Forward Planner: News Anniversaries for the next 6 months

Here's the Expertsources list of some future UK news anniversaries which may spark
ideas for follow-ups & features. It's as accurate as we can make it, but clearly doesn't
include everything or cater for all tastes - two impossible tasks!

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Select Month:- Dec 2025  Jan 2026  Feb 2026  Mar 2026  Apr 2026  May 2026

February 2026

2 Years (2024)
Feb 29: Israel–Hamas war: Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces open fire on a crowd of civilians in Gaza City, killing more than a hundred people.

5 Years (2021)
Feb 01: COVID-19 pandemic: The number of vaccinations administered worldwide exceeds 100 million.
Feb 02: Jeff Bezos announces that he will step down as CEO of Amazon in Q3 2021.
Feb 03: Canada becomes the first country to designate the Proud Boys as a terrorist organisation.
Feb 09: COVID-19 pandemic: A joint WHO–China investigation into the source of the outbreak is concluded. Experts find a Wuhan laboratory leak to be "extremely unlikely", with a "natural reservoir" in bats being a more likely origin.
Feb 20: COVID-19 pandemic: The number of vaccinations administered worldwide exceeds 200 million.
Feb 20: 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak: 7 people test positive for H5N8 bird flu at a poultry farm in southern Russia, making them the first human cases.
Feb 22: COVID-19 pandemic: The United States becomes the first country to surpass 500,000 deaths from the virus.
Feb 25: COVID-19 pandemic: The global death toll from COVID-19 passes 2.5 million.

10 Years (2016)
Feb 01: UK: Tareena Shakil, 26, jailed for 6 years for membership of 'Islamic State'.
Feb 03: UK: Death certificate issued by High Court for Lord Lucan, 42 years after disappeared.
Feb 04: UK: Death of large sperm whale left stranded on Norfolk beach.
Feb 04: UN legal panel claims Wikileaks founder Julian Assange unfairly ?deprived of liberty?.
Feb 06: Further build up of thousands of Syrian refugees on Turkish border fleeing latest fighting
Feb 06: North Korea fires long-range rocket in defiance of international warnings.
Feb 08: Death of author Margaret Forster dies from cancer aged 77 (Gregory's Girl)
Feb 08: London marathon co-founder & British Olympic athlete John Disley dies aged 87
Feb 09: Head-on train passenger crash in Bavaria. At least 10 killed, over 100 injured.
Feb 10: UK: Junior doctors in England take part in a 2nd 24-hour strike over pay and conditions.
Feb 11: Over 50 killed in battle between rival gangs in prison near Monterrey, northern Mexico.
Feb 11: Sunderland footballer Adam Johnson sacked after admitting sex offence with child.
Feb 15: UN reports 50 killed in missile attacks on schools and hospitals in Northern Syria.
Feb 16: Death of Egyptian Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary Gen of the UN, aged 93.
Feb 18: UK: 14 cancer patients diagnosed with swine flu at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Feb 19: British PM David Cameron announces 'special status' deal for UK within European Union.
Feb 19: Death of Harper Lee, author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird', aged 89
Feb 23: UK: Didcot Power Station building collapse during demolition. One killed several missing.
Feb 24: UK: 6 people convicted of 'systematic' sexual abuse of teenage girls in Rotherham.
Feb 25: UK: DJ Tony Blackburn, 73, 'parts company' with BBC over Savile Inquiry report.
Feb 25: UK: Publication of Report into BBC handling of abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile.
Feb 26: Three British tourists found dead at a waterfalls site in Vietnam.
Feb 26: UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino elected President of FIFA
Feb 26: UK: London City Airport bought by consortium for estimated £2bn.
Feb 27: Start of a major temporary truce in Syria's 5 year civil war.
Feb 28: At least 35 killed following explosion at a coal mine in Northern Russia.
Feb 29: Clashes as French police begin closure of 'Jungle' migrant camp, Calais.
Feb 29: Death US actor George Kennedy, 91 ('Naked Gun', 'Cool Hand Luke', 'Dirty Dozen')
Feb 29: UK: Gang of 14 all convicted of stealing £57m worth of artefacts from museums.
Feb 29: UK: Trinity Mirror (publisher of Daily Mirror) launches new national daily: 'New Day"

