2015 Event Stock markets around the world fall after China reports a low value for its purchasing managers' index, suggesting that the nation's economy is slowing; in the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average drops by 470 points 2015 Event Stock markets around the world fall drastically due to concerns about an economic slowdown in China; the Dow Jones falls 1,000 points, closing down 588 points, while the Shanghai composite closes down 8.5% 2015 Event HSBC bank announces plans to let go up to 8,000 workers in the U.K. and potentially up to 25,000 around the world as it restructures itself to improve profitability 2015 Event NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft ends its three-year orbit around Mercury with a planned crash into the planet's surface; originally, the probe was to orbit and collect data for one year, but fuel saving efforts extended its mission for two more years 2014 Event Peshmerga fighters have occupied part of Sinjar Mountain, retaking the territory from ISIS militants; around 1,500 Yazidi families, trapped on the mountain, have been liberated 2014 Event Private car scheduling service Uber has been meeting with opposition as it rapidly expands into cities around the world; complaints range from insufficient driver background checks to violation of rules protecting existing transportation services 2014 Event The U.S. Obama administration will keep over 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, delaying fulfillment of Obama's pledge to withdraw all but 9,800 troops; the plan is to reduce troops to around 5,500 by the end of next year 2014 Event The Vatican will install showers for the homeless in public restrooms on the grounds of St. Peter's Square; Archbishop Konrad Krajewski has also requested several local parishes around Rome to do the same 2014 Event Craig Spencer, a U.S. doctor who served with Doctors Without Borders, is now in stable condition after contracting Ebola; Spencer began showing symptoms of the virus a day after commuting to various locations around New York City 2014 Event India has successfully launched a space probe into orbit around Mars on its first attempt, making it the first Asian country to orbit the planet; at $74 million, the spacecraft cost about 11% of the U.S. Maven, which reached Mars orbit two days prior 2014 Event Germany beats Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semifinals; the defeat is considered a possible explanation for ensuing incidents of bus burning around Sao Paulo 2014 Event Lesotho has received funding from the World Bank to continue improving its water supply by enhancing the Metalong Dam and providing water to more areas; the project benefits around 30,000 residents 2014 Event The CEO of BlackBerry Ltd. will be refocusing its business on software and services in an effort to turn around the company; once a leader in the smartphone market, the company's products now account for less than 1% of global market share 2014 Event Google, Inc. and Apple, Inc. have agreed to drop certain patent lawsuits against each other; the lawsuits revolve around Google's Motorola Mobility technology 2014 Event Archaeologists in Patagonia, Argentina, unearth a set of bones that appear to belong to the largest dinosaur yet discovered; the new creature is thought to have weighed 77 tonnes and to have stood around 20 meters tall 2014 Event An Australian geophysical company has identified a large aluminum deposit that appeared around the time of the Malaysian Air Flight 370 disappearance on March 8th, suggesting that the plane may have crashed in the Bay of Bengal and not the Indian Ocean 2014 Event Colombian coffee company Juan Valdez announces plans to go public in a couple of years; in the meantime, the company plans to expand its higher-end coffee shops around the globe in direct competition with Starbucks 2014 Event Leaders from around the world attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland 2014 Event It is revealed that the National Security Agency, NSA, is using software to spy on nearly 100,000 computers around the world; most of the software is implanted by accessing the Internet, but some technology enables data to be entered or altered through radio wave transmission 2014 Event Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupts again, with pyroclastic flows streaming down the volcanic slope; the activity has caused the evacuation of 22,000 people from the danger zone around Sinabung 2013 Event A security news site reports that the credit and debit card account stolen from 40 million Target Corporation customers are up for sale on the black market; cards are being sold from around $20 to more than $100 each 2013 Event Kepler-62e and Kepler-62f, two planets resembling planet Earth are discovered revolving around the star Kepler-62 in the habitable zone, an area around the stars whose atmospheric pressure can suport liquid water at the surface 2013 Event Scientists discover that bumblebees have the ability to sense electric fields around flowers, enabling them to identify specific flowers for pollination 2012 Event In Egypt, one hundred thousand people gather around the Presidential