According to the Associated Press, the top ten stories of 2018 are as follows.
1. Parkland school shooting: Seventeen people were killed when a student opened fire at a high school on Valentine’s Day.
2. Trump-Russia probe: Robert Mueller’s team investigated whether President Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia ahead of the 2016 election and whether the president obstructed the investigation.
3. The #MeToo movement continued, and many powerful men were forced to account for past instances of sexual assault and misconduct.
4. Mass shootings in several other locations took place during 2018, including the shooting of 12 people at a country music bar in California in November.
5. The midterm elections ended with Democrats winning a majority in the House of Representatives, while Republicans strengthened their majority in the Senate.
6. Immigration was a major topic of discussion throughout the year. Events along the U.S.-Mexico border produced controversy.
7. The Brett Kavanaugh hearings as he was appointed to the Sureme Court. Allegations of sexual misconduct were raised, and he was confirmed in October.
8. California wildfires in the northern and southern parts of the state caused the death of 89 people.
9. Climate change was a topic of discussion as increasing natural disasters occurred in the world.
10. Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The event has had major diplomatic repercussions,
Other highlights of the year include the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; the Winter Olympics in South Korea; and the deaths of many celebrities including former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara.
Senator John McCain and physicist Stephen Hawking passed away during 2018. Comic book creator Stan Lee also died this year.
Some of the notable deaths in the entertainment and music industries include: David Ogden Stiers, Steven Bochco, Harry Anderson, Margot Kidder, Anthony Bourdain, Tab Hunter, Charlotte Rae, Aretha Franklin, Robin Leach, Neil Simon, Burt Reynolds, Roy Clark, and Penny Marshall.
Deaths in the sporting world include former NFL coaches Tony Sparano and Chuck Know, wide receiver Dwight Clark and NASCAR legend David Pearson.
Minnesota sporting legend Joe Mauer retired from the Minnesota Twins after playing 15 seasons with the team.
The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl, held in Minneapolis, by defeating the New England Patriots.
The Miami Heat were the NBA champions, and the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup in hockey. Atlanta United FC won the Major League Soccer championship.
The Boston Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the World Series. Joey Logana won the NASCAR championship.
