Chinese Lunar Exploration Program Chang'e 4 successfully enters orbit around the Moon ahead of a historic landing on the far side of the Moon in early 2019.
Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo successfully completes its fourth powered test flight with VSS Unity and reaches space at an altitude of 82.7 km but does not breach the 100 km Karman Line.
2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis A seven-bench Supreme Court unanimously rules that President Sirisena's dissolution of Parliament on 9 November 2018 was unconstitutional.
Human rights in Venezuela It is reported that a German journalist was kidnapped and imprisoned by the Venezuelan government three weeks ago, with diplomats from both nations denied to see him.
2018 Bitcoin bomb threats Fake bomb threats are sent to dozens of businesses around Canada and the U.S., demanding ransoms in bitcoin. Some of the threats forced evacuations.
Vahid Sayadi Nasiri Iranian political activist Vahid Sayadi Nasiri, who was jailed for his messages on social media, dies after spending 60 days on hunger strike. He was accused of insulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Operation Car Wash A tribunal in Colombia disqualifies the Brazilian multinational corporation Odebrecht from operating in the country for 10 years amid ongoing investigations against the company for inciting corruption.
Mainland China Chinese state media reports a second Canadian national, Michael Spavor, has been detained on suspicion of endangering state security, while the China foreign ministry say two Canadian nationals are detained in the country. The Spavor investigation follows the detention of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig on December 10 and Canada's December 1 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
Environment Canada Environment Canada issues rainfall and wind warnings in Metro Vancouver after severe flash flooding caused minor damage in the area.
Ankara train collision A high-speed train crashes at Marşandiz railway station in Ankara, Turkey, killing at least nine people and leaving dozens injured.
YouTube Rewind 2018 YouTube Rewind 2018 becomes the most disliked YouTube video of all time, with well over 10 million dislikes, achieving the feat in a mere seven days.
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) A UN-brokered ceasefire is agreed upon between the two warring factions in Al Hudaydah, Yemen. Troops from both sides will withdraw from the port city within three weeks to allow humanitarian aid coming into the country, which has been plagued by war and famine.
2018 Strasbourg attack A Frenchman originally from Afghanistan who was wounded and left brain-dead from the attack dies from his injuries.
Chérif Chekatt, the perpetrator of an attack in Strasbourg, France, two days ago, which killed two and wounded 14, is found and killed by French police.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict A knife-wielding Palestinian assailant is shot dead in Jerusalem's Old City, after lightly injuring two police officers by stabbing them.
Two Israeli soldiers are killed and two others seriously wounded after a shooting at a bus stop in the Jewish settlement of Giv'at Asaf, West Bank.
Northern Mali conflict Jihadists on motorcycles kill around 42 people in a series of attacks targeting Tuareg camps in Mali.