Texas' Public Safety Chief Steven McCraw calls law enforcement's response to the Uvalde School Shooting "an abject failure" during testimony at a Senate hearing.

A jury in Los Angeles finds Bill Cosby liable for a sexual assault of a sixteen-year-old that took place in 1975 at the famous Playboy Mansion; awarding the victim 500,000 dollars.

The CDC recommends a vaccine for COVID-19 for children ages six months to five years old.

The Black Death, a bubonic plague pandemic which occurred in Afro-Eurasia during the 14th century, originated in Kyrgyzstan according to newly discovered DNA research taken from burials at Lake Issyk Kul.

NASA announces the beginning of research into UFOs with a focus on unidentified aerial phenomenon.

The first public hearings regarding the January 6th Capitol Attack are held in Washington, D.C. and include testimony and video evidence characterizing the event as orchestrated by former President Trump in regard to his belief in a stolen election.

Former chairman and four members of far-right hate group the Proud Boys are indicted for seditious conspiracy for their role in the January 6th Capitol Attack.

Jury in defamation case brought against Amber Heard by ex-husband Johnny Depp awards the latter fifteen million dollars in damages with Heard awarded two million dollars.

United States Coast Guard Admiral Linda Fagan assumes post of Commandant becoming the first female commander of a United States military branch.

A gunman kills nineteen students and two teachers and wounds seventeen others at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Earlier in the day, the perpetrator shot his grandmother in the forehead, injuring her gravely, before leading police on a chase ending at the school. The shooter met no resistance as he entered the school and remained inside for over one hour before police intervened. Clashes between civilians and police officers erupted outside of the school as parents and others attempted to rescue children as police delayed entry. The attack has resulted in criticism of law enforcement for their handling of the situation, calls for stronger gun laws, and contempt from those believing the shooting should not be politicized.

Oklahoma passes the country's most restrictive abortion bill, limiting nearly all abortions under any circumstances.

President Biden invokes the Defense Production Act after a nationwide baby formula shortage. Under the act, suppliers are required to fulfill orders to manufacturers of baby formula first.

A gunman kills ten people and injures three others during a racially-motivated attack at a Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The shooter lamented online about non-white people taking over the government and how white workers at the store belonged "somewhere better."

In a new decree, the Taliban imposes further restrictions against women by mandating that all "respectable Afghan women" must wear a hijab; with emphasis that the preferred garment is the full-body veil or chadori. Failing to comply with the rule is punishable with imprisonment and or termination of employment for the woman's male guardian.

Karine Jean-Pierre is appointed as White House Press Secretary for Joe Biden and makes history as the first black and openly LGBTQIA+ person in the role.

A study by Princeton University on transgender children ages three to twelve found that the overwhelming majority continue to identify with their non-birth-assigned gender five years later.

A draft opinion leaks from the United States Supreme Court and suggests Roe v. Wade to be overturned. Protests from those identifying as pro-choice come swiftly with supports of the overturning voicing their support.

Entrepreneur and businessman Elon Musk reaches a deal with Twitter to buy out the company for forty-four billion dollars.

President Biden reinstates climate impacts and community input to the National Environmental Policy Act which previously were removed by President Trump.

Inflation in the United States hits a high of eight-and-a-half percent; the most since 1981.

A federal judge in Florida rules the mask mandate on public transportation to be unlawful. Therefore, masks are no longer mandatory on airplanes, trains, and other forms of public transit.

Alex Jones' companies, including InfoWars, file for bankruptcy in the United States after losing defamation case to families of the Sandy Hook Massacre. Jones called the school shooting a hoax and touted other pieces of false information as factual.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologizes and is fined heavily for partying during COVID-19 lockdowns. Johnson is the first sitting Prime Minister to be criminally sanctioned with some calling for his resignation.

The first all-private space flight launches to the International Space Station.

Ketanji Brown Jackson becomes the first black woman to be confirmed by the United States Senate to the United States Supreme Court.

The Ukrainian government begins an official investigation of war-crimes after hundreds of civilians are found killed after Russian forces withdraw from major cities. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urges the United Nations to act against Russia and accuses the nation of the worst war crimes since World War II.

President Biden signs the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act into law, officially declaring lynching a federal hate crime. Since 1900, nearly two-hundred attempts at passing similar legislation have been made.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs the "Don't Say Gay" bill into law; officially limiting LGBTQIA+ classroom discussion and instruction.

Madeleine Albright, diplomat and the first female United States Secretary of State, passes away at 84 of cancer.

United States Supreme Court hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson begins in Washington, D.C. after President Biden announced her as his nominee in February.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addresses the United States Congress remotely, begging for further aid against the invading Russian forces.

The stolen notebooks belonging to naturalist Charles Darwin, including his famous "tree of life" sketch, are returned after twenty-two years to Cambridge University Library.

Florida Senate passes the controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill barring teachers and other educators from discussing gender identity and sexuality in schools. Supporters of the bill claim discussion of LGBTQIA+ identities is inappropriate in a school setting and should be left to parental discretion.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issues a formal apology to the nearly four thousand Scots, the majority of them women, accused and executed for witchcraft between 1563 and 1736.

The United Nations refugee agency states that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has now led to nearly two million people fleeing the country with hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries recorded. Sanctions against Russia continue from other countries and leave the nation nearly cut-off entirely from the world.

The global death toll for COVID-19 reaches over six million according to Johns Hopkins with fifty-seven percent of the world's population vaccinated.

Zahir Zakir Jaffer sentenced to death in Islamabad, Pakistan for raping, murdering, and then beheading Noor Muqaddam after she refused his marriage proposal. The incident highlights violence toward women in the country with activists calling for action against similar assaults.

Russia begins an invasion of Ukraine just before dawn by land, air, and sea with bombings throughout several cities and international outrage. Putin issues a statement claiming intentions to demilitarize the country.

President Biden announces new sanctions against Russia, stating that the country's latest actions amount to the beginning of an invasion.

United States women soccer players settle lawsuit with the United States Soccer Federation for over twenty-four million dollars and a promise of equal pay.

Australia reopens borders to vaccinated tourists after nearly two years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin orders troops to the Ukraine border for self-professed peacekeeping.

Canadian police arrest truckers protesting vaccine mandates for blocking Ambassador's Bridge between Windsor and Detroit; the busiest land border crossing in North America.

European security is threatened amid fears of Russia invading Ukraine in the most tense period since The Cold War according to a European Union Foreign Policy expert.

Queen Elizabeth II becomes the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee; marking seventy years on the throne.

Austria becomes the first country in Europe to enforce a mandatory vaccine for all residents.

United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announces his retirement after serving as a justice since 1994. President Joe Biden pledges to nominate a black woman the following day.

California Governor Gavin Newsom blocks Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin Sirhan Sirhan’s release on parole after fifty-three years in prison.

Prince Andrew, son of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip, is stripped of his military titles and royal patronages by Buckingham Palace. His mother states that he must face his sexual assault allegations and trial in court as a civilian.

A man in Baltimore, Maryland becomes the first person to receive a successful transplant of a pig’s heart into a human.

All three men involved in the death of Ahmaud Arbery are sentenced to life in prison.

Sidney Poitier, a civil rights activist, diplomat, and the first black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, passes away at age 94.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards grants a posthumous pardon for Homer Plessy who, after refusing to leave a whites-only railcar in 1892, was arrested and had his case taken to the Supreme Court. The decision for Plessy v. Ferguson stated that Louisiana’s segregation did not violate the Constitution and led to the “separate but equal” doctrine.

Comic actress Betty White dies shortly before her 100th birthday. White leaves behind a legacy of having the longest television career of a female entertainer and iconic performances in shows like “The Golden Girls.”

