This article is about the year 2008. Millennium: 3rd millennium Centuries: 20th century 21st century 22nd century Decades: 1970s  1980s  1990s  2000s  2010s  2020s  2030s Years: 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2008 by topic: News by month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Arts Architecture Art Comics Film Home video Literature (Poetry) Music (Country Metal UK) Radio Television Video gaming Politics Elections Int'l leaders Politics State leaders Sovereign states Science and technology Archaeology Aviation Birding/Ornithology Meteorology Palaeontology Rail transport Science Spaceflight Sports Sport Athletics (Track and Field) Australian Football League Baseball Football (soccer) Cricket Ice Hockey Motorsport Tennis Rugby league By place Algeria Argentina Australia Brazil Canada People's Republic of China Denmark El Salvador Egypt European Union France Germany Ghana India Iraq Iran Ireland Israel Italy Japan Kenya Lithuania Luxembourg Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Norway Pakistan Palestinian territories Philippines Russia Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Zimbabwe Other topics Awards Games Law Religious leaders Video gaming Birth and death categories Births Deaths Establishments and disestablishments categories Establishments Disestablishments Works and introductions categories Works Introductions v d e 2008 in other calendars Gregorian calendar 2008 MMVIII Ab urbe condita 2761 Armenian calendar 1457 Bah' calendar 164 165 Bengali calendar 1415 Berber calendar 2958 British Regnal year 56 Eliz. 2  57 Eliz. 2 Buddhist calendar 2552 Burmese calendar 1370 Byzantine calendar 7516 7517 Chinese calendar (4644/4704-11-23) to (4645/4705-12-5) Coptic calendar 1724 1725 Ethiopian calendar 2000 2001 Hebrew calendar 5768 5769 Hindu calendars  - Bikram Samwat 2064 2065  - Shaka Samvat 1930 1931  - Kali Yuga 5109 5110 Holocene calendar 12008 Iranian calendar 1386 1387 Islamic calendar 1428 1430 Japanese calendar Heisei 20 (20) Korean calendar 4341 Thai solar calendar 2551 Unix time 1199145600 1230767999 v d e Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 2008

2008 (MMVIII) was a leap year that started on Tuesday in the Gregorian calendar. It was the 2008th year of the Common Era or Anno Domini designation the 8th year of the 3rd millennium and 21st century and the 9th of the 2000s.

2008 was designated the: International Year of Languages.1 Events January First-ever photograph of the "unseen side" of Mercury taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft on January 14 January 1 Cyprus and Malta adopt the euro.23 A suicide bombing occurs in Zayouna Baghdad killing over 25 people during a funeral over the deaths from the preceding attack.4 January 2 The price of petroleum hits $100 per barrel for the first time. January 3 A car bomb detonates killing at least 4 and injuring 68 in Diyarbakr Turkey. Police blame Kurdish rebels.5 January 8 An attempted assassination of Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is thwarted after a Boy Scout grabs the attacker's knife. The Boy Scout is injured but after a scuffle police arrest the attacker.6 January 12 A Macedonian Army Mil Mi-17 helicopter crashes in thick fog southeast of Skopje killing all 11 military personnel on board.7 January 14 At 19:04:39 UTC the MESSENGER space probe is at its closest approach during its first flyby of the planet Mercury.8 January 15 The Federal Court of Australia orders a Japanese whaling company to stop research whaling within their Exclusive Economic Zone.9 January 21 Stock markets around the world plunge amid growing fears of a U.S. recession fueled by the 2007 subprime mortgage crisis.10 January 22 Russia stages the largest naval exercise since the fall of the Soviet Union in the Bay of Biscay. The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov along with 11 support vessels and 47 long-range bomber aircraft practises strike tactics off the coast of France and Spain and test-launches nuclear-capable missiles in foreign waters.11 January 23 Polish Air Force EADS CASA C-295 crashes on approach to the 12th Air Base near Mirosawiec. All 20 personnel on board die.12 Thousands of Palestinians cross into Egypt as the border wall with Gaza in Rafah is blown up by militants.13 January 24 A peace deal ends the Kivu war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.14 January 25 China's worst snowstorm since 1954 kills 133 delays traffic and causes massive power outages in central and southern parts of the country.15 January 29 Iran's judiciary sentences to prison 54 Bah' Faith followers for "anti-regime propaganda".1617 February Ral Castro February 2 Rebels attack the capital of Chad N'Djamena.18 February 4 Iran opens its first space center and launches a rocket into space.19 A Palestinian suicide bomber kills 1 and wounds 13 in a Dimona Israel shopping center.20 February 5 U.S. stock market indices plunge more than 3% after a report shows signs of economic recession in the service sector. The S&P 500 fall 3.2% The Dow Jones Industrial Average 370 points.21 February 5February 6 A tornado outbreak the deadliest in 23 years kills 58 in the Southern United States.22 February 7 STS-122: Space Shuttle Atlantis launches to deliver the European-built Columbus science laboratory to the International Space Station.23 February 10 The 2008 Namdaemun fire severely damages Namdaemun the first National Treasure of South Korea.24 February 11 President of East Timor Jos Ramos-Horta is seriously wounded in an attack on his home by rebel soldiers. