2008

Events in 2008 77

• 1912 – 2008 Studs Terkel (1912-2008) Died 31 October 2008, aged 96 American oral historian, author and broadcaster who chronicled the lives of ordinary Americans in books such as Working and The Good War. He won the Pulitzer Prize for the latter in 1985.
• 1912 – 2008 John Templeton (1912-2008) Died 8 July 2008, aged 95 American-born investor and philanthropist who pioneered global mutual fund investing through the Templeton Growth Fund. He later devoted his fortune to the Templeton Foundation, which funds research at the intersection of science and religion.
• 1914 – 2008 Richard Widmark (1914-2008) Died 24 March 2008, aged 93 American film actor who made his memorable debut as a giggling killer in Kiss of Death and went on to a decades-long career in Hollywood. He worked with directors including John Ford and Elia Kazan.
• 1916 – 2008 Van Johnson (1916-2008) American actor, MGM's boy next door of the war years.
• 1917 – 2008 J. D. Salinger American novelist Salinger wrote The Catcher in the Rye, capturing teenage alienation and postwar disillusionment.
• 1918 – 2008 Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) Died 3 August 2008, aged 89 Russian novelist and Nobel laureate whose works, including The Gulag Archipelago, exposed the brutality of the Soviet labor camp system. His writing and exile from the USSR made him one of the twentieth century's most significant literary dissidents.
• 1919 – 2008 Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008) Died 11 January 2008, aged 88 New Zealand mountaineer and explorer who, with Tenzing Norgay, made the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. He spent much of his later life supporting humanitarian projects in Nepal.
• 1921 – 2008 Suharto (1921-2008) Died 27 January 2008, aged 86 Indonesian army general who ruled as president for over three decades after seizing power in 1967. His authoritarian "New Order" regime brought economic growth alongside widespread human rights abuses, and ended amid the 1998 Asian financial crisis.
• 1922 – 2008 Cyd Charisse (1922-2008) American dancer and actress, partner of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in MGM's great musicals.
• 1923 – 2008 Charlton Heston (1923-2008) Died 5 April 2008, aged 84 American actor known for epic film roles in Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments, and for later serving as president of the National Rifle Association. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Ben-Hur.
• 1925 – 2008 Paul Newman (1925-2008) Died 26 September 2008, aged 83 American actor and philanthropist celebrated for films including The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke and The Sting, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Color of Money. He also founded the Newman's Own food brand, donating all profits to charity.
• 1925 – 2008 William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008) Died 27 February 2008, aged 82 American conservative writer and commentator who founded National Review magazine and hosted the television program Firing Line. He was a central figure in shaping the modern American conservative movement.
• 1927 – 2008 Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) Died 25 December 2008, aged 81 American singer and actress known for her distinctive purring vocal style, hit song "Santa Baby," and portrayal of Catwoman in the Batman television series. Her career spanned seven decades on stage, screen and recordings.
• 1927 – 2008 Phil Hill The American Champion The first American-born driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship (1961).
• 1928 – 2008 Bo Diddley (1928-2008) Died 2 June 2008, aged 79 American singer and guitarist whose rhythmic "Bo Diddley beat" became a foundational building block of rock and roll. He influenced generations of musicians from Buddy Holly to the Rolling Stones.
• 1932 – 2008 Miriam Makeba (1932-2008) Died 9 November 2008, aged 76 South African singer and civil rights activist known as "Mama Africa," celebrated for songs like "Pata Pata" and for her outspoken opposition to apartheid. She collapsed on stage in Italy after a concert and died shortly after.
• 1932 – 2008 Roy Scheider (1932-2008) Died 10 February 2008, aged 75 American actor best known for playing police chief Martin Brody in Jaws and for his role in All That Jazz. He received two Academy Award nominations during his career.
• 1934 – 2008 Sydney Pollack (1934-2008) Died 26 May 2008, aged 73 American film director and actor whose credits included Tootsie and Out of Africa, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. He also had a prolific career as a producer and character actor.
• 1936 – 2008 Levi Stubbs (1936-2008) Died 17 October 2008, aged 72 American singer who served as lead vocalist of the Four Tops, fronting Motown hits including "Reach Out I'll Be There." He also voiced the carnivorous plant Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors.
• 1936 – 2008 Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) Died 1 June 2008, aged 71 French fashion designer who founded his own haute couture house in 1961 and helped popularize garments like the tuxedo suit for women. He was one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century.
