2016⚡ Event
Execution of Nimr al-Nimr
Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, was executed by the Saudi government along with 46 other people. This event occurred on January 2, 2016.
politicsreligion
What Happened in 2016?
Explore 81 historical moments from 2016 — 31 events, 3 birthdays, and 47 notable deaths.
Events in 2016(31)
2016⚡ Event
Ouagadougou hostage crisis
Government commandos stormed a restaurant in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, to end a hostage situation initiated by gunmen the previous night.
lawpolitics
2016⚡ Event
Bad Aibling train collision
Two commuter trains collided head-on at Bad Aibling in southeastern Germany, killing 12 people and injuring 85.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill meet
In the first meeting between the leaders of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow signed the Havana Declaration at José Martí International Airport in Cuba.
religion
2016⚡ Event
Flydubai Flight 981 crash
Flydubai Flight 981 crashed during an aborted landing at Rostov-on-Don Airport, Russia, killing all 62 people on board.
disastertechnology
2016⚡ Event
Panama Papers Revealed
The first news stories on the Panama Papers were published, exposing the illegal use of shell corporations by the law firm Mossack Fonseca.
politicseconomicslaw
2016⚡ Event
Paris Agreement opens for signature
The Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change, opened for signature. It was signed by 175 parties on this date.
politicslaw
2016⚡ Event
Fort McMurray wildfire begins
A wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, forcing the evacuation of nearly 88,000 people. It became the costliest disaster in Canadian history.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
Pulse nightclub shooting
An Islamic terrorist killed 49 people in a mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida.
disasterpoliticslaw
2016⚡ Event
Jo Cox Murdered
British Member of Parliament Jo Cox was murdered in her constituency on June 16, 2016.
politicslaw
2016⚡ Event
Brexit Referendum
Citizens of the United Kingdom voted in favour of leaving the European Union.
politics
2016⚡ Event
Atatürk Airport attack
Gunmen attacked Istanbul's Atatürk Airport on June 28, 2016, killing 45 people and injuring more than 230 others.
war
2016⚡ Event
Dallas Police Shooting
A U.S. Army Reserve veteran ambushed and shot police officers in Dallas, killing five and injuring nine. The perpetrator was killed by a bomb attached to a police robot.
disasterlaw
2016⚡ Event
Nice truck attack
A man deliberately drove a truck into crowds in Nice, France, resulting in 86 deaths.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
Turkish Coup Attempt
A faction of the Turkish Armed Forces attempted a coup d'état against the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
politicswar
2016⚡ Event
Hillary Clinton nominated for US President
Hillary Clinton became the first female nominee for president of the United States by a major political party. This occurred at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
politics
2016⚡ Event
Aston Martin DB9 production ends
The last nine Aston Martin DB9 units rolled off the production line, marking the end of a twelve-year manufacturing period.
technologyeconomics
2016⚡ Event
First Beer Festival in North Korea
The state-owned Taedonggang Brewing Company inaugurated the first beer festival in North Korea on August 12, 2016.
entertainment
2016⚡ Event
Chen Quanguo appointed Xinjiang Party Secretary
Chen Quanguo became the Chinese Communist Party secretary of Xinjiang. In this role, he later oversaw the creation of the Xinjiang internment camps.
politics
2016⚡ Event
German Rape Law Reforms
Following several high-profile sexual assaults, Germany enacted significant reforms to strengthen its rape laws. These changes aimed to provide greater protection and justice for victims.
lawpolitics
2016⚡ Event
Ecnomiohyla rabborum Extinction
The Ecnomiohyla rabborum frog species became extinct when the last known individual died in captivity.
2016⚡ Event
Yemen War funeral bombing
A funeral in Sanaa was hit by two consecutive airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition, leaving 143–155 civilians dead and more than 525 injured.
warpolitics
2016⚡ Event
King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies
The King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, died after 70 years on the throne, at which point was the longest-reigning current monarch.
politics
2016⚡ Event
Paris Agreement comes into effect
The Paris Agreement, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, came into effect.
lawpolitics
2016⚡ Event
Raqqa Offensive
The Syrian Democratic Forces launched a military campaign to isolate and capture Raqqa, the Islamic State's capital, during the Syrian Civil War.
war
2016⚡ Event
Croydon tram derailment
A tram derailment in Croydon, London, killed seven people.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
LaMia Flight 2933 Crash
LaMia Flight 2933 crashed near Medellín, Colombia, on November 28, 2016, killing 71 people, including many from the Chapecoense Football Club.
disastersports
2016⚡ Event
Oakland Warehouse Fire
Thirty-six people died in a fire at an illegally converted warehouse in Oakland, California. This was the deadliest U.S. building fire since 2003.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
South Korean President Park Geun-hye impeached
Park Geun-hye, the president of South Korea, was impeached, marking the culmination of the country's political scandal.
politics
2016⚡ Event
Irkutsk methanol poisoning begins
The first victims of a mass methanol poisoning which eventually killed over 70 inhabitants of Irkutsk, Russia, began arriving at hospitals.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
Assassination of Andrei Karlov
Andrei Karlov, Russia's ambassador to Turkey, was assassinated at an art gallery in Ankara.
politicswar
Born in 2016(3)
Deaths in 2016(47)
2016🕊️ Death
Ettore Scola
Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter, died. He was born in 1931.
artsentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Umberto Eco dies
Italian novelist, literary critic, and philosopher Umberto Eco died on February 19, 2016. He was born in 1932.
literaturephilosophy
2016🕊️ Death
Don Getty
Don Getty was a Canadian football player and politician, serving as the 11th Premier of Alberta.
sportspolitics
2016🕊️ Death
Wenn V. Deramas
Filipino director and screenwriter Wenn V. Deramas died. He was born in 1966.
