What happened in 2026

World8

• Jan 6The 2025 Jubilee ends.
• Jan 29Insurgency in Balochistan: Fighting between the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Pakistani armed forces in several districts of Balochistan, Pakistan, leaves at least 225 people dead.
• Feb 262026 Afghanistan–Pakistan war: The government of Pakistan declares "open war" against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
• May 162026 Ituri Province Ebola epidemic: The World Health Organization declares an Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
• May 22The 2026 European heatwaves begin, bringing record-breaking temperatures to several European countries and causing thousands of deaths over the next several weeks.
• Jun 11The 2026 FIFA World Cup is held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and is won by Spain.
• Jul 302026 Ceuta migrant crisis: Approximately 80,000 people illegally enter Ceuta, Spain with smaller numbers attempting to cross into Melilla, having swam from Morocco. This follows a Supreme Court of Spain decision prohibiting the hot return of migrants arriving by sea. At least 111 people are killed.
• Aug 12A total solar eclipse occurs in parts of Europe, the first in continental Europe since 1999.

Japan1

• Jul 28An earthquake strikes Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan with a magnitude of () at a depth of, killing at least 30 and injuring over 60.

North America6

• Jan 3The United States launches several airstrikes on multiple locations across northern Venezuela, capturing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores.
• Feb 10At least nine people, including the perpetrator, are killed, and 27 are injured in a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and at a residence in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada.
• Apr 1NASA launches the Artemis II lunar flyby mission, marking the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
• Jun 15The United States and Iran announce and sign the Islamabad Memorandum, a 14-point agreement to end the 2026 Iran war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, and begin a 60-day negotiation period on Iran's nuclear programme; Israel says it will not withdraw from territory it has seized in southern Lebanon.
• Aug 30NASA launches the flagship Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Designed to study dark energy, dark matter and exoplanets, the observatory has a field of view at least 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope's.
• Sep 18Following months of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire or annex Greenland, an agreement is announced by Denmark, Greenland and the United States to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, expanding the permanent U.S. military presence in Greenland while recognizing Danish sovereignty and Greenlandic self-determination. The agreement is formally signed on September 22.

Europe19

• Jan 141 people are killed and 116 injured in a fire at a bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
• Jan 14Operation Arctic Endurance is launched by Denmark, with multiple European countries sending troops to Greenland in response to US President Donald Trump's threats of invasion or annexation of the island.
• Jan 1846 people are killed and 292 are injured after two trains derail in Adamuz in southern Spain.
• Feb 82026 Portuguese presidential election: Socialist candidate António José Seguro is elected President of Portugal in the second round, beating Chega leader André Ventura.
• Feb 232025–2026 Dutch cabinet formation: Rob Jetten is sworn in as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, heading a minority government.
• Apr 192026 Bulgarian parliamentary election: The Progressive Bulgaria coalition, led by former President Rumen Radev, wins a landslide victory, securing 44% of the vote and an outright majority of seats.
• May 31Flamingo Revolution: Following small protests in the village of Zvërnec, major protests erupt in Albania over a proposed luxury development involving Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and his firm Affinity Partners, as well as broader discontent with Prime Minister Edi Rama's government.
• MayMay 1216 – The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is held in Vienna, Austria, following their win at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. Bulgarian contestant Dara wins with the song "Bangaranga", marking the first time Bulgaria has won the contest.
• Jul 22European heatwaves: Wildfires in France, Portugal and Spain force 300,000 people to evacuate their homes. French officials call it the worst wildfire emergency in decades, while officials in Madrid describe it as the worst the region has ever experienced.
• Aug 28King Harald V of Norway dies and is succeeded by his son, King Haakon VIII.
• Aug 292026 Icelandic European Union membership negotiations referendum: A referendum to continue negotiations for Iceland to join the European Union is rejected.
• Sep 182026 French student protests: A series of student led protests begin in Paris with students demanding better funding and resources for schools. In October these protests spread across France, with hundreds of thousands taking part and thousands arrested. The protests spread to multiple countries in Europe, taking on cost of living themes.
• Oct 4The 2026 Bosnian general election is held.
• Oct 28At least 69 people are killed and hundreds injured when two high speed trains collide in Los Yébenes, Toledo, Spain.
• Nov 1The second round of the 2026 Bulgarian presidential election is held.

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USSR / Russia1

• Jan 7The United States seizes two shadow fleet tankers, including one under a Russian flag, in the United States oil blockade during Operation Southern Spear.

Asia13

• Feb 6At least 31 people are killed and another 100 are injured in a suicide bombing at the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• Mar 152026 Kazakh constitutional referendum: The new Constitution of Kazakhstan is accepted with 90% in favor.
• May 4An explosion at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, Hunan, China kills 37 people and injures 51 others.
• May 22A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi, China, kills 82 people.
• Jun 62026 Delhi Jantar Mantar protests: A series of demonstrations takes place in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, initiated by the Cockroach Janta Party, an Indian youth-based satirical political movement, along with other student organisations.
• Jun 8A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake strikes the Philippines, the strongest in the country since 1976. 107 are killed and 1,320 are injured.
• Jul 12A fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao live-music venue in Chatuchak district, Bangkok, kills 34 people and injures more than 70 others.
• Jul 30An avalanche on Broad Peak in the Karakoram range of Pakistan kills ten climbers, including Nirmal Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Nadhira Al Harthy and Kili Pemba Sherpa.
• Aug 15At least 142 people are killed and nearly 1,300 injured when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake strikes off the island of Flores, Indonesia.
• Aug 232026 Kazakh legislative election: Pro-Tokayev party Ädilet wins a supermajority in the newly established Kurultai.
• Aug 262026 Nepal–Tibet floods: At least 1,403 people are killed and 6,650 are reported missing after a landslide and glacial collapse trigger flash floods and debris flows at the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
• Sep 13Indonesian ferry KM Virgo Transport 8 sinks in the Java Sea, killing 64 and leaving 71 missing.
• Sep 25Flash flooding and landslides kill at least 56 people in India and at least 14 people in Nepal. For Nepal this occurs one month on from devastating floods.