• 1937 – 2008 George Carlin (1937-2008) Died 22 June 2008, aged 71 American stand-up comedian and social critic famous for his routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," which became the subject of a landmark US Supreme Court case. He was known for his sharp, provocative commentary on language, religion and politics.
• 1942 – 2008 Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) Died 10 August 2008, aged 65 American singer, songwriter and musician whose soul soundtrack for Shaft won an Academy Award and helped define 1970s funk. He was also known to a later generation as the voice of Chef on South Park.
• 1942 – 2008 Michael Crichton (1942-2008) Died 4 November 2008, aged 66 American author and filmmaker best known for the novel Jurassic Park and for creating the television series ER. His technology-driven thrillers sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide.
• 1943 – 2008 Bobby Fischer (1943-2008) Died 17 January 2008, aged 64 American chess grandmaster who became world champion in 1972 after defeating Boris Spassky in a Cold War-era match watched around the world. He spent his later years in self-imposed exile and died in Reykjavik, Iceland.
• 1950 – 2008 Jörg Haider (1950-2008) Died 11 October 2008, aged 58 Austrian right-wing politician who led the Freedom Party and later the Alliance for Austria's Future, and served as governor of Carinthia. He died in a car accident in Klagenfurt.
• 1950 – 2008 Tim Russert (1950-2008) Died 13 June 2008, aged 58 American journalist and longtime moderator of NBC's Meet the Press, known for his rigorous questioning of political figures. His sudden death from a heart attack while at work drew tributes across American media.
• 1954 – 2008 Anthony Minghella (1954-2008) Died 18 March 2008, aged 54 British film director and screenwriter who won the Academy Award for Best Director for The English Patient. He also directed The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain.
• 1979 – 2008 Heath Ledger (1979-2008) Died 22 January 2008, aged 28 Australian actor known for roles in Brokeback Mountain and, posthumously, as the Joker in The Dark Knight. He died in New York City from an accidental overdose of prescription medications.
• 2007 – 2008 Pekka-Eric Auvinen & Matti Saari School Shootings Two tragic incidents that led to major reforms in Finnish gun laws and mental health services.
• 2008 – 2009 50th anniversary tour with Cliff Richard Europe, Australia, NZ, South Africa To mark fifty years since Cliff Richard and the Shadows first performed together, the band toured Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa — a global celebration of one of British music's longest-running partnerships.
• 2008 – present Adele The Voice of a Generation Known for her immense vocal power and multi-platinum albums "21" and "25".
• 2008 – present Ariana Grande The Vocal Powerhouse Combines 90s R&B nostalgia with modern trap-pop; possesses an iconic whistle register.
• 2008 Donnie Walsh hired, rebuild begins Donnie Walsh is brought in as president to begin clearing salary cap space for a future star pursuit.
• 2008 – present Hall of Fame, philanthropy and advocacy Thorpe is inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2008. In the years after his 2014 coming-out he becomes a visible advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and equality in Australia, using his profile to support the campaign for marriage equality and to raise awareness around mental health and depression. He co-founds the Ian Thorpe Foundation for Youth Trust, which raises funds for children with life-threatening illnesses and for indigenous education. He receives an honorary doctorate from Macquarie University in October 2014. He is recognised as GQ Australia's Man of Influence. His post-swimming career is one of gradual, hard-won personal reintegration -- the public face of survival.
• 2008 – present IOC member and athletics administrator Bubka becomes a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2008, joining the Athletes' Commission and later chairing the IOC's Athletes' Career Programme. He also serves on the IAAF (later World Athletics) Council and runs for the IAAF presidency in 2015, finishing second to Sebastian Coe. His administrative career brings him into the centre of global sport governance at the highest level -- a continuation of his competitive career's theme of operating at the absolute apex of his field.
• 2008 – present Imagine Dragons The Arena Rockers Merged rock with electronic and stadium-pop elements; dominated 2010s radio.
• 2008 – present Lady Gaga Mother Monster Revolutionized pop with avant-garde fashion and conceptual performance art.
• 2008 Slumdog Millionaire Best Picture — 81st Academy Awards Danny Boyle's story of a Mumbai teenager on a TV quiz show, winner of eight Oscars.
• 2008 Australian Open 2008 Men: Novak Djokovic · Women: Maria Sharapova Djokovic's first Grand Slam.
