Major news events 2010

Major news events 2010



January 7 - Alabama wins BCS Championship
On January 7, the Alabama Crimson Tide rolled over the Texas Longhorns 37-21 to capture the school's first national title since 1992. Game MVP, and Heisman Trophy winning running back, Mark Ingram scored two touchdowns.

January 12 - Haiti earthquake

On January 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook Port-au-Prince, Haiti, toppling buildings and destroying most of the country's infrastructure. The Haitian government estimated 230,000 people were killed, more than 300,000 injured, and more than one million people left homeless. Humanitarian aid began flowing into the country within hours of the quake; however it was not enough to prevent rioting in the economically ravaged nation.

January 19 - Scott Brown elected to Senate

On January 19, Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown shocked the political world, upsetting Democrat Martha Coakley in a special election for Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat. Brown's victory tipped the Senate away from a Democratic Super Majority.

January 21 - The Edwards separate

On January 21, Former presidential candidate, John Edwards and wife Elizabeth officially separated one week after the ex-Senator admitted he had fathered a child with mistress Rielle Hunter. In March, Hunter conducted an interview and photo shoot with 'GQ' magazine, explaining details of the affair. In April she appeared on 'Oprah'.

January 22 - Conan's last 'Tonight Show'

On January 22, twelve days after NBC confirmed it would be returning Jay Leno to host the 'Tonight Show', Conan O'Brien officially ended his reign as show host, leaving NBC after a bitter dispute. O'Brien announced later in the year that he would be reappearing with his own late night show on TBS called 'Conan'.

January 27 - Apple unveils the iPad

On January 27th, after months of speculation, Apple Inc. CEO, Steve Jobs, unveiled the company's first tablet computer, the iPad. The mobile tablet provided the functionality of a MacBook laptop and the mobility of an iPhone. The iPad hit shelves in April of 2010 and sold more than 3 million units in just 80 days.

January 28 - Toyota pedal recall

On January 28, Toyota instituted its second recall after reports of pedals sticking to floor mats, causing people to accelerate without being able to use their break. The recall included 2.3 million vehicles sold in the U.S. and 1.8 million sold in other countries. An addional 1.1 million more Toyota vehicles were recalled a week later. After several Congressional hearings and testimony, Toyota deemed the recall repairs had been effective in solving the issue.

February 5-14 - Snowmageddon

On February 5, the first major snow storm of 2010 pounded the East. New Jersey to Washington, DC received more than 20 inches of snow, closing interstates and shutting down rails. The blizzard was followed four days later by another major snow dump. From February 9-11, Philadelphia to Washington, DC received another 16-20 inches of snow. The winter storms prompted President Obama to refer to the weather system as 'Snowmageddon'.

February 7 - New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl

On February 7 the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLIV. The Super Bowl was the team's first in franchise history. Saints' QB Drew Brees was named Super Bowl MVP.

February 12-28 - Vancouver Olympics
On February 28, the Canadian men's hockey team scored a game-winning overtime goal to beat the United States 3-2, giving the home team its 14th overall gold, the most golds of any nation. The United States lead all countries in medals with 37.

February 17 - U.S. missionaries released in Haiti

On February 17, eight of ten U.S. missionaries were released from Port-au-Prince jail after their arrest on kidnapping charges after attempting to transport 33 Haitian children into the Dominican Republic days after the January 12 earthquake. Most of the missionaries came from two Baptist churches in Idaho. The remaining two missionaries were released in March and May.

February 18 - Plane flown into IRS building

On February 18, Joseph Stack, a 53-year-old software engineer committed suicide by flying a small plane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas. Internal Revenue Service manager Vernon Hunter, who was in the building at the time of the crash, also died. Thirteen others were hurt, two seriously. After the crash police found Stack's rambling suicide note criticizing the government.

February 19 - Tiger Woods apologizes

On February 19th, golf legend Tiger Woods made an emotional apology after rumors of several extra-marital affairs. Woods' wife Elin Nordegren was not in attendance at the press conference. The announcement broke three months of silence and speculation following Woods' apparent car crash in front of his house.



March 15 - Full body scanners installed

On March 15, the TSA began testing new body scanners at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. The scanners show a full body X-ray through clothing, and is meant to check for metallic and non-metallic threats including explosives. Passengers who chose not to go through the security scanners have to go through a pat down inspection.

March 18 - Jesse James admits infidelity

On March 18, after rumors of infidelity, actor Jesse James made a public apology to wife Sandra Bullock. The news came as a surprise to the entertainment industry which had just seen the two celebrating Bullock's Oscar for 'The Blind Side' earlier in the month. One month later Bullock announced she was adopting a baby from New Orleans, a process that began before James' announcement. The couple was officially divorced June 28.