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed by Ramos-Horta's security guards during the attack.25 February 12 PDVSA a state oil company in Venezuela suspends sales of crude oil to ExxonMobil in response to a legal challenge by them.26 Bridgestone under investigation for an alleged price-fixing cartel uncovers improper payments of at least 150 million Japanese yen to foreign governments and withdraws from the marine hose business.27 February 13 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia delivers a formal apology to the Stolen Generations.28 February 17 Kosovo formally declares independence from Serbia with support from some countries but opposition from others.29 February 18 The British government introduces emergency legislation temporarily to nationalize Northern Rock the 5th largest mortgage bank in the UK due to the bank's financial crisis.30 A general election is held in Pakistan delayed from January 8 due to riots in the wake of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Opposition parties including Bhutto's take more than half of the seats while President Pervez Musharraf's party suffers a huge defeat.31 February 19 Fidel Castro announces his resignation as President of Cuba effective February 24.32 February 20 The United States Navy destroys a spy satellite containing toxic fuel by shooting it down with a missile launched from the USS Lake Erie in the Pacific Ocean.33 A total lunar eclipse crosses North and South America Europe Africa and Southwest Asia.34 February 22 Former building society Northern Rock is the first bank in Europe to be taken into state control due to the U.S. subprime mortgage financial crisis.35 No survivors are found after a rescue helicopter discovers the wreckage of Santa Brbara Airlines Flight 518 just northeast of Mrida Venezuela. The commercial plane had 46 people on board including crew.36 February 24 Ral Castro is unanimously elected as President of Cuba by the National Assembly.37 March European Jules Verne ATV docked to the International Space Station MarchApril Rising food and fuel prices trigger riots and unrest in the Third World. March 1 In Gaza Strip at least 52 Palestinians and 2 Israeli soldiers are killed in the most intense Israeli air strikes since 2005.38 March 2 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis: Venezuela and Ecuador move troops to the Colombian border following a Colombian raid against FARC guerrillas inside Ecuador's national territory in which senior commander Ral Reyes is killed.3940 March 6 Eight Israeli civilians are killed and 9 wounded when a Palestinian attacker opens fire at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem.41 March 9 The first European Space Agency Automated Transfer Vehicle a cargo spacecraft for the International Space Station launches from Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.42 March 14 Demonstrations by Tibetan separatists turn violent as rioters target government and Han Chinese-owned buildings. March 15 A gun factory explosion in Grdec Albania kills more than 30. Over the following week Albania Kosovo and some surrounding countries supply and support Grdec's population with food blood etc. March 19 An exploding star halfway across the visible universe becomes the farthest known object ever visible to the naked eye.43 March 24 Bhutan holds its first-ever general elections.44 March 25 A 414 square kilometer (160 sq. mi.2) chunk of Antarctica's Wilkins Ice Shelf disintegrates leaving the entire shelf at risk. African Union and Comoros forces invade the rebel-held island of Anjouan. April April 8 Privy Council of Sark dismantles its feudal system to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.45 and the first elections under the new law will be held in December 2008 and the new chamber will first convene in January 2009.464748 April 15 A Hewa Bora Airways DC-9 crashes into a residential area of Goma Democratic Republic of the Congo. April 22 Surgeons at London's Moorfields Eye Hospital perform the first operations using bionic eyes implanting them into 2 blind patients. April 27 The Taliban attempts to assassinate Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a military parade in Kabul.49 April 28 India sets a world record by sending 10 satellites into orbit in a single launch.50 71 die in a train crash in Shandong China.51 May An earthquake in Sichuan China killed nearly 80000 people May 3 Over 133000 in Burma/Myanmar are killed by Cyclone Nargis the deadliest natural disaster since the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004. May 