Leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France reach an agreement on the conflict in eastern Ukraine that includes a ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons. However, several days later, the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels claim that, within its first day, the ceasefire was broken 139 times, as both sides failed to withdraw their heavy weapons and fighting had continued.[12][13]
February 16 – The Egyptianmilitary begins conducting airstrikes against a branch of the Islamic militant group ISIL in Libya in retaliation for the group's beheading of over a dozen Egyptian Christians.[15]
March 20 – A total solar eclipse was visible in the north Atlantic, Faroe Islands, Svalbard. It was the 61st eclipse of the 120th saros cycle which started on May 27, 933 AD and will end on July 7, 2195, which is 180 years ahead of 2015.
April 4 – A total lunar eclipse was visible in Asia, Australia, Pacific and Americas. It was a shallow total lunar eclipse, with 0.08% of that diameter inside of Earth's umbral shadow, and it was the 30th eclipse of the 132nd saros cycle, which began with a penumbral lunar eclipse in Earth's penumbral northern edge of the shadow on May 12, 1492 and will conclude with another penumbral lunar eclipse in Earth's penumbral southern edge of the shadow on June 26, 2754.
July 5–13 – Greek government-debt crisis: After six months of clashes and futile negotiations between Greece's newly elected, leftist government and the country's creditors, over the austerity measures imposed through bailout programmes, tension peaks as Greece votes in a referendum to reject the terms offered in a third programme;[47] however, the government eventually proceeds to concur to harsher terms than those offered before, in what was widely characterized as a coup on the creditors' part.[48]
September 11 – Queen Elizabeth II, having been on the throne for 63 years, 217 days, became the longest-reigning British monarch in history and the longest-serving head of state of any nation in modern history, surpassing Queen Victoria who had reigned for 63 years, 216 days upon her death on January 22, 1901.
September 13 – A partial solar eclipse was visible in South Africa, south Indian and Antarctica. It was the 54th eclipse of the 125th saros cycle which began with a partial solar eclipse on February 4, 1060 and will end on April 9, 2358.
September 24 – A stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca kills at least 2,200 people and injures more than 900 others, with more than 650 missing.[61]
NASA announces that liquid water has been found on Mars.[62]
A total lunar eclipse was visible in Eastern Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa and western Asia. It was the 26th eclipse of the 137th saros cycle, which began with a penumbral lunar eclipse in Earth's penumbral southern edge of the shadow on December 17, 1564 and will conclude with another penumbral lunar eclipse in Earth's penumbral northern edge of the shadow on April 20, 2953.
October 31 – Metrojet Flight 9268, an Airbus A321 airliner en route to Saint Petersburg from Sharm el-Sheikh, crashes near Al-Hasana in Sinai, killing all 217 passengers and 7 crew members on board. Later investigations revealed a bomb was likely responsible for the crash with Islamic State being the primary suspect.[68]