March 20 - First full face transplant

On March 20, a team of 30 Spanish doctors completed the first ever full face transplant. The patient 'Oscar' had been injured in a shooting accident

March 23 - Obama signs health care into law

On March 23, after months of debate, President Obama signed into law the the one of the most sweeping pieces of social legislation ever passed by Congress. It ensured medical coverage for almost all Americans. The legality of the law was challenged in several states. Much of the bill will not go into effect until 2014.

March 30 - CERN collides protons

On March 30, the world's largest atom smasher collided two protons at a speed three times faster than ever before. The experiment was designed to simulate the Big Bang Model, and help explain the origin of the building blocks of the universe.

April 1 - U.S. Census begins

On April 1, the United States government began distributing 10 question Census forms to all U.S. residents. By August the Census Bureau claimed a 72% return rate. According to federal officials the cost of the nationwide survey was $1.6 billion less than projected

April 5 - West Virginia mine explosion

On April 5, an underground explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine at Montcoal in Raleigh County, West Virginia left 29 people dead. High methane levels where detected in the mine. It was the worst coal mining disaster in the U.S. since 1970 when 38 workers died.

April 5 - Duke beats Butler for NCAA Championship

On April 5, NCAA basketball powerhouse Duke edged hometown underdog Butler 61-59 to win its fourth NCAA title. Butler took a half court, potentially game winning, shot as time expired, but it bounced off the rim.

April 10 - Polish president killed in plane crash

On April 10, Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and several other top government officials were killed when their Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft crashed near Smolensk, Russia. All 96 people aboard the plane were killed in the crash. Heavy fog may have played a factor it it going down.

April 14 - Iceland volcano eruption

On April 14, Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted for a second time, causing a massive plume of smoke and ash. In just one week the cloud had forced the cancellation of 95,000 flights over Europe



April 20 - BP oil well explodes

On April 20, The Deepwater Horizon, an offshore floating oil rig exploded, killing 11 workers and forcing other workers onto life boats. The explosion set off a three month oil leak that reached American shores in Louisiana, Missisippi, Alabama and Florida. The leak was not stopped until July 15.

May 1 - Attempted Times Square bombing

On May 1, an attempted bomb plot shut down New York's Times Square. Security cameras showed a man walking away from a smoking SUV. The SUV was found to have explosive materials, but never detonated. Two days later the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the arrest of Faisal Shahzad while reportedly attempting to board a plane to Pakistan. Shahzad was sentenced on October 5th to life in prison without parole

May 10 - Britian elects David Cameron

On May 10, Britain elected David Cameron as its new Prime Minister. Cameron took over for Gordon Brown whose approval ratings had been slumping for months.

May 23 - 'Lost' finale

On May 23, after six seasons, ABC aired the series finale of ' Lost'. Viewers were expecting the final show would answer all their questions about the plot, however many questions were still left unanswered. 13.5 million viewers tuned in for the series finale

May 28 - Actor Gary Coleman dies

On May 28, 'Different Strokes' actor Gary Coleman died after sustaining a brain hemorrhage after an injury at his Utah home. 911 tapes revealed ex-wife Shannon Price made an emergency call about the injury. Her reaction to the injury seemed a bit suspicious, but in October an autopsy revealed that the cause of death was indeed an accident

June 3 - Joran van der Sloot arrested

On June 3, Joran van der Sloot, suspected in the murder of American Natalee Holloway in 2005 was arrested in Peru following the murder of Tatiana Flores Ramírez. Ramírez's body was found beaten to death in a Peruvian hotel room paid for by van der Sloot. Security camera video caught Joran entering the room with Ramírez, and leaving without her. According to police he admitted to Ramírez's death on June 7, but later took the confession back.

June 11-July 11 - The World Cup
On June 11, South Africa welcomed soccer fans around the world as the World Cup opened for the first time on African soil. The U.S. Men's Team advanced to the knockout round after tying England and Slovenia, and beating Algeria with a goal by Landon Donovan in stoppage time. Spain defeated The Netherlands in the World Cup Final 1-0, the nation's first World Cup title.

June 27 - Russian spies arrested

On June 27, nine Russian spies were arrested and deported from the U.S. after an FBI sting dubbed 'Illegals Program'. Among the nine arrested was a 28-year-old red head named Anna Chapman, who after her arrest was portrayed as a sexy spy. Photos later released of Chapman revealed her wearing cocktail dresses. Her attractive figure even prompted comments from Vice President Joe Biden who said he wasn't the one who ordered her deported.