7 Dmitry Medvedev takes office as President of Russia replacing Vladimir Putin. May 8 Start of armed clashes and fighting in Lebanon. May 11 Burma/Myanmar holds a constitutional referendum. May 12 Over 69000 are killed in central south-west China by the Wenchuan quake an earthquake measuring 7.9 Moment magnitude scale. The epicenter is 90 kilometers (55 miles) west-northwest of the provincial capital Chengdu Sichuan province. May 13 A series of bomb blasts kills at least 63 and injures 216 in Jaipur India. May 14 NASA announces the discovery of Supernova remnant G1.9+0.3. May 15 An oil pipeline explosion in Ijegun Nigeria kills 100. May 23 The Union of South American Nations a supranational unioncitation needed is created by a union between the Andean Community and Mercosur. The International Court of Justice awards Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Pedra Branca to Singapore ending a 29-year territorial dispute between the 2 countries. May 25 NASA's Phoenix spacecraft becomes the first to land on the northern polar region of Mars.52 May 28 The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is established after the Assembly votes overwhelmingly in favor of abolishing the country's 240-year-old monarchy. Girija Prasad Koirala becomes temporary head of state. May 30 The Convention on Cluster Munitions is adopted in Dublin.53 June June 2 A car bomb explodes outside the Danish embassy in Islamabad Pakistan killing at least five. June 8 In the Akihabara area of Tokyo Japan a 25-year-old man stabs seven to death and wounds 10 before being arrested. June 10 Fire engulfs Sudan Airways Flight 109 after it lands in Khartoum killing 44. June 11 The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope is launched. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologizes to Canada's First Nations for the Canadian residential school system. June 12 Ireland votes to reject the Treaty of Lisbon in the only referendum to be held by a European Union member state on the treaty. June 14 A 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Iwate Prefecture Japan kills 12 and injures more than 400. June 14September 14 Expo 2008 is held in Zaragoza Spain with the topic of "Water and sustainable development". June 22 Typhoon Fengshen hits the Philippines and capsizes the ferry MV Princess of the Stars leaving hundreds dead or missing. June 27 President Robert Mugabe is reelected with 85.5% of the vote in the second round of the controversial Zimbabwean presidential election. After three decades as the Chairman of Microsoft Corporation Bill Gates steps down from daily duties to concentrate on philanthropy.5455 July 34th G8 summit heads of delegations in Tyako Japan July 2 ngrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages are rescued from FARC by Colombian security forces. July 7 A suicide-bomber drives an explosives-laden automobile into the front gates of the Indian embassy in Kabul Afghanistan killing 58 and injuring over 150. July 7July 9 The 34th G8 summit is held in Tyako Hokkaid Japan. July 10 Former Macedonian Interior Minister Ljube Bokoski is acquitted of all charges by a UN Tribunal accusing him of war crimes. July 15July 20 World Youth Day takes place in Sydney Australia. Pope Benedict XVI appears at the event.56 July 21 Radovan Karadi the first president of the Republika Srpska is arrested in Belgrade Serbia on allegations of war crimes following a 12-year long manhunt.57 July 22 The United Progressive Alliance-led government in India survives a crucial no-confidence vote based on disagreements between the Indian National Congress and Left Front over the Indo-US nuclear deal. July 23 Ram Baran Yadav is sworn in as the first President of Nepal.58 July 25 A series of seven bomb blasts rock Bangalore India killing two and injuring 20; the next day a series of bomb blasts in Ahmedabad Gujarat India kills 45 and injures over 160 people. July 27 At least 17 are killed and over 154 wounded in 2 blasts in Istanbul. July 28 At least 48 are dead and over 287 injured after bombs explode in Baghdad and Kirkuk Iraq.5960 August August 1 A total eclipse of the Sun is visible from Canada and extends across northern Greenland the Arctic central Russia Mongolia and China.61 George Tupou V is crowned as the new King of Tonga an event that had been delayed for over two years following the 2006 Nuku'alofa riots.62 August 3 A stampede at a Hindu temple at Naina Devi in Bilaspur Himachal Pradesh India kills 162 and injures 400. August 4 Two members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement which had threatened to attack the Beijing Olympics kill 16 and injure another 16 officers at a police station in Kashgar Xinjiang China.6364 August 6 President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi of Mauritania is deposed in a military coup d'tat. August 7 The 2008 South Ossetia war begins as Georgia and Russia launch a major offensive inside the separatist region of South Ossetia after days of border skirmishes between the two sides. August 8August 24 The 2008 