Summary of the Day ✨ 19 January (19/01)
The United States banned Bytedance and its sister companies over security concerns while Japan became the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon and the FBI shut down the file-sharing website Megaupload. Meanwhile, a bomb attack in Bannu, Pakistan killed 26 soldiers and injured 38 others, and Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated in Istanbul by a 17-year-old ultra-nationalist.
Historical Events 📜
- 2025: Bytedance and sister companies are banned from the United States for “security concerns”.
- 2024: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s probe lands on the moon, making Japan the 5th country to land a spacecraft on the moon.
- 2014: A bomb attack on an army convoy in the city of Bannu kills at least 26 Pakistani soldiers and injures 38 others.
- 2012: The Hong Kong-based file-sharing website Megaupload is shut down by the FBI.
- 2007: Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink is assassinated in front of his newspaper’s Istanbul office by 17-year-old Turkish ultra-nationalist Ogün Samast.
- 2007: Four-man Team N2i, using only skis and kites, completes a 1,093-mile (1,759 km) trek to reach the Antarctic pole of inaccessibility for the first time since 1965 and for the first time ever without mechanical assistance.
- 2006: A Slovak Air Force Antonov An-24 crashes near Hejce, Hungary, killing 42.
- 1999: British Aerospace agrees to acquire the defence subsidiary of the General Electric Company, forming BAE Systems in November 1999.
- 1997: Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city.
- 1996: The barge North Cape oil spill occurs as an engine fire forces the tugboat Scandia ashore on Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
- 1995: After being struck by lightning the crew of Bristow Helicopters Flight 56C are forced to ditch. All 18 aboard are later rescued.
- 1993: Czech Republic and Slovakia join the United Nations.
- 1991: Gulf War: Iraq fires a second Scud missile into Israel, causing 15 injuries.
- 1990: Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley in Indian-administered Kashmir due to an insurgency.
- 1988: Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286 crashes in Bayfield, Colorado, killing nine.
Famous Births 👶
- 2003: Felix Afena-Gyan, Ghanaian footballer
- 1999: Jonathan Taylor, American football player
- 1999: Donyell Malen, Dutch footballer
- 1998: Emre Guler, Australian rugby league player
- 1996: Jakub Jankto, Czech footballer
- 1994: Matthias Ginter, German footballer
- 1994: Alfie Mawson, English footballer
- 1994: Marvelous Nakamba, Zimbabwean footballer
- 1993: Erick Torres Padilla, Mexican footballer
- 1993: João Mário, Portuguese footballer
- 1993: Ricardo Centurión, Argentine footballer
- 1993: Walter Benítez, Argentine footballer
- 1993: Jack Schlossberg, American writer and political candidate
- 1992: Shawn Johnson East, American gymnast
- 1992: Logan Lerman, American actor
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2026: Valentino, Italian fashion designer, founder of Valentino (born 1932)
- 2025: Jeff Torborg, American baseball player and manager (born 1941)
- 2017: Miguel Ferrer, American actor (born 1955)
- 2016: Richard Levins, American ecologist and geneticist (born 1930)
- 2016: Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter (born 1931)
- 2016: Sheila Sim (Lady Attenborough), English actress (born 1922)
- 2015: Justin Capră, Romanian engineer and academic (born 1933)
- 2015: Michel Guimond, Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1953)
- 2015: Ward Swingle, American-French singer-songwriter and conductor (born 1927)
- 2014: Azaria Alon, Ukrainian-Israeli environmentalist, co-founded the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (born 1918)
- 2014: Christopher Chataway, English runner, journalist, and politician (born 1931)
- 2013: Taihō Kōki, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 48th Yokozuna (born 1940)
- 2013: Stan Musial, American baseball player and manager (born 1920)
- 2013: Frank Pooler, American conductor and composer (born 1926)
- 2013: Earl Weaver, American baseball player and manager (born 1930)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Bassianus of Lodi - Christian feast day:
Faustina and Liberata of Como - Christian feast day:
Henry of Uppsala - Christian feast day:
Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum - Christian feast day:
Mark of Ephesus (Eastern Orthodox Church) - Christian feast day:
Pontianus of Spoleto - Christian feast day:
Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester - Christian feast day:
January 19 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Confederate Heroes Day (Texas), and its related observance:
Robert E. Lee Day (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi) - Husband’s Day (Iceland)
- Kokborok Day (Tripura, India)
- Theophany / Epiphany (Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy), and its related observances:
Timkat, or 20 during Leap Year (Ethiopian Orthodox) - Theophany / Epiphany (Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy), and its related observances:
Vodici or Baptism of Jesus (North Macedonia)