John Madden, sportscaster and NFL Hall of Fame head coach, dies at the age of 85. Madden is remembered as the most successful NFL coach in history; never having a losing season and holding the highest winning percentage of any head coach in NFL history.

The CDC reports that one in one-hundred Americans over the age of 65 has died from COVID-19; totaling 75% of all deaths.

Former actor Jussie Smollett is found guilty in a Chicago court for reporting a false hate crime in 2019.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announces the United States’ first COVID-19 mandate for all private employers.

Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and former girlfriend of American financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, is convicted of sex trafficking by a federal court in Manhattan.

Gregory and Travis McMichael, along with neighbor William Bryan, are found guilty by a jury for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The young runner was shot and killed after the trio chased him down with their vehicles and attempted to confront him before engaging in a physical altercation.

A jury clears Kyle Rittenhouse of murder after the teenager killed two people and injured a third during a racial justice protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Muhammad Aziz and the late Khalil Islam are exonerated by a United States judge for the killing of civil rights activists Malcolm X in 1966. Both men have steadfastly professed their innocence since being taken in to custody for the murder nearly half a century earlier.

Former aide to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, turns himself in to authorities after being found in contempt of Congress by a federal grand jury for refusing to comply with investigations into the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

After more than eighteen months, the United States reopens its borders to vaccinated non-US citizens in a move to lift many COVID-19 related restrictions.

During a Travis Scott performance at the music festival Astroworld in Houston, Texas, a crowd surge leaves thirteen people hospitalized and eight people dead.

While on set filming a new movie, Alec Baldwin shoots and kills cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injures director Joel Souza. The assistant director who handed Baldwin the prop gun claimed to have no knowledge of the prop containing live rounds. The incident sparks questions of firearm safety on film sets and labor unrest related to the accident.

Barbados elects Sandra Mason as the first-ever president as the country works toward replacing Queen Elizabeth II and becoming a republic.

Proof that Vikings established settlement in Newfoundland in 1021CE, 471 years before Columbus’ voyage, is confirmed through a new dating technique utilizing the radiation levels of timber caused by a major solar storm in 993CE. The architectural remains, handful of artifacts, and finally, radiation affected tree rings, have allowed scientists to more exactly determine the date of when Leif Erikson and his Viking group became the first Europeans to cross the Atlantic and the first known humans to encircle the globe.

Los Angeles, CA votes in some of the strictest COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the country. Under these mandates, individuals are required to show proof of vaccination before entering any indoor businesses and events.

Former music artist R. Kelly is convicted on nine counts of racketeering with underlying acts of sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, kidnapping, and sex trafficking after a six week trial in New York. The crimes are alleged to have been committed from 1994 to 2018 with prosecutors testifying that the purpose of the R. Kelly entourage and enterprise being to promote R. Kelly’s music and recruit women and children to engage in sexual activities including the creation of pornography and child pornography.

Pfizer announces that they have developed a safe COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11. This dose is ⅓ the strength of the company’s original vaccine.

SpaceX launches the first ever all-civilian space flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida for a three-day orbit around Earth.

United States President Joe Biden announces widespread COVID-19 vaccine mandates for federal workers, contractors, and large employers.

Statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee is removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond, VA after years of protests and calls for removal. Officials state that the statue will be moved to a storage facility until a final decision is made regarding its future. The base will remain, now with a time capsule placed beneath, while the community reimagines Monument Avenue.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs new voting measures into law including a ban on drive-thru voting and extended voting hours, criminal penalties for those assisting with voting at the polls or by mail, and new identification requirements. Additionally, officials are barred from sending people a vote-by-mail application unless one has been requested. The law gains attention due to cries of overly restrictive and targeted measures.

In a landmark case, the Mexican Supreme Court unanimously rules that making abortion a crime is unconstitutional.

Taliban forces announce their interim government of thirty-three positions in Afghanistan after taking control of the country. The group stresses the cabinet as being an acting government with the remaining positions to be filled at a later date with individuals from other portions of the country. The all-male government contains individuals listed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, United Nations sanctions list, and other designated terrorist organizations.

Texas passes a law banning abortion once cardiac activity can be detected; for most individuals, this is the sixth week of pregnancy and often before the person is aware that they are pregnant. The law makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest and states that termination is legal “only if the pregnancy could endanger the mother’s life or lead to substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.” State officials are barred from enforcing Roe v. Wade and the language of the law makes challenging the legality in court difficult. The law is referred to by activists as the most restrictive in the country.

The United States ends its longest-ever war after twenty years in Afghanistan as the last military evacuation plane leaves Kabul

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is approved for people sixteen and over by the US Food and Drug Administration; the first vaccine to move past emergency-use status.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani flees the country after Taliban forces enter the capital of Kabul and take control.

Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo resigns amid a flurry of sexual misconduct and harassment allegations.

Largest ever repatriation takes place as over 17,000 looted artifacts from Iraq are returned to Baghdad, including items from Hobby Lobby’s Museum of the Bible and Cornell University.

Richard Branson flies to the edge of space in a rocket plane; an early test for space tourism. Several days later, Jeff Bezos travels to space in the first unpiloted suborbital flight with an all-civilian crew aboard a rocket developed by his company: Blue Origin.

The global known death toll of COVID-19 reaches over four million people; equivalent to all deaths in battle since 1982.

President Joe Biden states that all United States Troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by August 31.

New York State charges The Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, with tax fraud and grand larceny. The organization is accused of helping executives evade taxes for more than fifteen years by deliberately allowing the underreporting of income and giving secret perks that did not appear on tax records.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction; the former comedian is immediately released from prison.

The United States Supreme Court refuses to hear school’s appeal in transgender bathroom case made by Gavin Grimm in Virginia, upholding an earlier decision that the actions of the school were discriminatory.

Derek Chauvin, former police officer, is sentenced to twenty-two years and six months in prison for the murder of George Floyd.

On the same day, the discovery of two different ancient humans is announced. The Nesher Ramla Homo, living 140,000 to 120,000 years ago, is uncovered in Ramla, Israel and believed to possibly be a Neanderthal ancestor. The Homo Iongi, or Dragon Man, from North East China is announced after the discovery of a massive, fossilized skull.

Carl Nassib becomes the first openly gay player in the NFL after making a social media post.

Juneteenth, June 19, is recognized as a federal holiday by the United States. The date marks the end of slavery, when notice of the end of The Civil War and Emancipation was delivered to Galveston, Texas. President Joe Biden signs into law the National Independence Day Act making the holiday official.

The United Nations International Labor Director states that the global impact of the pandemic is four times worse than the 2008 Economic Crisis, pushing over one million people into poverty.

A Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employee kills nine other colleagues before shooting and killing themselves.

An investigation by BBC finds that their infamous 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales was secured through “deceitful behavior” by journalist Martin Bashir. The media company faces pressure to further look into Bashir’s behavior and calls for transparency as to knowledge of subterfuge.

The Centers for Disease Control in the United States issues a statement that people who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks. The reaction to the statement is mixed with some criticizing the decision for being too early, while others praise the organization.

The Republican Party votes to demote Liz Cheney, the party’s number three leader, from party leadership after she publicly rebuked former President Trump’s false claims about the election.

The United States approves the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people 12 to 15 years old.

Potential eviction of Palestinian families from a Jerusalem neighborhood begins days of unrest in the city with hundreds of people injured. An airstrike from Israel and rockets from Gaza leave thirty-one people dead after Israeli officers enter the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and confront Palestinians.

The World Health Organization approves the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinopharm, its first to be approved from a non-western country.

Donald Trump’s ban from Facebook is upheld by the company’s Oversight Board for another six month period.