Summer Olympics take place in Beijing China.65 August 10 A propane facility explodes in Toronto overnight and causes a large-scale evacuation resulting in 2 deaths. August 15 Pushpa Kamal Dahal (known as Prachanda) is sworn in as the first Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal after the Nepalese monarchy was abolished in May.66 August 17 Michael Phelps surpasses Mark Spitz in Gold Medals won at a single Olympics winning eight.67 August 18 Pervez Musharraf resigns as President of Pakistan under impeachment pressure from the coalition government.68 August 19 Taliban insurgents kill 10 and injure 21 French soldiers in an ambush in Afghanistan.69 A suicide bomber rams a car into an Algerian military academy killing 43 and injuring 45.70 August 20 Spanair Flight 5022 from Madrid to Gran Canaria skids off the runway and crashes at Barajas Airport with 172 on board. Of them 154 die and 18 survive.71 August 21 At least 60 die following twin suicide bombings outside the Pakistan Ordnance Factories in Wah Pakistan. August 22 Pirates hijack German Iranian and Japanese cargo ships off the coast of Somalia in seven such attacks since June 20.72 August 24 An aircraft crashes in Guatemala killing 10 including four Americans on a humanitarian mission.73 Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 6895 crashes upon takeoff near Manas International Airport in Bishkek Kyrgyzstan killing 68.74 August 26 Russia unilaterally recognizes the independence of Georgian breakaway republics Abkhazia and South Ossetia.75 August 26September 1 Hurricane Gustav makes landfall on Louisiana as Category 2 and kills seven in the United States after making landfall on western Cuba as Category 4 and killing 66 in Haiti eight in the Dominican Republic and 11 in Jamaica.7677 August 28September 7 Hurricane Hanna kills seven in the United States and 529 in Haiti mostly due to floods and mudslides.78 September The CMS experiment of the Large Hadron Collider September 1September 14 Hurricane Ike makes landfall on Texas as Category 2 and kills 27 in the United States after killing four in Cuba one in the Dominican Republic and 75 in Haiti.7980 September 2 Political crisis in Thailand: Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej of Thailand declares a state of emergency in Bangkok.81 September 3 Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani of Pakistan survives an assassination attempt near Islamabad while on his way to meet British Leader of the Opposition David Cameron. President's Dimitris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat hold peace talks in Nicosia aimed at reunifying Cyprus.8283 September 6 At least eight boulders dislodge from a cliff near Cairo Egypt killing at least 90 and burying an estimated 500 people.84 September 9 Political crisis in Thailand: The Constitutional Court of Thailand orders Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign after he is paid for appearing on a television cooking show.85 September 10 The proton beam is circulated for the first time in the Large Hadron Collider the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator located at CERN near Geneva under the Franco-Swiss border.8687 The 2008 Bandar Abbas earthquake strikes southern Iran killing 7 and injuring 45 people.88 September 12 A Metrolink train collides head-on into a freight train in Los Angeles California killing 25 and injuring 130.89 September 14 Aeroflot Flight 821 crashes near the city of Perm Russia killing all 88 on board.90 September 15 Following negotiations President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara sign a power-sharing deal making Tsvangirai the new Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection laying the catalyst for the Global financial crisis. September 17 The International Astronomical Union classifies Haumea as the 5th dwarf planet in the Solar System.91 September 19September 25 Typhoon Hagupit kills 17 in China eight in the Philippines one in Taiwan and 41 in Vietnam.92 September 20 A suicide truck bomb explosion destroys the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad Pakistan killing at least 60 and injuring 266.939495 September 25 Shenzhou 7 the third manned Chinese spaceflight and the first with three crew members is successfully launched. China becomes the third country ever to conduct a spacewalk.96 September 28 SpaceX Falcon 1 becomes the world's first privately developed space launch vehicle to successfully make orbit.9798 September 30 A Jodhpur temple stampede in western India kills over 224 people and injures 400.99100 October October 3 Global financial crisis: U.S. President George W. Bush signs the revised Emergency Economic Stabilization Act into law creating a 700 billion dollar Treasury fund to purchase failing bank assets.101 October 6 NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft makes its second of three flybys of Mercury decreasing the velocity for orbital insertion on March 18 2011.102103 An earthquake measuring 6.6 magnitude kills at least 65 in Kyrgyzstan.104 October 7 Global financial