The year so far has been associated with escalating crises and conflicts in the Americas and the Middle East. In January, the United States launched a military operation in Venezuela and captured sitting President Nicolás Maduro. The intervention led to a blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, contributing to a crisis in Cuba. In Iran, authorities violently suppressed ongoing protests that had begun in the previous year, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. In February, Pakistan launched airstrikes against Afghanistan, leading to open conflict between both nations. On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran that killed its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of other Iranian leaders. Iran subsequently launched thousands of drones and missiles at multiple countries in retaliation, while the U.S. and Israel continued sustained airstrikes. The conflict has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, large-scale evacuations, widespread economic disruption, and a spillover of the conflict into Lebanon.
Events
January
- January 1
- Bulgaria adopts the euro, becoming the 21st member state of the eurozone.
- Cyprus begins its role as President of the Council of the European Union.
- 41 people are killed and 116 injured in a fire at a bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
- January 2 â Equatorial Guinea moves its capital from Malabo to Ciudad de la Paz.
- January 3 â The United States launches several airstrikes on multiple locations across northern Venezuela, capturing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores.
- January 5 â Delcy RodrÃÂguez is formally sworn in as the acting president of Venezuela after the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
- January 6
- The 2025 Jubilee ends.
- Fighting between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish armed group Syrian Democratic Forces begins.
- January 7 â The United States seizes two shadow fleet tankers, including one under a Russian flag, in the United States oil blockade during Operation Southern Spear.
- January 8 â Thongloun Sisoulith is re-elected as the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party at the 12th Central Committee's first meeting.
- January 8âÂÂ9 â Iran retaliates against nationwide protests, with tens of thousands reportedly killed on the 8th and 9th alone, and many thousands more detained amid a severe government crackdown.
- January 9 â 2025âÂÂ2026 Southern Yemen campaign: The Southern Transitional Council announces its dissolution following territorial losses, including its capital Aden.
- January 11 â The 2026 Beninese parliamentary election is held.
- January 14 â Operation 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.
- January 15âÂÂ16 â 2026 Ugandan general election: Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni wins reelection amidst protests over allegations of election fraud, leading to deaths of dozens of protestors and the abduction of main opposition candidate Bobi Wine.
- January 18 â 46 people are killed and 291 injured after two trains derail in Adamuz, southern Spain.
- January 19âÂÂ23 â The 56th World Economic Forum is held in Davos, Switzerland.
- January 20 â The Syrian transitional government captures most of the territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces following an offensive and subsequent ceasefire.
- January 22
- The United States officially leaves the World Health Organization.
- France seizes one shadow fleet tanker, under a Russian flag, in the Mediterranean.
- January 23
- Tô Lâm is re-elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam at the 14th National Congress.
- Iliana Iotova becomes the first female President of Bulgaria after the resignation of Rumen Radev.
- January 24 â At least 70 people are killed and 10 others missing after major landslides in West Java, Indonesia.
- January 25 â 2025âÂÂ26 Myanmar general election: In an election widely considered as neither free nor fair, the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party wins a supermajority of seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw and the Amyotha Hluttaw.
- January 26
- The body of Ran Gvili, the last remaining Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip, is recovered by the IDF from northern Gaza, thus ending the Gaza war hostage crisis.
- The United States begins a military buildup in Middle East, deploying air, naval, and missile defence assets amid escalating tensions with Iran.
- January 27 â The IndiaâÂÂEuropean Union Free Trade Agreement is signed after nearly two decades of negotiations, eliminating tariffs on a broad range of products and services between the two regions.
- January 28
- Sarah Mullally becomes the first female primate of the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury.
- A collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo kills more than 400 people.
- Storm Kristin causes a catastrophic impact in Portugal and Spain with â¬6 billion in damage in the central region of Portugal, 15 deaths and 2,000 injuries.
- January 29
- Ethiopian civil conflict: Clashes erupt in the Tigray region in Ethiopia between Tigrayan fighters and Federal Forces.
- Insurgency 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.
- January 30 â Three million pages related to the Epstein files are released to the public, mentioning many high-profile public figures worldwide.