Canada becomes the first country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people ages 12 to 15 years old.

President Biden is the first United States president to officially recognize the killing of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire during World War II as genocide.

Former police officer Derek Chauvin is convicted for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a case that sparked international protests for racial justice and police accountability.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, passes away two months before his 100th birthday. The Duke is the longest-serving consort of a reigning British monarch and the longest-lived male member of the British royal family. On April 17, his funeral was held at Windsor Palace, England under COVID-19 restrictions.

A shooting at a FedEx shipping facility in Indianapolis, Indiana leaves eight people dead and five injured. The gunman was a former employee who was fired for accumulating absences, and survivors indicated to authorities that they were unable to call for help due to the company’s no cell phone policy.

President Biden says “it’s time to end America’s longest war,” confirming his decision to pull United States troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021.

Daunte Wright is shot and killed during a traffic stop by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota who says they mistakenly used their gun instead of a taser. The officer is arrested and charged with 2nd degree manslaughter several days later.

Egyptian archaeologists announce their most important find since the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (King Tut), the three thousand year old “lost golden city” of Aten.

The United Kingdom COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7. becomes the dominant form of the virus in the United States of America according to the Centers for Disease Control.

President Biden overturns former President Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the United States Armed Forces.

The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd begins in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Cargo ship “Ever Given” is stuck in the Suez Canal, Egypt, blocking all water traffic completely. After almost a week, the megaship is freed and the 369 vessels waiting to pass through the canal are able to continue forward. The blocking of the canal majorly impacted trade between Europe and Asia and the Middle East as the Suez Canal is one of the world’s busiest trade routes. An estimated $9.6 billion (United States currency) dollars worth of trade was lost during the blockage.

The European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada all impose sanctions on China and Chinese officials for rights abuse concerning Uighurs and other Muslim people living in China.

A gunman opens fire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, killing ten people.

The United States House Judiciary Committee begins hearings on the rise of violence and discrimination towards Asian people with over three thousand reported incidents of hate crimes taking place over a twelve month period.

A young, white man commits a series of mass shootings at three massage parlours and spas in Atlanta, Georgia, leaving eight people dead and one wounded. Of the people killed, six of these individuals were Asian women with each business being Asian American owned. After his arrest, the gunman cited a sex addiction existing at odds with his religious beliefs as a motivator. Commentators and investigators have characterized the killings as hate crimes due to the targeted businesses and individuals, along with a rise in anti-Asian sentiment following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Declassified pieces of United States Intelligence reports say Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized the efforts to assist Donald Trump in re-election.

The Vatican issues an official statement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions stating that God “does not and cannot bless sin.”

New York Governor Chris Cuomo says “no way I resign” amid accusations of sexual assault, sexual misconduct, and his office concealing the number of nursing home deaths. The comments bring Cuomo further under fire with calls for accountability.

The United States Senate passes a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill: American Rescue Plan.

Governors of Texas and Mississippi lift mask mandates and COVID-19 health measures despite warning from the Centers for Disease Control. The decision is met with harsh criticism the following day from President Biden.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises announces that six of the author’s books will cease publication due to racist and insensitive imagery.

Hong Kong charges forty-seven people with “conspiracy to commit subversion” in its harshest implementation of new security laws from China.

The United States approves the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine.

Major winter storm in the United States leaves thirty-one people dead and nearly three million people without power in Texas. The state records its lowest temperatures ever with negative two degrees Fahrenheit, forcing millions of people to boil water and be without power as the storm continues. Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his family fly to Cancun, Mexico on February 16th amid the winter disaster and spark widespread outrage and condemnation. President Biden declares a disaster emergency on February 20th in the aftermath of the storm.

Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first woman and first African person to lead the World Trade Organization.

Former President Trump is acquitted on charges of incitement of insurrection after the second impeachment trial in the United States Senate.

President Biden rescinds the national emergency order used by former President Trump to fund the border wall in Mexico.

A research team from the World Health Organization investigating the origins of the COVID-19 virus in Wuhan, China declares that it is “extremely unlikely” that the virus came from a lab.

President Biden signs an executive order to reunite immigrant families and creates a task force responsible for addressing the nearly one thousand separated families.

Alejandro Mayorkas is the first Latino and immigrant to be appointed as head of the United State Department of Homeland Security.

Pete Buttigieg is the first openly gay individual to be confirmed to a United States Cabinet position after being confirmed as Transportation Secretary.

Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America with Kamala Harris inaugurated as the 49th Vice President. Vice President Harris is the first woman, first woman of color, and first black or South Asian person to hold the position.

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says China is committing genocide in its repression of Uighurs and other Muslim people. At least one million Uighurs and other Muslim people have been held in detention camps since 2017 with China originally denying the existence of such camps. Once evidence of their existence was released, the Chinese government claimed these locations as “re-education centers.”

President Trump is impeached for the second time, the first president in United States history to be impeached more than once, for “incitement of insurrection.”

Democrats in The United States House of Representatives introduce a single article of impeachment against President Trump for “incitement of insurrection” related to the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

President Trump is banned from using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Amazon Services, Reddit, Twitch, Shopify, and LiquidWeb. These media companies each issue statements concerning inflammatory rhetoric, making false statements, and efforts to incite violence as reasoning for Trump’s ban from their platforms. Several of the president’s associates and close allies are also banned from these platforms for reasons relating to inflammatory rhetoric and misinformation.

Supporters of President Trump and right-wing extremists storm the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. during the congressional certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ victory. The attack results in five deaths and prompts evacuation of lawmakers. Congress completes the certification the following day without incident.

After elections, Democrats gain control of the United States Senate.

The Moderna vaccine begins use in the United States.

The United States Electoral College votes to officially affirm Joe Biden as 46th President of the United States.

The United States begins its first round of COVID-19 vaccinations using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

The United States Supreme Court rejects a lawsuit by Texas to overturn Joe Biden’s election in four battleground states, a lawsuit supported by seventeen Republican attorney generals.

Attorney General William Barr says there is no evidence of voter fraud after investigation and continuous claims made by President Trump that the presidential election was rigged.

President Trump refuses to concede the election and makes claims on Twitter that Joe Biden “won because the election was rigged.”

Rudy Giuliani holds a Trump Campaign press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to contest the election results. The conference becomes infamous for being held in the landscaping business parking lot between a crematorium and sex shop with journalists and social media users speculating the intention was to hold the event at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel several blocks away.

Joe Biden is declared the winner of the United States Presidential race and defeats sitting President Donald Trump. Kamala Harris makes history as the first woman and first woman of color to be elected to the vice presidency.

The United States Senate confirms Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, solidifying a conservative majority.

Pope Francis announces the appointment of fifteen new cardinals, including Wilton Daniel Gregory, the first African American.

Parents of 545 children cannot be located after the families were separated at the United States-Mexico border according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The United States Justice Department sues Google for illegal monopoly of search advertising and search on the internet.

President Trump leaves Walter Reed Medical Center before the infectious period for COVID-19 ends and returns to the White House.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump announce they have both tested positive for COVID-19 with President Trump being hospitalized later that day.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes the first woman to be lying in state in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

During a White House press briefing, President Trump announces his refusal to comply in a peaceful transfer of power if he loses re-election.

The United States of America’s death toll for COVID-19 passes 200,000; the most of any country in the world.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, American jurist, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and progressive icon, dies at eighty-seven.

Barbados announces plans to remove Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and become a republic.

Former Myanmar soldiers testify they were ordered to rape and kill Muslim Rohingya villagers. This is the first public confession of army-directed crimes against the Rohingya people.

More than fifty people are arrested as Portland, Oregon marks one-hundred days since the beginning of protests against racism and police brutality.