• 2008 – 2013 Breaking Bad AMC, 2008-2013 - 62 episodes over five seasons Vince Gilligan's drama about a chemistry teacher who becomes a meth kingpin, from Mr. Chips to Scarface.
• 2008 Tesla Roadster launched First modern electric sports car Tesla Motors delivered its first Roadster on February 7, 2008, the first highway-capable all-electric vehicle in series production. It demonstrated that electric cars could be both practical and desirable.
• 2008 Amy Winehouse wins five Grammys Via satellite from London Wins five Grammys, performing by satellite.
• 2008 Australia apologizes to the Stolen Generations Kevin Rudd delivers formal apology to Indigenous Australians Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a formal parliamentary apology on 13 February 2008 to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples forcibly removed from their families under past government policies. The apology was seen as a landmark moment in Australian reconciliation.
• 2008 Kosovo declares independence Unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia Kosovo's parliament unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. The United States and many EU states recognized the new state within days, while Serbia and Russia rejected the move as illegal.
• 2008 Fidel Castro resigns as President of Cuba End of nearly five decades in power Fidel Castro announced on 19 February 2008 that he would not accept another term as Cuba's president after handing over power provisionally in 2006 due to illness. His brother Raul Castro was formally named president days later.
• 2008 Bear Stearns collapses Investment bank rescued in Fed-backed fire sale Bear Stearns, one of the largest US investment banks, faced a liquidity crisis and was rescued through a Federal Reserve-backed sale to JPMorgan Chase announced on 16 March 2008. The collapse was an early warning sign of the deepening global financial crisis.
• 2008 Zimbabwe election crisis Disputed presidential vote and power-sharing deal Robert Mugabe lost the first round of Zimbabwe's presidential election on 29 March 2008 but refused to concede, and violence forced his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai to withdraw from a runoff. Regional pressure led to a power-sharing agreement signed on 15 September 2008.
• 2008 2008 World Snooker Championship O’Sullivan Title 3 Winner: Ronnie O’Sullivan; Runner-up: Ali Carter. Score: 18–8.
• 2008 Grand Theft Auto IV released Rockstar's open-world game sets entertainment sales records Grand Theft Auto IV was released on 29 April 2008, earning over $500 million in its first week and setting records for entertainment media launches. Its satirical depiction of Liberty City drew both critical acclaim and controversy.
• 2008 Cyclone Nargis strikes Myanmar Devastating storm kills well over 100,000 Cyclone Nargis made landfall in the Irrawaddy Delta on 2 May 2008, causing a storm surge that devastated low-lying areas. Official estimates put the death toll above 138,000, and the ruling junta was widely criticized for initially blocking foreign aid.
• 2008 Iron Man Marvel Cinematic Universe begins Directed by Jon Favreau, starring Robert Downey Jr. A weapons manufacturer builds an armoured suit to escape captivity and becomes a superhero. The film that launched the MCU.
• 2008 Sichuan earthquake 87,000 killed in China A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan province, China on May 12, 2008, killing approximately 87,000 people and leaving 4.8 million homeless.
• 2008 Phoenix lander touches down on Mars NASA probe confirms water ice at the Martian pole NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed in the Martian arctic on 25 May 2008 to study the planet's soil and ice. It confirmed the presence of water ice just beneath the surface before the mission ended with the arrival of the Martian winter.
• 2008 French Open 2008 Men: Rafael Nadal (6-1, 6-3, 6-0) · Women: Ana Ivanović Nadal demolished Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in the final — one of the most one-sided Grand Slam finals ever.
• 2008 Ireland rejects the Lisbon Treaty Referendum result stalls EU reform Irish voters rejected the European Union's Lisbon Treaty in a referendum on 12 June 2008, the only member state to put the treaty to a public vote. The result forced the EU to negotiate guarantees for Ireland before a second referendum the following year.
• 2008 WALL-E Pixar's acclaimed sci-fi — $532m worldwide Directed by Andrew Stanton at Pixar. A small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will determine the fate of mankind.
• 2008 Wimbledon 2008 — greatest final ever Men: Rafael Nadal · Women: Venus Williams Nadal defeated Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 in what is widely regarded as the greatest tennis match ever played. The final lasted nearly 5 hours and was halted twice by rain.
• 2008 Apple launches the App Store Mobile software distribution platform for the iPhone Apple opened the App Store on 10 July 2008, allowing developers to sell software directly to iPhone users. The platform reshaped the software industry and became a template later copied across the mobile and PC industries.