crisis: Russia agrees to provide Iceland with a four-billion-euro loan.105106 The meteoroid 2008 TC3 impacts Earth becoming the first such object to be discovered prior to impact.107 October 9 Global financial crisis: Following a major banking and financial crisis in Iceland the Icelandic Financial Supervisory Authority takes control of the three largest banks in the country: Kaupthing Bank108109 Landsbanki110111 and Glitnir.112113 October 12 Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup win the 2008 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 for Ford and Triple 8 October 17 The United Nations General Assembly elects Turkey Austria Japan Uganda and Mexico to two-year terms on the Security Council.114 October 21 The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is officially inaugurated. It is a collaboration of over 10000 scientists and engineers from over 100 countries as well as hundreds of universities and laboratories.115116117118 October 22 The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launches the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft on a lunar exploration mission.119120 October 29 Global financial crisis: Hungary's currency and stock markets rise on the news that it will receive an international economic bailout package worth $25 billion from the IMF European Union and World Bank.121 Delta Air Lines merges with Northwest Airlines forming the world's largest commercial carrier.122 November November 6 King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan is crowned having ascended to the throne in 2006.123 November 7 The 2008 Ptionville school collapse kills at least 92 in Ptionville Haiti. November 8 An accident aboard Russian submarine K-152 Nerpa kills 20. November 11 The RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 departs on her last voyage from Southampton UK to Dubai UAE. She will become a floating hotel at Palm Jumeirah.124125 November 14 STS-126: The Space Shuttle Endeavour uses the MPLM Leonardo to deliver experiment and storage racks to the International Space Station. There will be only three more launches of Space Shuttle Endeavour after this mission.126 November 19 Claudia Castillo of Spain becomes the first person to have a successful trachea transplant using a tissue-engineered organ.127 November 20 The 2008 Prairie meteoroid falls over Canada. November 22November 23 The APEC Peru 2008 Summit is held in Lima. November 24 The 2008 Santa Catarina floods in Santa Catarina Brazil kill 126 and force the evacuation of over 78000 people. November 25 Greenland holds a referendum for increased autonomy from Denmark. The vote is over 75% in favour.128 Political crisis in Thailand: Protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy party storm into Suvarnabhumi Airport and block flights from taking off. More protesters seize control of Don Mueang Airport the following day. A car bomb in St. Petersburg Russia kills three people and injures one. November 26 November 29 A series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai India by Pakistan-based Islamic militants kills 195 and injures at least 250. November 27 The longest serving Ocean Liner in history QE2 is retired from service. November 29 Riots in Jos Nigeria kill 381 and injure at least 300. December December 1 A triangular conjunction formed by a new Moon Venus and Jupiter is a prominent object in the evening sky.129 December 2 Political crisis in Thailand: After weeks of opposition-led protests the Constitutional Court of Thailand dissolves the governing People's Power Party and two coalition member parties and bans leaders of the parties including Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from politics for five years. As such Wongsawat promptly resigns and is replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul as caretaker Prime Minister.130 December 3 The Convention on Cluster Munitions opens for signature in Oslo.53 December 4 Political crisis in Canada: Governor General Michalle Jean grants the request of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to prorogue Parliament until January 26 2009 averting a motion of no-confidence by the new opposition coalition led by the Leader of the Opposition Stphane Dion and the New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton with Bloc Qubcois leader Gilles Duceppe as a coalition partner.131 December 5 Human remains found in 1991 are identified as Tsar Nicholas II of Russia using DNA analysis.132 December 6 Riots spread across Greece after a 15-year-old boy is shot dead by a special guard of the Greek Police.133 December 7 Jamie Whincup wins the 2008 V8 Supercar Championship series for Ford and Triple 8 Racing. December 10 The Channel Island of Sark a British Crown Dependency holds its first fully democratic elections under a new constitutional arrangement becoming the last European territory to abolish feudalism.134 December 12 Switzerland becomes the 25th European country to join the Schengen Agreement whereby cross-border passport checks will be abolished.135 