palace to protest proposed constitutional changes by Mohamed Morsi, the President of Egypt 2012 Event The Japanese Coast Guard reports six Chinese Marine Surveillance ships are sighted near the disputed Senkaku Islands; China claims the 'two surveillance ship fleets' are in waters around the islands for purposes of 'patrols and law enforcement' 2012 Event Ceremonies and special events marking the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic are help around the world 2012 Event NASA's second Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory spacecraft is in orbit around the moon 2011 Event Astronomers identify a Trojan asteroid orbiting on the same path as the Earth around the Sun; it poses to danger to Earth because it sits in a gravitational 'sweet spot' 2011 Event Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicts May 21, 2011 at 6:00pm as the date of the Rapture for all Christians around the world 2010 Event Iran calls upon Muslims around the world to act in protest in response to Israel's plans to build in East Jerusalem 2005 Event Steve Fossett flies the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer to a world record by completing the first non-stop, non-refueled, solo flight around the world 2000 Death Vickie Sue Robinson, disco diva, Turn the Beat Around, dies at 45 1992 Event USA/U.S.S.R. Around World Air Race begins at Santa Monica 1992 Death Robert Morley, actor (Around the World in 80 Days), dies at 84 1990 Event Radio stations around world play "Imagine" honoring John Lennon 1990 Death Mary Victor Bruce, who flew around empire state building in 1930, dies 1989 Event 1st complete ring around Neptune discovered 1988 Event Gulfstream G-IV goes around the world 36:08:34 1986 Event Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, took off from Edwards AFB, California on 1st non-stop, non-refueled flight around world 1986 Event Dodge Morgan sailed solo nonstop around world in 150 days 1985 Event Shelley Taylor of Australia makes fastest swim ever around Manhattan Island, doing it in 6 hours 12 minutes 29 seconds 1984 Death Philippe Wynne, U.S. soul singer (I'll Be Around), dies at 43 1983 Event Ron Grant completes a 217 day, 8,316 mile run around Australia 1983 Event Drury Gallagher sets fastest swim around Manhattan (6h41m35s) 1983 Event Dick Smith makes 1st solo helicopter flight around the world 1981 Death Bill Haley, vocalist (Rock Around Clock), dies of heart attack at 55 1979 Death S J Perelman, U.S. humorist (Around the World in 80 Days), dies at 75 1979 Event Vivekananda (Sri Lanka) completes nonstop cycle ride of 187 hours, 28 minutes, around Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo, Sri Lanka 1978 Event Pioneer Venus 1 goes into orbit around Venus 1977 Event Panama 747SP lands after polar flight around Earth in record 54:07 1976 Event Viking 2 goes into orbit around Mars 1976 Event Panama 747SP lands after record flight around world (46:26) 1975 Event Veronica and Colin Scargill (England) complete tandem bicycle ride, a record 18,020 miles around the world 1975 Event Viking 1 launched to orbit around Mars, soft landing 1974 Event Veronica and Colin Scargill (England) begin tandem bicycle ride a record 18,020 miles around the world, completed on August 27, 1975 1972 Event "Immaculate Reception" Steelers turns around a 7-6 defeat with a last second touchdown reception against Raiders to win 13-7 1967 Event Beatles' Magical Mystery Bus driven around England 1967 Event Sling-shot goal post and 6' wide border around field are standard in NFL 1966 Event Lunar Orbiter 2 reaches 196-1871 km around Moon 1966 Event U.S.S.R. launches Luna 12 for orbit around Moon 1966 Event Francis Chichester begins 1st solo sail around world 1966 Event Sir Francis Chichester begins 1st solo ocean voyage around the world 1966 Event U.S.S.R. launches Luna 11 for orbit around Moon 1966 Birthday Graeme Clark, bassist, Wet Wet Wet-Angel Eyes, Love is All Around 1966 Birthday Lisa Stansfield, English pop singer, Around the World 1966 Birthday Stevie Rachelle, rock vocalist, Tuff-What Comes Around Goes Around 1965 Event JPL proposes modified Apollo flight to fly around Mars and return 1964 Event Beachboy's "I Get Around" reaches #1 1964 Event Jerrie Mock becomes 1st woman to fly solo around the world 1962 Event Nixon tells press he won't be available to kick around any more 1962 Birthday Rachel Sweet, born in Akron, Ohio, singer, songwriter, actress, writer, recorded theme song for Nickelodeon series, Clarissa Explains It All, appeared as George Costanza's cousin, in Seinfeld, television episode, 'The Contest', released Fool Around: The Best of Rachel Sweet, 1992 1959 Event Pan Am begins regular flights around World 1959 Event Explorer VI reveals an intense radiation belt around Earth 1958 Death Michael Todd, producer (Around the World in 80 Days), dies at 56 1958 Birthday Holly Hunter, born in Conyers, Georgia, actress, Broadcast News, Once Around 1957 Event 29th Academy Awards - "Around World in 80 Days," Bergman, Brynner win 1956 Event Dike around Dutch polder Eastern Flevoland closes 1955 Birthday Frank Gilligan, Queens, New York, singer, Mason Dixon-Karen Comes Around 1955 Event "Rock