Australian terrorist Brenton Tarrant is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing fifty-one people at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is the first time in history that New Zealand has imposed this sentencing.

First reported case of someone being re-infected with COVID-19 comes as a man in Hong Kong becomes infected and ill four months after recovering from first infection.

Former advisor to President Trump, Steve Bannon, is arrested for fraud over a fundraising campaign to build a wall on the United States-Mexico border. Bannon and several others are charged with defrauding donors by falsely promising their funds would be donated to building sections of the border wall. Instead, much of the funds were used for personal expenses. 

The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill is the first college in the United States to send students home and convert to online classes.

United States presidential candidate Joe Biden selects Kamala Harris as his running mate; the first woman of color to be selected by a major party.

The United Nations claims that the COVID-19 pandemic has created the biggest educational disruption in history with ninety-four percent of the worldwide student population affected.

In Hong Kong, four students are arrested under China’s new security laws and accused of inciting secession on social media. Several other activists are arrested for creating banners and slogans for protests with at least six others fleeing to the United Kingdom after warrants are issued for their arrest.

Google announces employees can work from home until July 2021; the first major technology company to announce a work from home commitment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

United States announces issues a directive stating that over one million international students will have their visa removed if their courses are taken entirely online.

Suspected cases of bubonic plague appear in Mongolia, putting the country and major cities on a “plague prevention plan” for the remainder of the year.

The United States of America officially begins withdrawing from the World Health Organization.

Joseph DeAngelo admits that he is the Golden State Killer who terrorized California during the 1970s and 1980s. He pleads guilty to thirteen counts of first-degree murder and also admits to dozens of other crimes including rape and burglary.

The United States Supreme Court rules that the DACA program will not be dismantled.

 In a landmark case, the United States Supreme Court rules that gay and transgender individuals cannot be discriminated against in the workplace.

Black Lives Matter protests continue worldwide with many protests calling for the removal of statues and monuments. In Richmond, Virginia, monuments to both Christopher Columbus and Confederate President Jefferson Davis are removed.

Three former police officers are arrested and charged for the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin, the officer who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck, has his charges upgraded to second degree murder shortly after.

United Nations Chief of Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, states belief that the pandemic has been exposing “endemic inequality” around the world; citing the death of George Floyd and higher death tolls for ethnic minorities.

President Trump threatens to employ the military to quell protests across the nation occurring in response to the murder of George Floyd.

Police Officer Derek Chauvin is arrested and charged in the murder with third-degree murder and manslaughter. President Trump tweets about "thugs" participating in protests and writes "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

Video of the arrest and murder of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota surfaces. The video shows officer Derek Chauvin pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee for eight minutes and forty-six seconds while several other officers hold him down or watch. A wave of protests begin in the Twin Cities area, spreading worldwide, calling for justice against police brutality and racism.

Greenhouse gas emissions drop by seventeen percent worldwide during the previous month when the world was in lockdown as reported by a study in “Nature: Climate Change.”

Father and son, Travis and Gregory McMichael, are arrested for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia in February 2020. Two days prior, a video of the duo confronting and killing Arbery, who was jogging around his neighborhood, surfaces. The person taking the video joined the pursuit and filmed the attack from his truck.

Irish organization repays a 170 year old favor to the United States Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation by raising over two million dollars to assist with COVID-19 hardships. In the 1840s, the Choctaw Nation sent $170 to assist with the Irish potato famine.

Armed protestors against stay-at-home orders delivered by the state in hopes of curbing the spread of COVID-19 gather at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bans over 1,500 types of assault-style weapons in response to the mass shooting that took place in Nova Scotia the previous month.

Sudan bans female genital mutilation and makes such a criminal offense. A reported eighty-seven percent of women in Sudan ages fourteen to forty-nine have suffered some form of mutilation due to this cultural belief in partial removal of genitalia for marriage prospect and stellar reputation.  

Canada’s deadliest modern mass shooting occurs as a gunman kills twenty-two people and injures three others across Nova Scotia. The gunman reportedly set fires as he committed the attacks and impersonated a police officer by wearing a police uniform and driving a replica police vehicle. Nova Scotia police were criticized for failing to alert the public to the danger and not responding to repeated reports concerning the gunman's behavior and domestic violence. The perpetrator was eventually killed by police after the thirteen-hour rampage.

President Trump freezes funding for the World Health Organization pending a review and states his reasoning due to mishandling of COVID-19 and being “too China-centric.” The comments and decision sparks national and international outrage.

The city of Wuhan lifts its lockdown after seventy-six days and reports no new deaths for the first time since closing the city.

Nadia, a tiger at The Bronx Zoo, tests positive for COVID-19 in the first reported human-to-cat transmission. Scientists fear the disease could be passed to household pets as well as other animals.

President Trump signs into law a two trillion dollar stimulus package, the largest in United States history, to help curb COVID-19 related economic issues. Trump denies signing a stimulus of that amount the same day.

Countries all over the world go into lockdown and impose travel bans as COVID-19 cases skyrocket globally. Sporting events, indoor activities, and gatherings come to a halt as citizens are ordered to remain indoors and only make necessary trips to locations such as the grocery store.

Breonna Taylor is shot and killed while asleep in her home during a no-knock warrant carried out by Louisville, Kentucky police.

President Trump declares a national emergency due to COVID-19, freeing over fifty billion dollars to help fight the disease.

Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to twenty-three years in prison for criminal sexual assault and rape.

The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic with over 120,000 cases worldwide and over four thousand deaths.

Russia’s lower house of Parliament passes legislation to allow Vladimir Putin to hold presidential office for life.

Harvey Weinstein found guilty of rape and criminal sexual assault in a landmark case that ignited the #MeToo movement.

First major outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe occurs in Italy resulting in emergency measures and lockdown of towns.

Ahmaud Arbery shot to death after being chased down by three white men who viewed him as a threat. A video of the killing is released in May, prompting arrests and public outrage.

Boy Scouts of America files for bankruptcy amid hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits and allegations.

The first COVID-19 related death is reported in the United States of America.

The United States Senate votes to acquit President Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of international concern.

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant and thirteen year old daughter are among seven people killed in a helicopter crash in California.

China locks down the city of Wuhan and its nine million people in an effort to control the city’s COVID-19 epidemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms the first case of COVID-19 in the United States of America.

The impeachment trial of President Trump begins in the United States Senate.

Ukrainian commercial flight bound for Kiev crashes outside of Tehran shortly after takeoff, killing all 176 people on board. Several days later, Iranian officials admit to mistaking the aircraft for a hostile target, engaging ballistic missiles to bring the plane down. Top military leaders blame “United States adventurism” for the heightened level of readiness to terminate possible threats.

President Donald Trump is the third United States president to be impeached with The House of Representatives passing articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate will hold a later trial to decide whether to convict Trump and remove him from office.

Brexit vote passes with United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson requesting Queen Elizabeth II form a new government.

A pair of gunmen open fire in New Jersey at a cemetery and Kosher market leaving six people dead. The attacks are believed to be deliberate acts of anti-Semitism and are reported as hate crimes.

World Anti-Doping Agency bans Russia from all major sporting events, including the Olympics, for manipulating laboratory data.

United States Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announces formal introduction of articles of impeachment against President Trump will be drawn up for abuse of power.

The earliest traceable COVID-19 patient, a 55-year-old man, develops symptoms in Wuhan, China.

An attacker fatally stabs two and hospitalizes three on London Bridge before being restrained by civilians. The suspect is shot dead by local police upon their arrival to the scene and authorities disclose that he had recently been released from prison for plotting a bombing.

President Trump signs two bills supporting Hong Kong protestors; acknowledging the territory’s autonomy.