• 2008 iPhone 3G goes on sale Second-generation iPhone adds 3G data and GPS Apple released the iPhone 3G on 11 July 2008, adding faster cellular data and GPS to the original iPhone and launching simultaneously in 22 countries. It coincided with the debut of the App Store and drove a sharp acceleration in smartphone adoption.
• 2008 The Dark Knight #2 film of 2008 — $1.0bn worldwide Directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger as the Joker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films ever made.
• 2008 Russo-Georgian War Five-day war over South Ossetia Fighting broke out between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia on 7 August 2008. Russian forces pushed deep into Georgian territory before a French-brokered ceasefire ended the conflict on 16 August.
• 2008 2008 Summer Olympics XXIX Olympiad - Beijing Michael Phelps breaks Spitz's record with 8 golds. Winner: China.
• 2008 Beijing Olympic Games China announces itself to the world The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics opened on 8 August 2008 with a spectacular ceremony watched by an estimated 1 billion people. China topped the gold medal table with 51 golds. The games were China's symbolic coming-out party as a global superpower — a showcase of its economic achievement, organisational capability and national pride. The Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube became global architectural icons.
• 2008 Beijing Olympics China hosts spectacular Summer Games The Beijing Olympic Games opened on 08/08/08 with a spectacular ceremony. China topped the gold medal table for the first time. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals — a single Games record.
• 2008 Usain Bolt breaks 100m world record 9.69 seconds in Beijing Usain Bolt of Jamaica broke the 100m world record at the Beijing Olympics on August 16, 2008, clocking 9.69 seconds while celebrating before the finish line. He later ran 9.58 in Berlin 2009.
• 2008 Sarah Palin named Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska governor joins McCain's ticket John McCain selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate on 29 August 2008. The surprise pick energized conservative voters and made Palin a prominent national figure.
• 2008 Global bank bailouts Governments rescue financial system Following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, governments worldwide pumped trillions into failing banks to prevent a total financial system collapse. The US TARP programme alone provided $700 billion.
• 2008 Google launches Chrome Search giant enters the web browser market Google released the first version of its Chrome web browser on 2 September 2008. Built around a fast JavaScript engine and a minimalist interface, it went on to become the world's most widely used browser.
• 2008 Large Hadron Collider starts CERN's particle accelerator first beam The Large Hadron Collider at CERN near Geneva fired its first beam of particles on September 10, 2008, the most powerful particle accelerator ever built at the time.
• 2008 Chinese milk scandal Melamine contamination sickens tens of thousands of infants Melamine-adulterated infant formula produced by Chinese dairy company Sanlu was revealed in September 2008 to have sickened hundreds of thousands of children. The scandal triggered international recalls of Chinese dairy products and led to criminal prosecutions.
• 2008 Lehman Brothers collapses Global financial crisis begins Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 15, 2008, triggering the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression. The $600 billion bankruptcy was the largest in US history.
• 2008 Chandrayaan-1 launches India's first mission to the Moon India launched its first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, from Sriharikota on 22 October 2008. The mission mapped the lunar surface and contributed to the discovery of water molecules on the Moon.
• 2008 Quantum of Solace — Daniel Craig A direct sequel to Casino Royale — the only true sequel in the franchise's history — following Bond's grief-driven pursuit of the Quantum organisation after the death of Vesper Lynd. The shortest Bond film at 106 minutes. Compromised by the 2007-08 writers' strike, it is the weakest Craig entry but not without qualities. Budget: $200 million. Box office: $591.7 million.
• 2008 Barack Obama elected president First African American US President Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, becoming the first African American to hold the office.
• 2008 Somali pirates hijack the MV Sirius Star Supertanker seized far off the East African coast Somali pirates hijacked the Saudi-owned supertanker MV Sirius Star on 15 November 2008, some 450 nautical miles off the Kenyan coast. The seizure of a vessel carrying $100 million in crude oil highlighted the growing threat of piracy in the region.
• 2008 Mumbai terror attacks Coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across the city Ten gunmen from the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out coordinated attacks across Mumbai from 26 to 29 November 2008, targeting hotels, a railway station and a Jewish center. More than 160 people were killed in the siege, which was broadcast live around the world.
• 2008 Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme exposed Wall Street financier arrested for record fraud Bernard Madoff was arrested on 11 December 2008 after confessing to his sons that his investment business was an elaborate Ponzi scheme. Losses to investors were later estimated at roughly $65 billion, making it the largest fraud of its kind in history.