July 8 - LeBron James makes 'The Decision'

On July 8, LeBron James ended years of speculation by announcing he would be leaving Cleveland and would join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. The announcement came as shock to Cleveland fans, some of which took to the streets burning James jerseys. 'The Decision' raised $2.5 million for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America

21 - Obama signs financial reform bill

On July 21, President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The measure was the most sweeping financial reform in the U.S. since the 1930s, and promised Americans would no longer have to pay for Wall Street mistakes.

July 31 - Chelsea Clinton gets married

On July 31, Chelsea Clinton, the only daughter of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton wed longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinky in a ceremony two hours north of New York City. The secrecy of the location and guest list provided much speculation when the couple announced their engagement earlier in the year.

August 4 - Beer distributors shooting rampage

On August 4, disgruntled employee Omar Thornton opened fire at a beer distribution plant in South Windsor, Conn. Eight employees were killed before Thornton turned the gun on himself. Speaking with a 911 operator Thornton claimed that the company treated him unfairly because he was black.

August 13 - Ground Zero mosque debate

On August 13, President Barack Obama entered into the Ground Zero Islamic center debate. Polls showed a majority of New Yorkers opposed the placement of a mosque within blocks of the former site of the World Trade Towers. In a speech following a dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, President Obama said, "Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances."



. August 15 - Craigslist killer suicide

On August 15, exactly one year after 'Craigslist Killer' Philip Markoff was supposed to be married, he was found dead in his cell at Boston's Nashua Street Jail. Markoff was convicted in 2009 of killing three women whom he solicited from the website Craigslist. Markoff had reportedly attempted suicide several times prior to his death.

August 25 - Bed Bugs outbreak

On August 25, Terminex released its list of the worst 15 cities for bed bugs. New York City was ranked the worst, with four Ohio cities also making the rankings. One week prior to the list's release an AMC Movie Theater in New York City was forced to shut down over a bed bug infestation.

August 31 - President Obama announces Iraq combat end

On August 31, President Barack Obama spoke in a prime time address formally declaring an end to combat operations in Iraq. However 50,000 American troops remained in the country.

September 1 - Discovery Channel gunman

On September 1, James Jay Lee, a 43-year-old environmental protester, entered the Discovery Channel headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland claiming to be armed with a bomb and two pistols. Lee fired a shot into the air, before taking hostages. After a nearly four hour long standoff Lee was shot and killed by police. No hostages were hurt in the standoff. Lee had previously held protests outside of the building, including one where he through money into the air.

September 9 - Gas explosion in San Bruno, CA

On September 9, nine people were killed in a neighborhood in San Bruno, California after a pipeline exploded. Homes were destroyed and flames spread throughout the neighborhood. Residents claimed they thought the explosion was an earthquake. The resulting fire took 200 firefighters and a full day to put out.

September 14 - U.S. hiker in Iran released

On September 14, American hiker Sarah Shourd was released by Iran after being detained for 13 months under allegations of spying for the U.S. Hikers Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal remain detained without trial.

September 22 - Mark Zuckerberg donates $100 million

On September 22, it was reported 26-year-old Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg would donate $100 million to the Newark Public Schools. Zuckerberg later made the official announcement on Oprah. The timing of the announcement was a bit peculiar, as it came just weeks after a movie allegedly about Zuckerberg called 'Social Network' was released. Facebook was heavily criticized in 2010 for allegedly allowing outside sources to pull personal information from its users, but Zuckerberg was later named 'Time Person of the Year' on December 16.

September 30 - New leader of North Korea

On September 30, an event in North Korea featuring the youngest son of leader Kim Jong-Il, named Kim John-Un, appeared to show the announcement of the eventual successor in the country. It is believed that Kim Jon-Il's health is failing, however the government has not stated that formally.

October 1 - CNN fires Rick Sanchez

On October 1, CNN fired afternoon host Rick Sanchez following comments he made on a radio show claiming 'Comedy Central' host Jon Stewart was a "bigot," and that CNN and all media outlets are run by Jewish people. Sanchez later apologized for the comments.

October 6 - Christine O'Donnell announces she's not a witch

On October 6, Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell released an ad claiming 'I am not a witch.' The ad was meant to deflect growing criticism after an decade old interview surfaced in which O'Donnell claimed she had dabbled in witchcraft. O'Donnell's campaign also suffered scrutiny over an old MTV segment in which she denounced masturbation, and a debate gaff in which she struggled with a question on the First Amendment.