Around Clock" hits #1 on Top 100 chart 1955 Event Bill Haley and Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" tops billboards chart 1955 Event Bill Haley and Comets, "Rock Around the Clock" hits #1 1955 Birthday Jerry Dengler, Colorado Springs, singer, Mason Dixon-Karen Comes Around 1955 Birthday Paul Overstreet, born in Van Cleave, Mississippi, country singer, Daddy's Come Around 1954 Event Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock," is originally released 1954 Event Bill Haley and Comets records "Rock Around Clock" 1953 Event 1st passenger to fly commercially around the world < 100 hours 1953 Birthday Rick Henderson, Beaumont, Texas, singer, Mason Dixon-Karen Comes Around 1952 Event 1st aircraft carrier to sail around Cape Horn-Oriskany 1950 Birthday Harry Sacksioni, Dutch guitarist, Around the Corner 1949 Event West begins Berlin Airlift to get supplies around Soviet blockade 1946 Birthday Lasse Hallstrom, director, Once Around, My Life as a Dog, ABBA 1945 Event Violent battles around Sugar Loaf/Half Moon Okinawa 1943 Birthday Burt Rutan, born in Estacada, Oregon, Elbert Leander Burt Rutan, inventor, aerospace engineer, created the Voyager, the first plane to fly around the world without stopping or refueling, and SpaceShipOne, which entered space two times in fourteen days 1942 Birthday Elvin Bishop, Tulsa, Oklahoma, rock guitarist, Fooled Around and Fell in Love 1942 Event 1st around world flight, Pan Am "Pacific Clipper" 1940 Birthday O. B. McClinton, Burnett, country singer, Keep your arms around me 1939 Birthday Lonnie White, vocalist, Smokey Robinson and Miracles-Shop Around 1938 Event Howard Hughes flies around the world in 91 hours 1936 Event H. R. Ekins of "NY World-Telegram" beats 2 other reporters in a race around the world on commercial flights, by 18 days 1933 Event Wiley Post began 1st solo flight around world 1931 Event Wiley Post and Harold Catty took off for flight around world 1929 Event 1st airship flight around Earth flying eastward completed 1925 Birthday Bill Haley, Highland Park, Michigan, rock vocalist, Rock Around the Clock 1914 Event Massive German assault on forts around Luik 1911 Birthday Cantinflas, Mario Moreno, Mexico, actor, Around World in 80 Days 1910 Birthday Joseph Alsop, political newspaper columnist, Men Around the President 1909 Event Honus Wagner steals his way around bases in 1st inning against Cubs 1908 Event Around the World Automobile Race ends in Paris 1908 Event John Krohn begins walk around perimeter of U.S., which took 357 days 1907 Birthday Christopher Fry, Bristol England, playwright, Ring Around the Moon 1905 Birthday Robert Newton, England, actor, Henry V, Around the World in 80 Days 1905 Death Jules Verne, sci-fi author (Around the World in 80 Days), dies at 77 1904 Birthday S J Perelman, Brooklyn, author/humorist, Around the World in 80 Days 1902 Birthday Lucie Rie, born in Vienna, Austria, born Luzie Gomperz, potter, works displayed in collections around the world including the Museum of Modern Art in New York 1901 Birthday Michael Todd, producer, Around the World in 80 Days 1894 Birthday Beatrice Lillie, Toronto, comedian/actress, Around World in 80 Days 1892 Event Phileas Fogg completes around world trip, according to Verne 1890 Event Around 11M acres, ceded to U.S. by Sioux Indians opens for settlement 1890 Event Nellie Bly beats Phileas Fogg's time around world by 8 days (72 days) 1889 Event New York World reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) began her attempt to surpass fictitious journey of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg by traveling around world in less than 80 days She succeeded, by finishing trip following January in 72 days, 6 1887 Event Thomas Stevens is 1st man to bicycle around the world (SF-SF) 1885 Event U.S. Congress condemns barbed wire around government grounds 1884 Event Thomas Stevens starts 1st bike trip around world (2 years 9 mos) 1862 Event JEB Stuart completes his "2nd ride around McClellan" 1862 Event General JEB Stuart completes his "ride around McClellan" 1859 Event Wilhelm Tempel discovers diffuse nebula around Pleid star Merope 1850 Event At least 626 ships lie at anchor around San Francisco Bay 1846 Event Ida Pfeiffer (48) begins trip around world 1790 Event Robert Gray's Columbia, completes 1st American around world voyage 1790 Event Columbia returns to Boston after 3 year journey, 1st ship to carry U.S. flag around the world 1787 Event 1st U.S. voyage around the world - Columbia leaves Boston 1768 Event Samuel Adams letter, circulates around American colonies, opposing Townshend Act taxes 1766 Event John Byron back in England after trip around the world 1758 Event Battle at Emmerich: British army floats around France the Rhine 1682 Event William Penn accepts area around Delaware River from Duke of York 1633 Event Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before Inquisition for professing belief that earth revolves around the Sun 1577 Event Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England to go around world 1524 Event Giovanni de Varrazano of France sights land around area of Carolinas 1214 Event English king John begins siege around Lille France
