Norway announced plans to become the first nation to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2025, accelerating the global push for electric vehicles and clean energy transportation.
📍 Oslo, Norway
NASA launched the Juno spacecraft to study Jupiter’s atmosphere and magnetic field. It became one of the most important missions in understanding gas giants in our solar system.
📍 Cape Canaveral, United States
Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, died at the age of 101. As wife of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II, she was a beloved royal figure and symbol of British resilience during WWII.
📍 Windsor, United Kingdom
The Netherlands passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in the world to do so. The law took effect on April 1, 2001, setting a precedent for global LGBTQ+ rights.
📍 The Hague, Netherlands
The Yonge Street Riot broke out in Toronto following protests against police brutality, sparked by the Rodney King verdict in the U.S. It highlighted racial tensions in Canadian society.
📍 Toronto, Canada
The heavy metal band Judas Priest was acquitted in a U.S. court case alleging subliminal messages in their music led to a teen suicide. The case raised global debate over music censorship and freedom of expression.
📍 Nevada, United States
Argentina's military junta ordered the invasion of the Falkland Islands, leading to a short but intense war with the United Kingdom. The conflict drew global attention to colonial legacy and sovereignty disputes.
📍 Buenos Aires, Argentina / Falkland Islands
U.S. President Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously wounded in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington, D.C. Reagan survived, and the event led to major discussions on mental health and gun control.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Raymond Damadian and his team performed the first full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of a human, revolutionizing diagnostic medicine and ushering in a new era in medical imaging.
📍 New York, United States
George Harrison became the first Beatle to release a solo album with 'Wonderwall Music', blending Indian classical music and Western instrumentation, and influencing future world music fusion.
📍 London, United Kingdom
French President Charles de Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO’s integrated military command structure, though remaining a member of the alliance, in a major geopolitical shift during the Cold War.
📍 Paris, France
The launch of BBC Two, Britain’s third television channel, was dramatically disrupted by a major power outage in London. Only a short welcome was broadcast, with full programming starting the next day.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Theodosius Dobzhansky, a Ukrainian-American geneticist and evolutionary biologist who helped unify genetics and evolution through the modern synthesis, was born. His work revolutionized evolutionary theory.
📍 Nemyriv, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)
The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was formally adopted, granting African American men the right to vote and marking a major milestone in the fight for civil rights.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The United States signed a treaty to purchase Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million, a deal often referred to as 'Seward’s Folly' that later proved strategic due to vast natural resources.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Vincent van Gogh, one of the most influential figures in the history of Western art, was born in the Netherlands. His emotionally evocative and bold style laid the foundation for modern art movements.
📍 Zundert, Netherlands
Ether was used for the first time as a surgical anesthetic in Britain at University College Hospital, London, revolutionizing pain management in medicine and paving the way for modern surgery.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Napoleon Bonaparte entered Paris to begin his brief return to power known as the Hundred Days, following his escape from Elba. His comeback ended at the Battle of Waterloo later that year.
📍 Paris, France
The Spanish Armada, one of the most formidable naval forces of its time, began preparations and early movements for its campaign against England. Its failure later marked a turning point in European naval dominance.
📍 Lisbon, Portugal
Queen Elizabeth of York, consort of Henry VII and mother of the future King Henry VIII, died in childbirth. Her death ended a key era in Tudor family consolidation after the Wars of the Roses.
📍 London, England