February
- February 1 â 2026 Costa Rican general election: Laura Fernández Delgado is elected president of Costa Rica, and her party additionally wins a majority in the Legislative Assembly.
- February 3 â Boko Haram attacks two villages in Kwara State, Nigeria, killing at least 162 people.
- February 5 â The New START treaty limiting strategic nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia expires.
- February 6âÂÂ22 â The 2026 Winter Olympics are held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
- February 6 â At least 31 people are killed and another 100 are injured in a suicide bombing at the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan.
- February 7
- The 2026 Men's T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka begins.
- The Transitional Presidential Council of Haiti is dissolved, transferring executive power to acting prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
- February 8
- 2026 Japanese general election: Incumbent Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi wins a landslide victory, securing a supermajority in the House of Representatives.
- 2026 Thai general election and constitutional referendum: Incumbent Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wins a plurality in the House of Representatives, and the referendum to begin drafting a new constitution passes.
- 2026 Portuguese presidential election: Socialist candidate António José Seguro is elected President of Portugal in the second round, beating Chega leader André Ventura.
- February 10 â At 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.
- February 11 â 2026 Barbadian general election: Incumbent Prime Minister Mia Mottley wins every seat in the House of Assembly in a landslide victory.
- February 12 â 2026 Bangladeshi general election and constitutional referendum: In this election since the July Uprising, the BNP led by Tarique Rahman wins a supermajority in the Jatiya Sangsad, and the referendum on the July Charter passes.
- February 13âÂÂ15 â The 62nd Munich Security Conference is held.
- February 17 â President of Peru José Jeràis censured by the Congress of Peru, removing him from office. He is succeeded by José MarÃÂa Balcázar.
- February 16âÂÂ21 â The AI Impact Summit takes place in New Delhi, India.
- February 22
- Kim Jong Un is re-elected as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea at the 9th National Congress.
- The 2026 Laotian parliamentary election is held.
- 2026 Jalisco operation: A military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, kills 62 people including Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader El Mencho.
- February 23 â 2025âÂÂ2026 Dutch cabinet formation: Rob Jetten is sworn in as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, heading a minority government.
- February 26 â 2026 AfghanistanâÂÂPakistan conflict: The government of Pakistan declares "open war" against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
- February 27 â 2026 Zona da Mata floods: Floods and landslides in the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais, Brazil leave at least 70 people dead and thousands of others displaced.
- February 28 â 2026 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.
March
- March 1 â Abiemnom massacre: At least 169 people are killed and 50 injured when armed youth from Unity State attack Abiemnom County in South Sudan.
- March 2 â 2026 Lebanon war: Hezbollah begins launching strikes against Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
- March 4 â 2026 Iran war: The United States sinks the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean with a torpedo, killing 87 crew.
- March 5 â 2026 Nepalese general election: The Rastriya Swatantra Party led by Balen Shah wins a landslide victory.
- March 5âÂÂ17 â The 2026 World Baseball Classic is held in Japan and the United States.
- March 6âÂÂ15 â The 2026 Winter Paralympics are held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
- March 6âÂÂ7 â 2026 Kenya floods: At least 66 people are killed after floods across Kenya.
- March 8
- 2026 Iranian supreme leader election: Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, is selected as the third Supreme Leader of Iran.
- 2026 Colombian parliamentary election: President Gustavo Petro's party Historic Pact wins a plurality of seats in the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate.
- India beats New Zealand in the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup final and secures its third title.
- March 13
- 2026 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.
- First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Miguel DÃÂaz-Canel confirms that Cuba is in talks with the Trump administration to find solutions to the oil blockade in the country.
- March 15
- 2026 Kazakh constitutional referendum: The new Constitution of Kazakhstan is accepted with 90% in favor.
- 2026 North Korean parliamentary election: General Secretary Kim Jong Un's Workers' Party wins a landslide majority in the Supreme People's Assembly.
- 2026 Vietnamese legislative election: The Communist Party led by General Secretary Tô Lâm wins almost all the seats in the National Assembly.
- 2026 Republic of the Congo presidential election: Incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso wins reelection in a landslide victory.
