both sides to agree to resume negotiations.
On January 20, the super blood wolf moon, a rare lunar eclipse, could be seen. Many people throughout the world enjoyed a beautiful, full lunar eclipse.
World's Youngest Prime minister elected in Finland
On December 9, Finland elected Sanna Marin as Prime Minister, making her the world's youngest PM.
Mass shooting in Louisiana
On January 27, a suspect was arrested after police believe he had killed five people. The suspect is accused of killing his girlfriend, her brother and father, and his parents.
Two plane crashes in two days
On December 2, a plane crash in South Dakota, carrying a family of hunters crashed. The crash killed 9 family members. On December 3, it was revealed that the pilot was given the OK to fly even with limited visibility.
On December 3, a plane made an emergency landing in San Antonia, killing three people
Hong Kong protests escalate
On November 11, a protester in Hong Kong was lit on fire hours after another was shot by police. The shooting sparked public outrage, escalating the protests that are now in their fifth month.
South Africa makes history
On May 30, South Africa made history after it was revealed that more than half its cabinet members are women
Over 200 Killed in Sri Lanka attack
On April 21, Easter Sunday, about 290 people died and hundreds more were injured in an explosion at churches in Sri Lanka. The bombings were coordinated and are believed to be terrorist related
New King crowned in Thailand
On May 4, the first day of the ceremony to crown King Vajiralongkorn in Thailand began. Vajiralongkorn took the throne after his father's death in 2016. He also married his now wife in a surprise announcement days ago
Same-sex marriage legalised in Taiwan
On May 17, in an Asian country first, Taiwan voted to legalise same-sex marriage. The bill went into effect on May 24
North Korea tests Short-Range Missiles
On May 3, South Korea reported that North Korea has been testing short-range missiles. The US still needs to confirm the report.
Philippine church bombing
On January 27, two bombs went off in a church in the Philippines. Officials suspect the attack is linked to terrorism, and estimate that 20 people have died and another 100 have been wounded
Gasoline pipeline explosion in Mexico
On January 18, at least 66 people died after a gasoline pipeline exploded in Mexico. Governor Omar Fayad stated that another 76 people have been reported injured. The company is investigating the cause of the explosion as of right now
Many die on Mount Everest
On May 25, the eighth person was killed trying to climb Mount Everest. It is suspected that many of the deaths are caused by weakness and exhaustion due to the delays on the mountain because there is overcrowding
North Korea and US meet again
On June 30, President Trump landed in North Korea, marking the first time a US sitting president has done so. Trump and Kim Jong-un are meeting to discuss the nuclear and trade talks started earlier in Trump's presidency
Pakistan returns captured pilot
On February 28, Pakistan returned a captured pilot to India. However, India has stated that this may not be enough to de-escalate the tension between these two countries
Notre Dame on fire
On April 15, the famed Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire in Paris. The fire took a long time to put out, and it will likely take months to assess the damage.
The blaze is suspected to be accidental. Macron hopes to rebuild it within 5 years.
Explosion in Paris
On January 12, a gas leak in Paris lead to an explosion that killed three people and injured dozens more. Emergency responders rushed to the scene to fight the fire
Measles spreads through the Philippines
On March 8, it was announced that 261 people in the Philippines have died from Measles this year already. That's a 547% increase from the last year.
About 2.6 million kids remain at risk in the country. Hundreds of children have also died in Madagascar as the outbreak continues.