The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth called perigee at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. The Moon appears to be 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the year's other full moons. The next time these two events coincide will be in 2016.136 December 16 Ruins of an ancient Wari city are discovered in northern Peru. December 18 The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda convicts Thoneste Bagosora and two other senior Rwandan army officers of genocide crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentences them to life imprisonment.137 December 21 Gwadar port Pakistan becomes fully operational.138 December 23 A military coup d'tat is announced in Guinea shortly after the death of long-time President Lansana Cont.139 Israeli F-16i of the 107th Squadron preparing for take-off December 2008 December 27 Israel initiates "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip after launching an extensive wave of airstrikes140 against military targets police stations and government buildings within the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire141 from and arms import into the territory.142143 As a result Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against Southern Israel reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time.144145146 December 29 Bangladesh holds its general elections after two years of political unrest over the interim government.147 December 31 An extra leap second (23:59:60) is added to end the year. The last time this occurred was in 2005. Deaths Main article: Deaths in 2008 January Edmund Hillary Heath Ledger January 3 Yo-Sam Choi Korean boxer (b. 1972) January 10 Maila Nurmi Finnish-American actress and television personality (b. 1921) January 11 Edmund Hillary New Zealand mountaineer explorer and philanthropist (b. 1919) January 15 Brad Renfro American actor (b. 1982) January 16 Nikola Kljusev Macedonian Prime Minister (b. 1927) January 17 Bobby Fischer American-Icelandic chess grandmaster (b. 1943) January 19 Suzanne Pleshette American actress (b. 1937) January 22 Heath Ledger Australian actor (b. 1979) Claude Piron Swiss linguist and psychologist (b. 1931) January 26 George Habash Palestinian politician (b. 1926) January 27 Gordon B. Hinckley American Mormon leader (b. 1910) Suharto President of Indonesia (b. 1921) January 28 Christodoulos Archbishop of Athens (b. 1939) January 29 Margaret Truman American singer and writer (b. 1924) February February 2 Joshua Lederberg American molecular biologist and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1925) February 5 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Indian spiritual leader (b. 1917) February 7 Andrew Bertie British Grand Master of the Order of Malta (b. 1929) February 9 Baba Amte Indian social activist (b. 1914) February 10 Roy Scheider American actor (b. 1932) February 11 Alfredo Reinado East Timorese rebel (b. 1967) Tom Lantos American politician (b. 1928) Janez Drnovek February 12 Imad Mughniyah Lebanese militant (b. 1962) Badri Patarkatsishvili Georgian businessman and politician (b. 1955) February 13 Kon Ichikawa Japanese film director (b. 1915) Henri Salvador French singer (b. 1917) February 18 Alain Robbe-Grillet French writer and filmmaker (b. 1922) February 19 Natalia Bessmertnova Russian ballerina (b. 1941) Yegor Letov Russian singer (b. 1964) February 23 Janez Drnovek Slovenian President and Prime Minister of (b. 1950) Paul Frre Belgian racing driver (b. 1917) February 27 William F. Buckley Jr. American author and conservative commentator (b. 1925) Ivan Rebroff German singer (b. 1931) March Arthur C. Clarke March 1 Ral Reyes Colombian guerrilla (b. 1948) March 2 Jeff Healey Canadian musician (b. 1966) March 3 Giuseppe Di Stefano Italian operatic tenor (b. 1921) Norman Smith English singer and record producer (b. 1923) March 4 Gary Gygax American writer and game designer (b. 1938) March 5 Joseph Weizenbaum German-American author and computer scientist (b. 1923) March 6 Peter Poreku Dery Ghanaian cardinal (b. 1918) March 14 Chiara Lubich Italian Catholic activist (b. 1920) March 18 Anthony Minghella English film director and screenwriter (b. 1954) March 19 Arthur C. Clarke English author inventor and futurist (b. 1917) Hugo Claus Flemish writer painter and film director (b. 1929) Manuel Marulanda Paul Scofield English actor (b. 1922) March 22 Adolfo Surez Rivera Mexican cardinal (b. 1927) March 24 Neil Aspinall British record producer and business executive (b. 1942) Richard Widmark American actor (b. 1914) March 26 Manuel Marulanda Colombian guerrilla (b. 1930) March 27 Jean-Marie Balestre French sports executive (b. 1921) March 30 Dith Pran Cambodian-American photojournalist (b. 1942) March 31 Jules Dassin American film director (b. 1911) April Charlton Heston April 3 Hrvoje usti Croatian footballer (b. 1983) April 5 Charlton Heston American actor (b. 1923) April 10 Ernesto Corripio y Ahumada Mexican cardinal (b. 1919) April 12 Patrick Hillery 6th President of Ireland (b. 1923) April 13 John Archibald