The first phase of public impeachment hearings of President Trump begin with testimony from Ukrainian ambassadors and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs.

President Trump’s decision to end DACA comes before the Supreme Court of the United States of America. The decision to be made is not concerning the legality of the program itself, but instead, the legality of the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate it.

A family of nine Americans, including six children, are shot and killed in a cartel ambush in Northern Mexico.

President Trump begins the official withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.

ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is killed during a United States Special Forces raid in Syria.

The previously postponed, first ever all-female spacewalk by NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir takes place outside of the International Space Station.

Simone Biles becomes the most decorated gymnast and female athlete of all time after winning her 25th World Championship.

After investigation and verification of claims, the FBI confirms that Samuel Little is the United States of America’s most prolific serial killer, having murdered ninety-three people.

Former police officer Amber Guyger is convicted of shooting and killing unarmed Botham Jean in his own home after she entered the residence. In court, Guyger claimed she mistakenly thought the apartment was her own.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announces formal impeachment inquiry into United States President Donald Trump after claiming he enlisted foreign powers to assist with personal political gain.

Students from 185 countries stage the largest-ever protest on climate change coming to a head in a Manhattan rally led by activist Greta Thunberg.

An anonymous whistleblower reveals knowledge of a phone call in which President Trump pressured Ukrainian President Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden in exchange for military aid.

English poet and intellectual John Milton’s personal copy of playwright William Shakespeare’s book “First Folio” published in 1623 has survived with Milton’s own annotations according to scholars at the Free Library of Philadelphia. The discovery is regarded as one of the most important in modern literature.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam withdraws the controversial extradition bill after more than three months of protests.

In response to the El Paso Shooting the previous month, Wal-Mart announces that its stores will stop selling handguns and some types of ammunition, along with requesting customers to not openly carry firearms.

Violence and looting directed at foreigners in Johannesburg results in five people dead and dozens arrested by South African police. In the following days, the Nigerian government announces plans to repatriate over six-hundred people in response to the xenophobic attacks.

A gunman is shot dead after opening fire on a routine traffic stop in West Texas and embarking on a ten-mile rampage that kills seven people and injured twenty-two others.

Over 74,000 fires due to land clearing are burning in the Amazon rainforest according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. This is the highest ever recorded number of fires taking place in the Amazon. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro orders the Brazilian army to help contain the fires after widespread destruction, loss of life, and international criticism several days following the report.

A record 1.7 million people take part in a pro-democracy peaceful protest in Hong Kong.

Financier and registered sex offender Jeffery Epstein is found dead in his jail cell in New York in an apparent suicide. Epstein was awaiting trial for sex trafficking and sex trafficking of minors and had a history of reported sexual misconduct, engaging in prostitution, and procuring children for sex related activities. The true cause of Epstein’s death is widely disputed in association with the phrase “Epstein didn’t kill himself.”

Transgender student Gavin Grimm wins case against Gloucester County School Board after Virginia federal judge rules the school board violated his rights after banning him from using the boy’s restroom.

A lawyer representing eight hundred boy scouts identifies 350 sexual abusers within the Boy Scouts of America and refers to the organization as “the largest pedophile ring on Earth.”

A gunman kills nine people and injures seventeen others at a bar in Dayton, Ohio marking a second mass shooting in less than twenty-four hours in the United States. The perpetrator was shot and killed by police upon their arrival to the scene. A search of the shooter’s home produced evidence of an interest in violence and mass shootings along with a desire to kill other people.

A domestic terrorist shoots and kills twenty-three people and injures twenty-four others at a Wal-Mart in El Paso, Texas. The shooter was arrested shortly after the attack with authorities stating they believe the shooting to be motivated by white nationalism and anti-immigration themes. The shooter had posted threats on social media and discussed a belief in white genocide in the weeks prior to the attack.

Saudi Arabia announces new rules for women including the ability to travel abroad independently without a male guardian’s permission.

The United States Justice Department announces the resumption of the death penalty.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller reports to the United States Senate that his investigation does not exonerate President Trump from obstruction of justice and that Russia interfered in the election to benefit Trump and his campaign.

Boris Johnson is chosen as the new British Prime Minister to replace Theresa May amid Brexit and Iranian conflict.

The government of Venezuela is accused by the United Nations of operating death squads and instilling fear to remove opposition with over 5,200 people killed for resisting arrest in 2018.

Research reported by Verisk Maplecroft shows that the United States produces the most waste per person globally and recycles the least.

Over forty-thousand protesters clash with police in Hong Kong in an effort to stop the reading of the controversial Fugitive Offenders amendment bill. The proposed bill would allow for any fugitives in the city to be extradited to Taiwan, Macau, and mainland China. Worldwide condemnation followed the in-city protests as fears of erosion of the legal system of Hong Kong were prominent. Several days later, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced the decision to suspend the potential extradition law after further, large protests throughout the city.

Botswana overturns the law criminalizing same-sex relationships in a landmark case for African LGBTQIA+ rights.

Former school security guard Scot Peterson is arrested and charged with culpable negligence, perjury, and child negligence for failing to confront the Parkland shooter during the Parkland School Massacre. Peterson arrived on the scene of the massacre but did not enter the building to confront the shooter and instead took cover as the attack was carried out. The former deputy defended his actions stating that he followed training protocols for an active shooter situation.

An inquiry by the Canadian government finds the deaths of more than one-thousand indigenous women and girls who were murdered or remain missing over several decades to be a “national genocide.”

A disgruntled employee shoots and kills twelve people in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The suspect was shot by police upon their arrival to the scene. In the week following up to the attack, the perpetrator was threatened with disciplinary action after being involved in fights with other employees.

Being transgender is no longer classified as a mental health disorder/illness by the World Health Organization.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller states that charging President Trump with a crime was never an option as there are no legal means to charge a sitting president. Mueller does, however, clarify that his report does not exonerate the president.

Taiwan’s parliament votes to legalize gay marriage; the first Asian country to do so.

Sri Lanka imposes curfew laws in order to try and curb violence against Muslims after a terrorist attack on Easter Sunday. The attacks targeted hotels and churches with the destruction ending in the death of 253 people and hundreds of injuries.

According to a report by the United Nations, over one million plant and animal species are now at risk of extinction.

Sultan Hassan Bolkiah of Brunei announces a moratorium on the death penalty for gay sex and adultery after worldwide condemnation of the new Sharia law.

United States Attorney General William Barr testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in defense of his handling of the Mueller Report. The following day, he is accused of lying to Congress by the United States Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya loses the appeal against a proposed rule to limit her testosterone levels. In losing the case, Semenya is barred from competing in any upcoming meets unless her levels are medically reduced. The Court of Arbitration for Sport concedes that the rules are discriminatory, but maintain they are necessary to ensure fair competition.

The world’s first malaria vaccine is rolled out in Malawi and given to 360,000 children.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is forcibly removed by the police from the Ecuador embassy in London and arrested for failure to appear in court on United States extradition charges.

The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration releases the first ever photo of a black hole, taken in 2017 in a galaxy fifty-five million light years away.

Rwanda commemorates the twenty-five years since the beginning of the genocide that killed over 800,000 people.

Brunei, a nation on the island of Borneo, enacts new Sharia laws punishing homosexual behavior and adultery with death by stoning; bringing about widespread condemnation.

NASA cancels the planned historic all-woman spacewalk, citing a lack of space suits that fit women. Backlash against the cancellation and reasoning is swift.

Investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller finds no evidence of collusion between President Trump and Russia during the 2016 election.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bans semi-automatic military style weapons after the Christchurch attack six days earlier.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan announces he is resigning after almost thirty years in office; the final Soviet-era head of state.