15 Years (2011)
Feb 10: Death former England Test cricketer & commentator Trevor Bailey, 87.
Feb 10: UK House of Commons votes against giving voting rights to prisoners.
Feb 11: Resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Temporary military takeover in Egypt.
Feb 17: Death of inventor Ronald Hickman (Lotus Elan, Lotus Europa, Black & Decker Workmate).
Feb 28: Death of American film actress & Hollywood sex symbol Jane Russell aged 89.

20 Years (2006)
Feb 03: Egyptian ferry sinks in Red Sea. Over 1,000 killed.
Feb 08: Death of former England football manager Ron Greenwood aged 84.
Feb 09: Death of British entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker, founder of Laker Airways.
Feb 11: Death of American novelist Peter Benchley (Jaws).
Feb 18: British band Rolling Stones play world's largest free rock concert in Brazil.
Feb 21: Largest cash robbery in British history. £53m stolen at Securitas Depot, Kent.
Feb 24: Death of US TV & film actor Dennis Weaver aged 81 ('Gunsmoke', 'McCloud', 'Duel').

25 Years (2001)
Feb 06: Ariel Sharon, leader of right-wing Likud Party, wins Israeli general election.
Feb 13: Stephen Kelly trial in Scotland for knowingly infecting a woman with HIV virus.
Feb 19: Death US film director Stanley Kramer, 87 ('The Defiant Ones', 'Caine Mutiny', 'High Noon').
Feb 19: UK: Outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease confirmed in Essex abattoir.
Feb 21: UK Foot & Mouth: British exports of milk, meat & livestock banned.
Feb 25: Death of Australian test cricketer Sir Donald Bradman aged 92.
Feb 28: Selby Rail Crash, North Yorkshire. 10 killed & over 80 seriously injured.

30 Years (1996)
Feb 01: US President Bill Clinton meets Sinn Fein Pres Gerry Adams at White House.
Feb 02: Death of American dancer & actor Gene Kelly, 83 ('Anchors Away', 'Singin' In The Rain').
Feb 03: Soviet Union makes 1st controlled landing of a space probe on the Moon.
Feb 05: 1st genetically-modified food goes on sale in UK (tomato puree).
Feb 07: Rene Preval succeeds Jean-Bertrand Aristide as President of Haiti.
Feb 09: IRA explodes a bomb in London Docklands: 2 killed. End of 17 month ceasefire.
Feb 14: Death of Eva Hart, 91: British survivor of RMS Titanic disaster in 1912.
Feb 14: Death of former Liverpool FC player & manager Bob Paisley aged 77.
Feb 14: Violent clashes as Phillipines Govt forces re-patriation of Vietnamese Boat People.
Feb 15: Major oil spill after tanker 'Sea Empress' runs aground near Milford Haven.
Feb 15: Publication of 'The Scott Report' on British arms sales to Iraq during 1980s.
Feb 18: IRA bomb explodes on a London bus in Aldwych. Only bomber killed.
Feb 18: UK: ITV broadcasts last episode of satirical puppet show 'Spitting Image'.
Feb 23: Death of West German football World Cup winning manager Helmut Schon. 80.
Feb 27: Pokemon Red and Green released in Japan (1st game in world famous Pokemon series).
Feb 28: Diana, Princess of Wales announces agreement to divorce Prince Charles.
Feb 29: Bosnian Government declares end of the Siege of Sarajevo.