Wheeler American theoretical physicist (b. 1911) April 14 Ollie Johnston American animator (b. 1912) April 15 Benot Lamy Belgian motion picture writer-director (b. 1945) April 16 Edward Norton Lorenz American mathematician and meteorologist (b. 1917) April 17 Aim Csaire French Martinican poet and politician (b. 1913) April 29 Albert Hofmann Swiss chemist and writer discoverer of LSD (b. 1906) May Irena Sendler May 1 Anthony Mamo 1st President of Malta (b. 1909) May 2 Philipp von Boeselager German military officer (b. 1917) May 3 Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo Spanish Prime Minister of (b. 1926) May 8 Franois Sterchele Belgian footballer (b. 1982) May 10 Leyla Gencer Turkish soprano (b. 1928) May 12 Robert Rauschenberg American pop artist (b. 1925) Irena Sendler Polish humanitarian (b. 1910) May 13 Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah Emir of Kuwait (b. 1930) Bernardin Gantin Beninese cardinal (b. 1922) May 15 Willis Lamb American physicist and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1913) May 23 Cornell Capa Hungarian-American photographer (b. 1918) May 24 Rob Knox British actor (b. 1989) May 26 Sydney Pollack American actor director and producer (b. 1934) May 28 Sven Davidson Swedish tennis player (b. 1928) May 29 Luc Bourdon Canadian Hockey player (b. 1987) June Chinghiz Aitmatov V Vn Kit George Carlin June 1 Yves Saint Laurent French fashion designer (b. 1936) Tommy Lapid Israeli television presenter journalist and politician (b. 1931) June 2 Bo Diddley American musician (b. 1928) June 3 Mel Ferrer American actor director and producer (b. 1917) June 4 Agata Mrz-Olszewska Polish volleyball player (b. 1982) June 7 Dino Risi Italian director (b. 1916) June 8 aban Bajramovi Serbian musician (b. 1936) June 9 Algis Budrys Lithuanian-American science fiction writer (b. 1931) Karen Asrian Armenian chess grandmaster (b. 1980) June 10 Chinghiz Aitmatov Kyrgyzstani writer (b. 1928) June 11 Ove Andersson Swedish rally driver (b. 1939) V Vn Kit Vietnamese prime minister (b. 1922) June 13 Tim Russert American journalist (b. 1950) June 15 Stan Winston American special effects and makeup artist (b. 1946) June 17 Cyd Charisse American actress and dancer (b. 1922) June 18 Jean Delannoy French film director (b. 1908) June 22 George Carlin American author actor and comedian (b. 1937) June 23 Arthur Chung President of Guyana (b. 1918) June 24 Leonid Hurwicz American economist and mathematician Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1917) June 27 Sam Manekshaw Field Marshall of Indian Army (b.1914) June 28 Ruslana Korshunova Kazakhstani model (b. 1987) June 29 Don S. Davis American actor (b. 1942) July Jesse Helms July 4 Jesse Helms American politician (b. 1921) Evelyn Keyes American actress (b. 1916) July 5 Ren Harris President of Nauru (b. 1947) July 9 Seamus Brennan Irish politician (b. 1948) July 11 Michael E. DeBakey American surgeon and inventor (b. 1908) July 12 Tony Snow American political commentator (b. 1955) July 13 Bronisaw Geremek Polish social historian and politician (b. 1932) July 15 Gyrgy Kolonics Hungarian canoeist (b. 1972) July 22 Estelle Getty American actress (b. 1923) July 23 Kurt Furgler Swiss politician (b. 1924) July 25 Johnny Griffin American saxophonist (b. 1928) Randy Pausch American author and computer scientist (b. 1960) July 27 Youssef Chahine Egyptian film director (b. 1926) July 29 Mate Parlov Croatian boxer (b. 1948) August Isaac Hayes August 1 Harkishan Singh Surjeet Indian politician (b. 1916) August 3 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Russian writer Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918) August 9 Bernie Mac American actor and comedian (b. 1957) Mahmoud Darwish Palestinian poet (b. 1941) August 10 Isaac Hayes African-American musician (b. 1942) August 11 Fred Sinowatz Austrian politician (b. 1929) August 13 Henri Cartan French mathematician (b. 1904) August 15 Jerry Wexler American music producer (b. 1917) August 16 Ronnie Drew Irish singer (b. 1934) Masanobu Fukuoka Japanese microbiologist (b. 1913) August 19 Levy Mwanawasa President of Zambia (b. 1948) August 20 Hua Guofeng Chinese premier (b. 1921) August 23 Thomas Huckle Weller American virologist Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1915) August 28 Phil Hill American race car driver (b. 1927) August 30 Killer Kowalski Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1926) September Paul Newman September 1 Don LaFontaine American voice actor (b. 1940) September 6 Antonio Innocenti Italian cardinal (b. 1915) Anita Page American actress (b. 1910) September 9 Nouhak Phoumsavanh President of Laos (b. 1910) September 12 David Foster Wallace American writer (b. 1962) September 15 Richard Wright English musician (b. 1943) September 18 Mauricio Kagel Argentine composer (b. 1931) September 26 Paul Newman American actor (b. 1925) October Jrg Haider October 1 Boris Efimov Russian political cartoonist (b. 1900) October 6 Paavo Haavikko Finnish poet (b. 1931) October 8 George Emil Palade Romanian cell