Swedish teenager and activist Greta Thunberg inspires other school children from around the world to hold climate change strikes.

A terrorist attack on two mosques by a right-wing Australian gunman kills fifty-one people and wounds fifty others in Christchurch, New Zealand. The shooter, a man from New-South-Wales, Australia was arrested shortly after and described by media as a white supremacists and member of the alt-right. The first shooting was lived-streamed on Facebook by the attacker with New Zealand government officials vowing to tackle the growing extremism in the country.

Fifty-three people, including several celebrities, are charged in a United States college admissions scandal by federal prosecutors with thirty-three alleged to have paid more than twenty-five million dollars to conspiracy organizer William Rick Singer. The individuals charged are accused of paying Singer to inflate exam scores and bribe admissions office workers.

A large-scale study into the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine involving over 650,000 children in Denmark concludes that there is no increased risk of autism associated with vaccination.

United States Democrats announce the beginning of an in-depth investigation into corruption surrounding President Trump.

 The second summit between President Trump and Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un collapses without agreement.

The first gun control legislation in twenty-five years passes in the United States House of Representatives and orders new federal background checks.

Michael Cohen, former lawyer to President Trump, testifies before the House Oversight Committee, calling Trump “a racist,” a “con-man,” and “a cheat.”

More than 4,500 complaints of child sexual abuse against migrant children are reported to the United States Health Department with 1,300 more reported to the United States Department of Justice.

President Trump’s use of emergency powers to build a border wall comes to further scrutiny as sixteen states band together to sue him.

Pope Francis defrocks the ex-cardinal and archbishop of Washington, D.C., Theodore McCarrick, for sexually abusing both adults and children. McCarrick is the first cardinal to be removed from his position for sexual abuse and abuse of power.

President Trump declares a national emergency to divert funds to completion of a border wall between the United States and Mexico after a bipartisan spending agreement to avoid another government shutdown.

Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is found guilty of all ten federal crimes against him after nearly two hundred hours of testimony.

Sexual abuse investigations into Southern Baptist Churches in the United States reveals over four hundred church members have been implicated with more than seven hundred victims.

American singer R. Kelly is arrested after turning himself in to authorities on ten counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse; three counts of which involve minors.

Bruce McArthur, a landscaper from Toronto, Canada, admits in court to the killing of eight gay men. McArthur is sentenced to life imprisonment and his serial killings result in the largest investigation ever conducted by the Toronto police.

A peace agreement to end the seventeen-year conflict is drafted between the United States and Afghanistan by negotiators from both countries.

Roger Stone, political lobbyist for President Trump, is arrested as part of the Mueller Investigation for obstruction of justice, making false statements, and tampering with evidence.

The longest government shutdown in United States history ends after thirty-five days when President Trump agrees to negotiations on border security by a House-Senate conference committee.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guadio declares himself president amid ongoing violent protests against the Nicolas Maduro regime. Guadio is officially recognized by the United States as the president the following day.

LGBTQIA+ activists accuse the Russian republic of Chechnya of a new “gay purge” as over forty people are detained and two are killed. The area has a reported history of forced disappearances, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killing of individuals suspected of being gay or bisexual.

President Trump denies that he is a Russian agent after continued criticism concerning his relationship and meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The oceans are warming much faster than previously considered due to fossil fuel burning according to data published in “Science.”

A partial shutdown of the United States government begins.

Diplomats from over two hundred countries agree to the rules needed to implement the United Nations Climate Agreement at the international conference in Poland.

Michael Cohen, former lawyer of President Trump, is sentenced to three years in prison for campaign-finance violations and tax fraud.

The Arctic is experiencing what is referred to as “unprecedented warmth” due to climate change caused by humans in a report by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 Prime Minister Theresa May cancels the United Kingdom parliament vote on the Brexit bill due to an overwhelming lack of support.

Court filings by United States federal prosecutors and Special Counsel Robert Mueller appear to implicate President Trump on campaign fraud and Russian dealings. Trump vehemently denied any wrongdoing, citing bias as the reason for the evidence against him.

A truce is called between the United States and China concerning the ongoing trade war at G-20 Summit in Argentina.

European Union leaders approve an agreement for the United Kingdom to exit the union as part of the ongoing Brexit event.

After investigation, the CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the execution of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The deadliest fire in California history begins at Plumas National Forest and spreads into the nearby area, destroying the town of Paradise, thirteen thousand buildings, and killing eighty-eight people. The following day, President Trump accuses the state of “gross mismanagement” of forests and threatens to withhold funding.

A former Marine opens fire at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California killing thirteen people, including himself, with fifteen others injured. Police and mental health crisis teams visited the shooter several times prior to the attack due to reportedly dangerous and irrational behavior.

Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the first Muslim women elected to the United Staes House of Representatives. Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland are the first Native American women elected to the United States House of Representatives. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest person ever elected to the United States House of Representatives at 29 years old. Jared Polis is elected as governor of Colorado, the first openly gay male governor in the United States.

Democrats retake control of the House of Representatives after eight years in the United States’ midterm elections.

A task force is created for the purpose of identifying and punishing members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Tanzania. Citizens are required to report any potential LGBTQIA+ activity to local authorities with police forces across the nation engaging in raiding homes.

In a landmark case, the Pakistani Supreme Court acquits a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, of blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed after eight years on death row. Protests against the decision erupt all over the country with threats against all parties involved. Bibi was set to be executed by hanging for supposed remarks concerning her refusal to convert to Islam and disbelief in the deeds of the prophet Mohammed.

In an anti-Semitic attack, a lone gunman opens fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing eleven people and injuring six others. Several of the victims include Holocaust survivors and the event is recorded as the deadliest attack against the Jewish community in the United States.

A pipe bomb is sent to George Soro’s home in New York on October 22. He is the first Democrat to receive a series of these bombs sent across the United States. Two days later, a series of pipe bombs are sent to other Democrats including Barack Obama, the Clintons, John Brennan, and the offices of CNN. All explosives were safely defused without injury. Cesar Sayoc, an outspoken right-wing extremist, is arrested on October 26 for creating and sending the bombs.

Shohrat Zakir, the Chairman of China’s Xinjiang government, defends the detention camps for Uighur Muslims saying that they provide “education and vocational training.” Zakir denies any wrongdoing amid outrage concerning the centers and condemnation from human rights organizations.

Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed and sworn into the United States Supreme Court amid protests and an FBI investigation surrounding his alleged sexual assault.

Saudi-American journalist Jamal Khashoggi arrives at the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, Turkey and is never seen again. Khashoggi’s death sparks a diplomatic crisis. President Trump states on October 16 that he believes the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salaman possesses no knowledge of the event. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejects the claim by Saudi Arabia on October 23 that Khashoggi’s death was accidental and says that the murder was premeditated.

A new trade deal between the United States, Mexico, and Canada is announced with the intention to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

A hearing is held by the United States Senate in regard to Brett Kavanaugh’s alleged sexual assault of Christine Blasey Ford. Both parties are questioned separately about the attack and provide evidence to the committee.

Bill Cosby is sentenced to three to ten years in jail for a 2004 sexual assault. Cosby is the first celebrity to be jailed during the #MeToo movement.

European Parliament passes a historic vote in bringing disciplinary actions against Hungary for the country’s anti-democratic actions. This is the first ever vote by the European Union to pursue actions against a country that the group states poses a “systematic threat” to democracy and rule of law.

Egypt sentences seven hundred people to prison and seventy-five people to death for their participation in the 2013 pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest concerning the ousting of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsy. The response to the protest, trial of participants, and convictions have been widely condemned by human rights organizations.