Middle East35

• Feb 282026 Iran war: Israel and the United States launch attacks on Iran, killing many high-profile officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran launches retaliatory strikes against Israel, as well as against US military bases in the Persian Gulf, and closes the Strait of Hormuz by attacking vessels that try to pass.
• Mar 42026 Iran war: The United States nuclear submarine sinks the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, off Sri Lanka with a torpedo, resulting in 140 sailors missing.
• Mar 132026 Iran war: The United States Air Force conducts a large bombing raid on Kharg Island, a key oil export hub off the Persian Gulf coast of Iran.
• Mar 172026 Iran war: Ali Larijani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, is assassinated by an Israeli airstrike.
• Mar 242026 Iran war: Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs addresses in a letter to the United Nations that ships not tied to either the United States or Israel can pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Apr 72026 Iran war: Following an ultimatum from Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the United States and Iran agree on a two-week ceasefire.
• Apr 132026 Iran war: A blockade of Iranian ports by the United States takes effect, with President Trump warning that any Iranian vessels attempting to challenge it will be "immediately eliminated". Maritime authorities advise ships in the region to expect increased military activity and possible interception procedures.
• Apr 212026 Iran war: US President Trump announces a further extension of the ceasefire until an Iranian proposal is submitted and conversations are concluded at the request of Pakistan.
• Jul 3The state funeral of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran assassinated during the 2026 Iran war, is held.
• Jul 82026 Iran war: The Islamabad Memorandum between the United States and Iran breaks down, with U.S. President Trump saying the agreement is "over" following renewed U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
• Jul 202026 Iran war: The Houthis announce a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
• Jul 302026 Iran war: Saudi Arabia announces the establishment of a 14-nation military alliance to restore and protect freedom of navigation through the Red Sea amid the Iran conflict and ongoing crisis in the area stimulated by the Houthis.
• Aug 7Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign the Mecca Defence Alliance, a mutual defence pact, amid the 2026 Iran war.
• Aug 202026 Iran war: U.S. President Donald Trump announces an "Economic D-Day" against Iran, calling on allies to join efforts to isolate Iran economically.
• Sep 102026 Iran war: Saudi Arabia temporarily shuts down the East-West Pipeline following damage sustained from drone strikes launched from Iraqi territory.

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Latin America9

• Feb 222026 Jalisco operation: A military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, kills 62 people including Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader El Mencho.
• Mar 13First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel confirms that Cuba is in talks with the Trump administration to find solutions to the oil blockade in the country.
• Mar 23A Lockheed C-130 of the Colombian Aerospace Force crashes near Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia, killing 69 people.
• Jun 72026 Peruvian general election: Popular Force leader Keiko Fujimori narrowly defeats Together for Peru leader Roberto Sánchez in the presidential runoff. Left-wing parties gain a majority in the Chamber of Deputies but tie in the reestablished Senate.
• Jun 14A mid-air collision between two helicopters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, kills six people, including American singer-songwriter Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspi, Argentine director and screenwriter Lucas A. Vignale and Brazilian music producer Lucas Frota.
• Jun 212026 Colombian presidential election: Right-wing outsider Abelardo de la Espriella wins the election in a runoff against left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda.
• Jun 24Two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of, and shake western Venezuela. At least 6,500 people are killed, with thousands injured or missing and widespread damage across the country.
• Aug 10A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes Colombia, killing 335 and injuring over 1,248 people.
• Oct 252026 Brazilian general election: Incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeats senator Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round in an upset victory, becoming the first president in Brazilian history to be re-elected to a fourth term and the first to win a second round after losing a first round. Right-leaning parties win majorities in the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate.

Africa8

• Jan 28Successive mine collapses at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo kill more than 600 people.
• Mar 152026 Republic of the Congo presidential election: Incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso wins reelection in a landslide victory.
• Apr 102026 Djiboutian presidential election: Incumbent President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is re-elected for a sixth term.
• Apr 122026 Beninese presidential election: Independent candidate Romuald Wadagni wins in a landslide with over 94% of the vote.
• Apr 252026 Mali offensives: The Azawad Liberation Front and JNIM launch several large-scale attacks, targeting major cities across Mali, capturing Kidal and parts of Gao, Mopti, and Sevare.
• Jul 192026 São Toméan presidential election: Incumbent President Carlos Vila Nova is reelected for a second term.
• Aug 292026 Nigerien coup attempt: A mutinous faction of the Niger Armed Forces called the Armed Forces for the Restoration of the Fatherland attempt a coup against president Abdourahamane Tiani.
• Sep 232026 Ethiopian offensive: The Tigray People’s Liberation Front and groups aligned with them launch a military offensive in northern Ethiopia against the Ethiopian Government, resuming the civil conflict.