biologist Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1912) October 10 Kazuyoshi Miura Japanese businessman (b. 1947) Alexey Prokurorov Russian cross-country skier (b. 1964) October 11 Jrg Haider Austrian politician (b. 1950) October 13 Guillaume Depardieu French actor (b. 1971) Antonio Jos Gonzlez Zumrraga Ecuadorian cardinal (b. 1925) Alexei Cherepanov Russian Hockey Player (b. 1989) October 20 Sur Emmanuelle Belgian-born French nun (b. 1908) October 25 Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijani singer (b. 1942) October 26 Tony Hillerman American writer (b. 1925) October 31 Studs Terkel American author and liberal commentator (b. 1912) November Michael Crichton November 1 Jacques Piccard Swiss explorer and engineer (b. 1922) Yma Sumac Peruvian soprano (b. 1922) November 4 Michael Crichton American author and producer (b. 1942) Juan Camilo Mourio Mexican politician (b. 1971) November 10 Kiyoshi It Japanese mathematician (b. 1915) Miriam Makeba South African singer (b. 1932) November 12 Mitch Mitchell English drummer (b. 1946) November 13 Paco Ignacio Taibo I Mexican writer and journalist (b. 1924) November 14 Tsvetanka Khristova Bulgarian athlete (b. 1962) November 22 Ibrahim Nasir Maldivian President (b. 1926) November 27 Vishwanath Pratap Singh Indian Prime Minister (b. 1931) November 29 Jrn Utzon Danish architect (b. 1918) December Alexy II W. Mark Felt Freddie Hubbard December 1 Mikel Laboa Basque singer and songwriter (b. 1934) December 2 Odetta American singer (b. 1930) December 5 Alexy II Russian Orthodox Patriarch (b. 1929) Nina Foch Dutch-born American actress (b. 1924) December 9 Yuri Glazkov Russian cosmonaut (b. 1939) Draan Jerkovi Croatian football player and manager (b. 1936) December 11 Daniel Carleton Gajdusek American physician Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1923) Bettie Page American pin-up model (b. 1923) December 12 Avery Dulles American Roman Catholic Cardinal (b. 1918) Van Johnson American actor (b. 1916) Tassos Papadopoulos 5th President of Cyprus (b. 1934) December 13 Horst Tappert German actor (b. 1923) December 18 Majel Barrett American actress (b. 1932) W. Mark Felt American FBI agent "Deep Throat" from the Watergate scandal (b. 1913) December 20 Olga Lepeshinskaya Russian ballerina (b. 1916) Robert Mulligan American director (b. 1925) December 22 Lansana Cont President of Guinea (b. 1934) December 24 Harold Pinter English playwright (b. 1930) Samuel P. Huntington American political scientist (b. 1927) December 25 Eartha Kitt American singer and actress (b. 1927) December 29 Freddie Hubbard American jazz trumpeter (b. 1938) Nobel Prizes Chemistry Martin Chalfie Osamu Shimomura and Roger Y. Tsien Economics Paul Krugman Literature Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clzio Peace Martti Ahtisaari Physics Makoto Kobayashi Toshihide Maskawa and Yoichiro Nambu Physiology or Medicine Franoise Barr-Sinoussi Harald zur Hausen and Luc Montagnier Major religious holidays January 7 Christmas in Eastern Christianity January 10 Islamic New Year by Lunar calendar February 5 Carnival (Shrove Tuesday) February 6 Ash Wednesday observance of Lent begins February 7 Lunar New Year March 1 Saint David's Day celebrated in Wales and the United States. March 15 Saint Patrick's Day celebrated in Ireland the United States and most of the English-speaking world. (Held on March 15 instead of the usual 17th to avoid the second day in Holy Week).148 This March 17 will be the last one to fall within Holy Week until 2160.149 March 20 March Equinox also known as Ostara Purim March 21 Nowruz (Iranian New Year holiday) Good Friday March 22 Holi March 23 Easter Sunday the earliest Easter has fallen since 1913 April 13 Vaisakhi April 20 Passover Palm Sunday in Eastern Christianity April 27 Pascha (or Easter) in Eastern Christianity May 1 Ascension of Jesus in Western Christianity Beltane a Cross-quarter day May 19 or May 20 Vesak (the birthday of the Buddha) in Buddhism June 5 Ascension of Jesus in Eastern Christianity June 9 Shavuot June 15 Pentecost in Eastern Christianity June 20 June Solstice also known as Midsummer or Litha June 22 All Saints' Day in Eastern Christianity July 5 Saints Cyril and Methodius day in Eastern Christianity August 1 Lammas a Cross-quarter day August 15 Assumption of Mary August 16 Raksha Bandhan September 1 New Liturgical Year in Eastern Christianity September 2 Start of Ramadan September 4 Janmastami -Birth of Lord Krishna September 22 September Equinox also known as Mabon September 30 Rosh Hashanah October 1 Eid ul-Fitr October 9 Yom Kippur October 13 Sukkot October 28 Diwali November 1 Samhain a Cross-quarter day and Neopagan new year December 8 Immaculate Conception Eid al-Adha December 21 Hanukkah begins at sundown December Solstice also known as Yule December 25 Christmas in Western Christianity In fiction Main article: Works of fiction set in 2008 References "General Assembly Proclaims 2008 International Year of Languages in Effort to Promote Unity in Diversity Global Understanding". 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