A major fire at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro destroys the overwhelming majority of the institution’s twenty million artifacts. The two-hundred year old museum, the biggest in Latin America, held invaluable pieces of the country's cultural heritage with the extent of the damage being regarded as "incalculable."

Paul Manafort, former campaign manager to President Trump, is convicted on eight-counts of fraud in federal court. Michael Cohen, personal lawyer of President Trump, also pleads guilty to charges that include illegal payment to women with whom Trump had affairs.

After a two year investigation, a Pennsylvania grand jury alleges that three hundred priests have abused thousands of children for over thirty years with Catholic leaders covering-up the crimes. Pope Francis and the Vatican issue a statement in support of the victims two days after the allegations are formally brought against the priests.

Reports of over one million Uyghurs being held in counter-extremism centers in China is presented to the United Nations Committee on Human Rights. A recognized ethnic minority group of primarily Muslim faith, the Uyghurs have been subjected to persecution and abuse by the Chinese government for several years. The true extent of such actions is unknown but include forced sterilization and detainment in internment camps labeled as counter-extremism schools.

Mendocino Fire becomes the largest fire in California history at over 290,000 acres.

Pope Francis reverses the teachings of the Catholic faith to reflect his declaration that the death penalty is inadmissible and unacceptable in all cases.

Despite a court-imposed deadline for family reunification, over seven hundred immigrant children remain separated from their parents in the United States.

Israel passes a law establishing the country as the “historic land of the Jewish people with a ‘united’ Jerusalem” as its capital and declares that Jewish people “have an exclusive right to national self-determination.” Those who oppose the law cite the omission of equality or minority rights as especially troubling and also potentially dividing as Arabic is downgraded from an official language to one of “special status.” Passage of this law brands Israel as one of the only Western-style democracies without a constitution securing the rights of its citizens.

 A suicide bombing in the Balochistan province of Pakistan kills 128 people and wounds nearly 120 others. The attack took place during an election rally for Siraj Raisani, who at the time was running for a provincial assembly seat. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack with the Pakistani Taliban stating that the more secular candidates and parties are “the enemies of Islam.”

As part of the Special Counsel investigation concerning Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, a grand jury indicts twelve individuals on charges of federal crimes. All of the defendants are members of the GRU, a Russian Federation intelligence agency accused of engaging in the hacking of computer networks surrounding the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and the Democratic National Congressional Committee.

President Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh for associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Several days later, Christine Blasey Ford writes a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein accusing Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party while the two were in high school in 1982.

United States Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt resigns amid allegations of misconduct. At the time of his resignation, Pruitt was under fourteen separate federal investigations surrounding his extreme secrecy, spending, misappropriation of government funds, and offering personal associates special favors.

A suicide bombing targeting the Sikh and Hindu communities kills nineteen people and injures twenty others in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The terrorist organization ISIS takes credit for the bombing in a statement released shortly after the attack.

A lone gunman kills five people and injures two others after opening fire at the Capital Gazette newspaper offices in Annapolis, Maryland. Authorities suspect that the attack was motivated by the shooter’s anger concerning the negative, but factual information printed about him by the paper. The perpetrator lost a defamation case to the paper concerning the printing of his criminal record and had sent numerous threatening emails to staff. No actions were taken by authorities despite the threats.

Women drive for the first time in Saudi Arabia after the ban for female drivers is lifted.

Republicans continue to attempt to pass a bill that addresses the issue of separating migrant families at the US-Mexico Border. The separations have resulted in much outcry from United States citizens, but President Trump states that these actions are necessary to stop illegal border crossings. The president has also stated that he will back whatever legislation is passed.

President Trump announces the creation of a sixth military branch: The Space Force.

A shooting at a New Jersey art festival leaves twenty-two people injured and one suspect in custody with another dead. Following the shooting, police release a statement that they had been trying to shut the festival down due to numerous altercations.

President Trump and Kim Jong-un meet during a planned summit in Singapore. The two release a joint statement announcing their intentions to improve relations and take the necessary steps toward peace. Announced by the United States on June 14 is the hope for “major disarmament” by North Korea by the year 2020. The two nations sign a deal working towards denuclearization as part of the peace discussions.

Harvey Weinstein is indicted by a New York grand jury on charges of rape and sex offense. If convicted, Weinstein can face up to twenty-five years in prison. In the wake of these allegations and indictment, the #MeToo movement takes off and goes global as millions of individuals come forward and share their stories in an effort to highlight and end sexual abuse.

President Trump announces that an unprecedented summit between United States diplomats and Chairman Kim Jong-un is scheduled for the following month.

A thirteen year old Noblesville West Middle School student in Noblesville, Indiana opens fire on their classmates, injuring both the classroom teacher and another student. The teacher quickly subdued the suspect by wrestling him to the ground and, though sustaining a wound from being shot in the process, prevented any further injury to others through his actions.

A seventeen year old student at Santa Fe High School kills ten people and wounds thirteen others after going on a shooting spree through the school's art complex. The suspect told police he intentionally targeted students who bullied him and planned the event by journaling on his computer.

Transgender inmate protections made under the Obama Administration are rolled back by the Trump Administration. The decision comes after four women in a Texas detention center claim that they are at a greater risk for sexual assault if transgender women are allowed to share cells with them.

A federal judge strikes down an executive order from President Trump that calls on cities to fully cooperate with deportation efforts in order to maintain their federal budget. The judge, William Orrick, rules that the president cannot suddenly add conditions to federal funding.

A hotline is set up between North and South Korea in preparation for an upcoming summit between the two nations. This marks the first time direct communication has been established between the North and South. An announcement from North Korea follows shortly after stating that the nation will suspend further nuclear weapons tests as the country has already met its goal for developing such weapons.

Dick’s Sporting Goods announces that the company will destroy all assault rifles pulled from the shelves following the Parkland shooting. The company did not release information as to how the weapons will be disposed.

Starbucks announces that eight thousand locations will close for one afternoon for race training following a bias incident earlier in the month involving two black customers being arrested in one of the café's Philadelphia locations.

The United States Supreme Court rules that the law suggesting immigrants who commit certain crimes be deported is too vague. This puts a halt on President Trump’s crackdown on immigration.

The National Guard announces that 250 personnel will be sent to the United States-Mexico border in the coming days with an additional 165 troops to be sent from Arizona shortly after. This announcement comes after a demand from President Trump declaring that two thousand troops are needed to secure the border while a border wall is constructed.

A bill is proposed in Austria that would make wearing headscarves in school illegal for girls under the age of ten. The act is described by the government as symbolic in order to protect children from certain “Islamic influences.” The potential law is scrutinized for being blatantly discriminatory to members of the Islamic faith.

Sparked by recent school shootings, hundreds of thousands of people march in major cities in the United States to protest gun violence.

 A seventeen-year-old opens fire at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland. The shooting results in the injury of one student as well as the death of the shooter and one other student. The school resource officer shot and killed the suspect after exchanging fire.

A bill regarding school safety is passed by the House of Representatives, but no explicit gun restrictions are included in the legislation. The bill is set to increase the budget for metal detectors, security, and locks and comes as a direct result of the Parkland Shooting the previous month. On the same day, students across the United States organize walkouts to pay respects to victims of gun violence and protest for stricter laws concerning gun saftey. 

A former patient at Pathway Home, a residential treatment program for veterans in California, kills three women during a standoff. The authorities suspect the violence as an act of revenge against dismissal from the program and later found the shooter dead from a self-inflicted wound.

Paul Manafort, former campaign manager to President Trump, is indicted with five federal criminal charges including money laundering and foreign lobbying violations.

Charges are brought against thirteen Russians and three Russian companies for tampering with the 2016 Presidential Election. The accused are suspected of spreading propaganda supporting President Trump and belittling then candidate Hillary Clinton.