- March 16 â 2026 Kabul hospital airstrike: At least 400 people are killed and more than 250 injured in Pakistani airstrikes on a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan.
- March 17 â 2026 Iran war: Ali Larijani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, is assassinated by an Israeli airstrike.
- March 2022 The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships are held at Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena ToruÃ
 in ToruÃ
Â, BiT City, KuyavianâÂÂPomeranian Voivodeship, Poland.
- March 22 â 2026 Slovenian parliamentary election: Incumbent Prime Minister Robert Golob wins a plurality of seats in the National Assembly.
- March 22âÂÂ23 â 2026 Italian constitutional referendum: With a higher-than-expected turnout, voters reject a government-backed constitutional reform that would have separated the career paths of judges and prosecutors and split the High Council of the Judiciary into two two bodies.
- March 23 â A Lockheed C-130 of the Colombian Aerospace Force crashes near Puerto LeguÃÂzamo, Colombia, killing 70 people.
- March 24
- OpenAI announces that their flagship Sora app and API are shutting down.
- 2026 Danish general election: Incumbent Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's coalition loses its majority in the Folketing.
- 2026 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.
- March 25 â Meta and YouTube are found liable for social media addiction in a landmark court case in the United States.
- March 29 â The Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Fr. Francesco Ielpo are stopped from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by Israeli authorities and thereby preventing the celebration of Palm Sunday resulting in an international wave of condemnation.
April
Predicted and scheduled events
- April 10 â The 2026 Djiboutian presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- April 12
- The 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
- The 2026 Peruvian general election is scheduled to be held.
- The 2026 Beninese presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- April 19 â The 2026 Bulgarian parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
- May 1216 â The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is scheduled to be held in Vienna, Austria, following their win at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
- May 17 â The 2026 Cape Verdean parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
- May 24
- The 2026 Guinean parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
- The 2026 Cypriot legislative election is scheduled to be held.
- May 31 â The 2026 Colombian presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- June 1 â The 2026 Ethiopian general election is scheduled to be held.
- June 7 â The 2026 Armenian parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
- June 11July 19 â The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
- June 12July 5 â The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in England.
- July 19 â The 2026 São Toméan presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- July 23August 2 â The 2026 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
- August 13 â The 2026 Zambian general election is scheduled to be held.
- August 29 â The Icelandic European Union membership referendum is scheduled to be held.
- August 30 â The 2026 Estonian presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- September 413 â The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup is scheduled to be held in Berlin, Germany.
- September 527 â The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup is scheduled to be held in Ã
ÂódÃ
º, Katowice, Sosnowiec, and Bielsko-BiaÃ
Âa, Poland.
- September 13 â The 2026 Swedish general election is scheduled to be held.
- September 19October 4 â The 2026 Asian Games is scheduled to take place around Aichi Prefecture in Japan.
- September 20 â If not triggered earlier, the 2026 Russian legislative election will be held no later than this date.
- September 23 â The 2026 Moroccan general election is scheduled to be held.
- September 27 â The 2026 São Toméan parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
- October 3 â If not triggered earlier, the 2026 Latvian parliamentary election will be held no later than this date.
- October 4
- The 2026 Brazilian general election is scheduled to be held.
- The 2026 Bosnian general election is scheduled to be held.
- October 27 â If not triggered earlier, the 2026 Israeli legislative election will be held no later than this date.
- October 31âÂÂNovember 13 â The 2026 Summer Youth Olympics will be held in Dakar, Senegal.
- November 3 â The 2026 United States elections will be held.
- November 7 â The 2026 New Zealand general election is scheduled to be held.
- November 15 â The 2026 Cape Verdean presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- December 320 â The 2026 European Women's Handball Championship is scheduled to be held in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.
- December 5 â The 2026 Gambian presidential election is scheduled to be held.
- December 6
- The 2026 Haitian general election is scheduled to be held.
- The 2026 Guinea-Bissau general election is scheduled to be held.
- December 22 â The 2026 South Sudanese general election is scheduled to be held, the first since the country's independence in 2011.
Date unknown
Deaths
References
External links