2018 witnessed a wave of anti-government protests, landmark diplomatic overtures as well as mounting death tolls in countries either recovering from war or still embattled.

In the first half of the year, the inter-Korea meeting as well as the Trump-Kim summit eased tensions in a region that last year had escalated to the brink of nuclear war. As the year progressed, however, diplomatic relations were tested in light of certain tumultuous events.

Leading this was the brutal murder of The Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey, following which Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman — only last year heralded as a champion for reforms in the the kingdom — found himself at the receiving end of severe international criticism over his alleged role in the assassination.

This year was also one of continuing violence and loss of lives in parts of the world as the humanitarian crises, such as the ones in Yemen and Syria, appeared no closer to an end.

Here, Dawn.com recaps some of the major events of 2018 that gripped the world's attention.

Compiled by Sana Ali and Tauseef Razi Mallick. Header illustration by Mushba Said.