As 2019 starts up – Whitestone looks back at the top stories of 2018.
- Apple and Samsung’s ongoing legal battle is over.
A legal battle that nobody thought would ever end. Eventually both tech companies settled out of court after arguing all the way up to the supreme court for seven years. The dispute was over ‘stolen tech’.
- Supreme Court weighs in on location data.
The Supreme Court ruled that if your past location data needs to be accessed, the law enforcement must attain a warrant. Prior to this, authorities were able to retrieve the data from a third party with access to that data.
- The death of Stephen Hawking.
Stephen Hawking died at his home in Cambridge on 14/01/2018. He died at 76 after having suffered from Motor Neurone Disease. He was a remarkable physicist and an author.
- 2018 World Cup winners.
France won the World Cup 2018 final in a six-goal battle against Croatia. France last won in 1998, when they hosted their winning tournament. England had a successful but ultimately disappointing tournament losing out in the semi finals to Croatia.
- A Royal wedding.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot at Westminster Abbey on 19/05/2018. 29 million viewers watched the wedding.
- Salisbury poisoning.
An ambulance found an ex Russian spy and his daughter severely ill on a bench in Salisbury. It has been said they were poisoned by a nerve agent in an attack by the Russian State. Their condition was critical for weeks, they have been since discharged and now they live in a secure location.
- Iceland ensures equal pay for men and women.
Iceland became the first nation to make paying men more than women illegal. Passed on Women’s Day the year earlier, the bill makes it mandatory for companies employing 25 or more workers to pay men and women equally.
- Last male northern white rhinoceros dies.
Sudan died at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Now only two female species remain they are his daughter and granddaughter. There is no hope for more of the spices, unless alternative IVT techniques are developed. - Thai cave rescue comes to successful end.
Members of a junior football team were found trapped in a cave in Chiang Rai Province. The incident happened due to heavy rainfalls. However they were safely rescued 18 days later. The Elon Musk story will rumble on in 2019.