An expelled student opens fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing seventeen people and injuring seventeen others. The gunman fled the scene on foot by blending in with other students and was arrested several hours following the shooting spree. This marks the Parkland Shooting as the deadliest high school shooting in United States history.

A twelve year old opens fire at Sal Castro Middle School in Los Angeles, leaving four students and one adult injured.

Amidst the Larry Nassar controversy that began in November 2016, all board members of USA Gymnastics are ordered to resign for the sake of maintaining governing status. By the end of January, all eighteen directors have resigned, and the governing body continues to work to ensure that all members of the board tender their resignation.

A lone gunman opens fire at Marshall County High School in western Kentucky killing two students and injuring seventeen others. The fifteen year old subject is reported as a sophomore at the school and remains in custody pending investigation.

Following President Trump’s first year in office, hundreds of thousands of people voice their disapproval by participating in the second Women’s March on January 20. The marches were held in over 250 cities around the United States.

Despite the stark division in Congress for months prior, a proposed bill that prohibits accused Members of Congress from using public funds for sexual harassment settlements gains bipartisan support.

During a meeting with lawmakers about immigration, President Trump is reported to have made several controversial remarks regarding the current state of immigration from certain countries. The comments were condemned as “racist” and “shocking” by a United Nations spokesman, and the government of Botswana demanded clarification regarding President Trump’s classification of Botswana as a nation.

A federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocks President Trump’s move to end DACA. The judge states that the program must remain in place until litigation surrounding the potential removal is solved.

After being under investigation since the shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas that occurred in November, the United States Air Force announces plans to toughen the regulations regarding criminal record reporting. All criminal cases involving servicemembers are now required to be communicated with the FBI immediately.

President Trump scales back the size of Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by 50%. The decision to cut down the size of these Utah national parks sparks outrage from park rangers, park enthusiasts, and legal experts criticizing the president for budget cuts to National Parks Services and alleging that eliminating portions of protected land is illegal.  

The United States Supreme Court allows President Trump’s travel ban to come in effect for six predominantly Muslim countries.

Michael Flynn, former National Security Advisor to President Trump, pleads guilty in court after being charged with having made false statements about his meeting with a Russian ambassador. Due to his pleading of guilty, Flynn will not face trial.

Bangladesh announces that the country will temporarily house 100,000 refugees fleeing Myanmar with plans to develop Bhasan Char island into a livable community for Rohingya Muslims seeking to escape persecution. The Burmese military has been systematically executing the Rohingya people since the beginning of 2017 but state that the claims of genocide are exaggerated. 

A resident of Corning, California fatally shoots four individuals after going on a rampage where they randomly fired at homes and individuals while driving through a neighborhood. The gunman entered a school and injured one child on the premises but failed to do further damage as the lockdown procedure disallowed any means of entering the classrooms. Police were able to ram the subject's truck off the road before killing them and bringing an end to the rampage. 

A United States Appeals court in California states that six countries will be affected by a new ruling that approves part of President Trump’s travel ban, which had first been signed by means of an Executive Order on January 27, 2017. Travelers from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and Chad may be denied entry unless they are able to provide evidence of familial or “formal, documented” relationships connected to the United States.

A lone gunman enters the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas and opens fire on the congregation, killing twenty-six and wounding another twenty. The assailant was later found dead in their car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The gunman was prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing firearms and ammunition due to a domestic violence conviction in a court-martial while serving in the United States Air Force, prompting an investigation from the United States Air Force into the matter. Attorney General Jeff Sessions orders a review of the gun background check system on November 22 which results in the discovery that the shooter’s previous domestic assault charges, which should have prevented the gunman from purchasing or possessing firearms and ammunition, were never properly reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

A lone assailant plows their rented utility truck into pedestrians along the West Side Highway bike path in New York City, killing eight and wounding an additional eleven people. The suspect was subsequently shot in the abdomen by a police officer and detained. Authorities state that a note in the perpetrator's truck declared that the attack was sanctioned by ISIS.

President Trump removes Affordable Care Act subsidies set aside for insurers to provide for low-income Americans.

Harvey Weinstein, a well-known film producer, faces a number of sexual assault allegations that quickly begin to accumulate after an article published by The New York Times details decades of misconduct. The Weinstein Company, co-founded by Weinstein and his brother, ousts the producer in the following days and announces the further investigation of each allegation. The producer issues an apology and acknowledges that he has "caused a lot of pain," but denies any criminal and sexual wrongdoing.

A lone gunman opens fire on Las Vegas concert goers from their room at a hotel in the Mandalay Bay resort. The violence left fifty-eight dead and another five hundred wounded, surpassing the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting as the deadliest mass shooting perpetrated by a lone gunman in United States history.

President Trump, in his first address to the United Nations, claims that the United States may “have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” The North Korean ambassador purposefully exited the meeting prior to the speech.

The White House announces plans to end DACA, a program meant to provide young undocumented immigrants a means to full legal citizenship. Senators from both the Democratic and Republican parties reintroduce the measure to the floor of Congress with the hopes of re-implementing the program.

The North Korean government announces that they have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Seismic readings lead experts to estimate the bomb to have a yield of roughly 120 kilotons, making the detonation one of the most violent in history. For reference, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 amounted to roughly 45 kilotons in total.

Roughly one month after President Trump declares a ban on transgender citizens serving in the military, Defense Secretary Mattis announces that transgender troops will retain their ranks and duties indefinitely.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights refers to continued military operations targeting Rohingya Muslims within Myanmar as “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” The death toll of such operations remains unclear but is believed to be greater than ten thousand.

A “Unite the Right” rally is held in Charlottesville, Virginia over a two day period. The rally is organized by a loose coalition of the Ku Klux Klan, white supremacists, and neo-Nazi organizations with the primary focus being to protest the proposed removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The rally results in eleven arrests, the death of one counter-protester who was struck in a vehicle-ramming attack, and the deaths of two state troopers resulting from a helicopter crash.

President Trump responds to North Korean threats to Guam by publicly stating that the country will face “fire and fury like the world has never seen” were their provocations to continue, prompting a variety of responses from many world leaders.

Robert Mueller, Congress’ appointed Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice, tasked with investigating Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election, calls on a grand jury in Washington D.C. indicating his belief that there is sufficient evidence to pursue a criminal case.

President Trump announces a new immigration plan, dubbed the RAISE Act, that aims to prioritize skilled workers for acceptance into the United States. The current system favors immigrants with familial ties already in the country for acceptance. The RAISE Act is expected to cut the number of accepted immigrants by fifty percent annually.

President Trump announces a ban on transgender citizens serving in the military after former President Obama lifted the ban during his time in office.

Using innovative DNA testing techniques, investigators are able to identify sixteen year old James Byron Haakenson as a victim of serial killer John Wayne Gacy over forty-one years after his disappearance. Haakenson is one of the twenty-six people found buried beneath Gacy's home in Chicago, Illinois in 1978. Investigators are still working toward identifying the remaining six unknown individuals.

American college student Otto Warmbier returns to the United States in an unresponsive state after being held in a North Korean jail for seventeen months. Warmbier entered the country as part of a guided tour and was arrested after attempting to steal a propaganda poster from his hotel room. He suffered an unknown neurological injury several months after his arrest and subsequently fell into a coma.

James Comey, former FBI chief fired by President Trump the previous month, testifies to a United States Senate committee that the president told various lies to the American people.

Suicide bombers attack the Iranian parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of former supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The violence ends with twelve people dead in the first attack by the Islamic State in Iran.

President Trump announces that the United States is withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishes Beren and Lúthien, a work compiled and edited by Christopher Tolkien from his father J.R.R. Tolkien’s archives.