35 Years (1991)
Feb 01: S.African Pres F.W.de Klerk announces intention to repeal apartheid laws.
Feb 07: IRA launches mortar attack on 10 Downing St.
Feb 18: IRA bombings at Paddington & Victoria stations, London. 1 killed, 40 injured.
Feb 21: Death of British ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn.
Feb 22: US President George Bush issues ultimatum to Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait.
Feb 24: Gulf War: Operation Desert Sabre, a ground attack against Iraqi forces.
Feb 24: Gulf War: 'Operation Desert Sabre', a ground attack against Iraqi forces.
Feb 28: Gulf War: End of war as Allies liberate Kuwait City after 208 days Iraqi occupation.

40 Years (1986)
Feb 06: Death US architect Minoru Yamasaki (World Trade Centre twin towers).
Feb 10: Start of The Maxi Trial, Palermo against Sicilian Mafia. 474 defendants.
Feb 11: Death of American science fiction writer Frank Herbert (Dune).
Feb 20: Soviet Union launches the MIR space station.
Feb 25: Corazon Aquino sworn is as President of Philippines.
Feb 25: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos flees into exile in Hawaii.
Feb 28: Assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in Stockholm.

45 Years (1981)
Feb 24: Buckingham Palace announces wedding of Prince Charles & Lady Diana Spencer.

50 Years (1976)
Feb 11: John Curry wins Britain's 1st ever figure skating Winter Olympic Gold Medal.
Feb 17: UK: 1st transmission of 'One Man And His Dog' on BBC TV.
Feb 22: Death of American singer Florence Ballard (The Supremes).
Feb 23: Death of British artist L.S.Lowry.

55 Years (1971)
Feb 06: US astronaut Al Shepherd (Apollo 14) 1st to play golf on Moon.
Feb 15: Decimal Day in UK: Britain introduces new decimal currency system.
Feb 17: UK: BBC broadcasts 1st episode of historical drama 'Elizabeth R' (Glenda Jackson).

60 Years (1966)
Feb 01: Death of American silent film actor/comic Buster Keaton.
Feb 03: Soviet space probe 'Luna 9' is 1st craft to make soft landing on the moon.
Feb 31: British Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson wins General Election with 96 seat majority.

70 Years (1956)
Feb 11: British diplomats Guy Burgess & Donald Maclean admit defection to USSR.

75 Years (1951)
Feb 06: Birth of British actor Kevin Whatley ('Morse', 'Lewis').

80 Years (1946)
Feb 05: Birth of British actress Charlotte Rampling.
Feb 16: Birth of British actor Ian Lavender ('Dad's Army').

85 Years (1941)
Feb 05: Death of Australian bush poet Banjo Paterson ( 'Waltzing Matilda').
Feb 17: Birth of American singer Gene Pitney.

90 Years (1936)
Feb 05: Release of Charlie Chaplin film 'Modern Times'. His last major silent film.
Feb 27: Death of Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov.

95 Years (1931)
Feb 02: Birth of Bitish comedian Les Dawson.
Feb 02: Birth of British comedian Les Dawson. (Died in 1993 aged 62).

100 Years (1926)
Feb 10: Birth of Northern Ireland footballer Danny Blanchflower.
Feb 11: Birth of Canadian-born actor Leslie Nielson (Police Squad).
Feb 16: Birth of British film, stage & TV director John Schlesinger.
Feb 22: Birth of British comedy actor Kenneth Williams (Carry On films).

110 Years (1916)
Feb 19: Death of Austrian physicist & philosopher Ernst Mach.
Feb 21: WW1: Start of the Battle of Verdun (ends December: 700,000 casualties).
Feb 28: Death of American-born novelist Henry James.

210 Years (1816)
Feb 04: British Government pays £35,000 for the Elgin Marbles.
Feb 20: 1st performance of Rossini opera 'The Barber of Seville' in Rome.

510 Years (1516)
Feb 18: Birth of Mary 1, Queen of England (1553-58). (Also known as Mary Tudor).

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