October 8 - Brett Favre text messages revealed

On October 8, the website deadspin.com revealed alleged e-mails sent by longtime NFL quarterback Brett Favre to a then New York Jets employee named Jenn Sterger when Favre played with the Jets. The messages included nude pictures and voice mail messages of Favre allegedly inviting Sterger to his hotel room. Favre was investigated by the league for the allegations. On December 29, Favre was fined $50,000 for failing to comply with the investigation.

October 29- Explosive devices found on planes

On October 29, two U.S.-bound cargo planes were grounded after suspicious packages were found aboard. Both packages were reportedly heading to a Jewish synagogue in Chicago from Yemen. The planes were intercepted in Dubai and England . According to U.S. and British officials the packages included wires and explosives. One of the packages was reported to have enough explosives to bring down the plane. Government officials in Yemen reportedly arrested a woman in connection with the mailings.

November 1 - Giants win World Series

On November 1, the San Francisco Giants won their first World Series since 1954, defeating the Texas Rangers 3-1 in Game 6. Edgar Rentería's three run homerun in the seventh inning helped him nab the World Series MVP award. It was the first time the Texas Rangers had ever reached the World Series.

November 2 - Midterm elections

On November 2, a GOP tide rolled through Washington as Republicans won full control of the House and picked up six seats in the Senate. Most called the sweeping change a statement against the Obama agenda, including health care and rising deficit. Nancy Pelosi lost her position as House speaker. That job will be filled in 2011 by House Minority Leader John Boehner.



November 9 - President Bush releases 'Decision Points'

On November 9, former President George W. Bush released his first post-presidency book called 'Decision Points'. In the book Bush explained some of the more difficult points in his presidency, including squabbles between himself and Dick Cheney over Scooter Libby, waterboarding, and being told by Kanye West that he doesn't care about black people. The former president hit the talk show circuit upon the release, doing interviews with Matt Lauer of the 'Today Show' and Jay Leno on the 'Tonight Show'

November 11 - Carnival cruise ship pulled back to port

On November 11, the stranded Carinval Splendor cruise ship returned to port after losing power off the California coast. More than 4,500 passengers and crew members were left without power for three days after a fire in the ship's engine room. Emergency food supplies were delivered, and tug boats were used to bring the boat back into a San Diego port.

November 16 - Alcohol energy drink Four Loko reformulated

On November 16, Phusion Projects announced it was reformulating its alcoholic energy drink line called 'Four'. Prior to the announcement, the beverage included as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and 12% alcohol content, and could be bought in various flavors. The drink is believed to have made more than a dozen people sick at a party at Central Washington University.

November 16 - Prince William engaged

On November 16, Prince William and longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton announced their engagement. The two had been dating for eight years. William gave Middleton the ring his mother had worn when she was engaged with Prince Charles. The two will be wed in April of 2011 at Westminster Abbey



Nov. 23 - North Korea shells South Korea

On November 23, North Korea fired dozens of military shells at the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, killing two soldiers. The attack came as South Korea was conducting military drills. The United States condemned the attack.

December 6 - Obama reaches tax deal

On December 6, President Barack Obama announced he had reached a deal with Republican leaders to extend Bush era tax cuts for all Americans for two more years. In exchange the president received an extension of unemployment benefits. The president had been fighting the tax cuts for most of 2010, and the deal angered most liberal Democrats, but signed the bill into law on December 17.

December 7 - Elizabeth Edwards dies

On December 7 - Elizabeth Edwards, the former wife of Sen. John Edwards died after a six year battle with cancer. Edwards separated from her politician husband after he revealed earlier in the year that he had fathered a child with a mistress. Her death came just one day after it was announced she would end her cancer treatment, and didn't have much longer to live. She was 61

December 14 - Florida gunman kills self in school board meeting

On December 14, Clay A. Duke entered the Panama City School Board meeting Florida. He told board members it was their fault that his wife was fired from her job. He then spray painted a red 'V' on the wall, and took out a handgun. Superintendent Bill Husfelt attempted to get Duke to calm down, but Duke took aim and fired a shot. No board members were hurt. Duke was shot from behind by a security guard. He later killed himself.

December 26 - East Coast blizzard

On December 26, a massive blizzard pounded the Northeast, dumping more than 20 inches of snow on New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The storm left thousands stranded in cars and their homes. 911 calls went unanswered. And the snow forced the postponement of the Sunday Night Football game in Philadelphia. All of the New York City streets were cleared four days later.