2016🕊️ Death
Hassan Al-Turabi
Hassan Al-Turabi, a Sudanese activist and politician, died. He was born in 1932.
politics
2016🕊️ Death
Ray Tomlinson
Ray Tomlinson, an American computer programmer and engineer, died. He was born in 1941.
technology
2016🕊️ Death
Al Wistert
Al Wistert, an American football player and coach, died. He was born in 1920.
sports
2016🕊️ Death
Ken Adam
Ken Adam, German-English production designer and art director, died on this date.
artsentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Roberto Perfumo
Roberto Perfumo, Argentinian footballer and sportscaster, died on this date.
sportsentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Felix Ibru
Felix Ibru was a Nigerian architect and politician, serving as Governor of Delta State.
politics
2016🕊️ Death
Lloyd Shapley
Lloyd Shapley was an American mathematician and economist, and a Nobel Prize laureate.
scienceeconomics
2016🕊️ Death
Roger Agnelli
Roger Agnelli, a Brazilian banker and businessman, died on March 19, 2016. He was born in 1959.
economics
2016🕊️ Death
Jack Mansell
Jack Mansell, an English footballer and manager, died on March 19, 2016. He was born in 1927.
sports
2016🕊️ Death
Death of Mother Angelica
Mother Angelica, an American Roman Catholic religious leader and media personality, passed away.
religion
2016🕊️ Death
Harry Wu
Harry Wu was a Chinese human rights activist who documented abuses in China's Laogai system.
politicslaw
2016🕊️ Death
Patrick Ekeng
Patrick Ekeng, a Cameroonian footballer, died on May 6, 2016. He was born in 1990.
sportsdisaster
2016🕊️ Death
Viktor Korchnoi
Russian chess grandmaster, arguably the best player never to become World Chess Champion.
sportsentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Peter Shaffer
English playwright and screenwriter whose works included Equus and Amadeus.
artsliteratureentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Anton Yelchin
American actor Anton Yelchin, known for his role as Chekov in the "Star Trek" reboot series, has died at the age of 27.
entertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Pierre Lalonde
Pierre Lalonde, Canadian television host and singer, died. He was born in 1941.
entertainmentmusic
2016🕊️ Death
Adam Small
Adam Small, a South African writer known for his work during the apartheid period, has died.
literature
2016🕊️ Death
Arthur Hiller
Arthur Hiller, a Canadian actor, director, and producer, died.
entertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Cookie (cockatoo)
Cookie was an Australian Major Mitchell's cockatoo, known as the oldest recorded parrot.
2016🕊️ Death
Juan Gabriel
Juan Gabriel, a Mexican singer and songwriter, has died. He was born in 1950.
musicentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
José Fernández
Cuban-American baseball player José Fernández died at the age of 24.
sports
2016🕊️ Death
Nahid Hattar
Jordanian writer and political activist Nahid Hattar was assassinated.
politicsliterature
2016🕊️ Death
Toughie
Toughie was the last known Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog, a species native to Ecuador.
science
2016🕊️ Death
Brock Yates
American journalist and author Brock Yates died. He was born in 1933.
literatureentertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Takahito, Prince Mikasa
Takahito, Prince Mikasa, a member of the Imperial Family of Japan, died on this date. He was born in 1915.
politics
2016🕊️ Death
Gwen Ifill
Gwen Ifill was an American television journalist known for her work on PBS.
entertainmentpolitics
2016🕊️ Death
Hassan Sadpara
Hassan Sadpara, Pakistani mountaineer and adventurer, died on November 21, 2016. He was born in 1963.
exploration
2016🕊️ Death
Ioannis Grivas
Ioannis Grivas, a Greek statesman, died on November 27, 2016. He was born in 1923.
politics
2016🕊️ Death
Peter Vaughan
British actor Peter Vaughan died on December 6, 2016. He was born in 1923.
entertainment
2016🕊️ Death
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke, a Canadian actor, songwriter, and host, has died. He was born in 1947.
entertainment
Dates in 2016
January 2January 16January 19January 31February 5February 9February 12February 19February 26February 29March 2March 5March 10March 12March 19March 27April 3April 19April 22April 26May 1May 6June 6June 12June 16June 19June 21June 23June 25June 28July 7July 14July 15July 26July 27August 2August 12August 17August 27August 28August 29September 23September 24September 25September 26October 5October 8October 13October 27November 3November 4November 6November 9November 11November 14November 21November 26November 27November 28December 2December 4December 6December 9December 13December 17December 19
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened in 2016?
- 2016 saw 81 notable historical moments, including 31 events, 3 famous birthdays, and 47 notable deaths.
- What were the biggest events of 2016?
- Key events of 2016 include: Execution of Nimr al-Nimr, Ouagadougou hostage crisis, Bad Aibling train collision.
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