Summary of the Day ✨ 30 January (30/01)
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health emergency while South Korea celebrated its first successful rocket launch with Naro-1. On this day, Microsoft released Windows Vista as a major operating system update, while tragic events unfolded with the Goleta postal facility shootings that killed seven people and Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashing into the Atlantic Ocean, claiming 169 lives.
Historical Events 📜
- 2020: The World Health Organization declares the COVID-19 pandemic to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
- 2013: Naro-1 becomes the first carrier rocket launched by South Korea.
- 2007: Microsoft Corporation releases Windows Vista, a major release of the operating system Microsoft Windows and the NT based kernel.
- 2006: The Goleta postal facility shootings occur, killing seven people before the perpetrator took her own life.
- 2000: Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ivory Coast, killing 169.
- 1995: Hydroxycarbamide becomes the first approved preventive treatment for sickle cell disease.
- 1989: The American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan is closed.
- 1982: Richard Skrenta writes the first PC virus code, which is 400 lines long and disguised as an Apple boot program called “Elk Cloner”.
- 1979: A Varig Boeing 707-323C freighter, flown by the same commander as Flight 820, disappears over the Pacific Ocean 30 minutes after taking off from Tokyo.
- 1975: The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is established as the first United States National Marine Sanctuary.
- 1975: Turkish Airlines Flight 345 crashes into the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul Yeşilköy Airport, killing 42.
- 1974: Pan Am Flight 806 crashes near Pago Pago International Airport in American Samoa, killing 97.
- 1972: The Troubles: Bloody Sunday: British paratroopers open fire on anti-internment marchers in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 people; another person later dies of injuries sustained.
- 1972: Pakistan leaves the Commonwealth of Nations in protest of its recognition of breakaway Bangladesh.
- 1969: The Beatles’ last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records in London. The impromptu concert is broken up by the police.
Famous Births 👶
- 2005: Prince Hashem, second son of King Abdullah II of Jordan
- 2003: Amen Thompson, American basketball player
- 2003: Ausar Thompson, American basketball player
- 2002: Tyla, South African singer and songwriter.
- 2002: Bijan Robinson, American football player
- 2001: Curtis Jones, English footballer
- 2000: Markella Kavenagh, Australian actress
- 2000: Bryan Woo, American baseball player
- 1997: Thomas Chabot, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1997: Colin White, American ice hockey player
- 1996: Dafne Navarro, Mexican trampoline gymnast
- 1995: Danielle Campbell, American actress
- 1995: Jack Laugher, English diver
- 1995: Marcos Llorente, Spanish footballer
- 1994: Amelia Dimoldenberg, English comedian, writer and presenter
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2026: Catherine O’Hara, Canadian-American actress, comedian and screenwriter (born 1954)
- 2025: Dick Button, American figure skater and actor (born 1929)
- 2025: Julius Chan, Papua New Guinean politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (born 1939)
- 2025: Marianne Faithfull, English singer-songwriter and actress (born 1946)
- 2025: Edcel Lagman, Filipino politician (born 1942)
- 2024: Chita Rivera, American actress, singer, and dancer (born 1933)
- 2023: Bobby Beathard, American Pro Football Hall of Fame executive (born 1937)
- 2023: Bobby Hull, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1939)
- 2022: Cheslie Kryst, American television presenter and model (born 1991)
- 2021: Sophie, Scottish musician (born 1986)
- 2019: Dick Miller, American actor (born 1928)
- 2018: Mark Salling, American actor and musician (born 1982)
- 2016: Frank Finlay, English actor (born 1926)
- 2016: Francisco Flores Pérez, Salvadorian politician, President of El Salvador (born 1959)
- 2016: Georgia Davis Powers, American activist and politician (born 1923)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian Feast Day:
Adelelmus of Burgos - Christian Feast Day:
Aldegonde - Christian Feast Day:
Anthony the Great (Coptic Church) - Christian Feast Day:
Armentarius of Pavia - Christian Feast Day:
Balthild - Christian Feast Day:
Charles, King and Martyr (various provinces of the Anglican Communion) - Christian Feast Day:
Hyacintha Mariscotti - Christian Feast Day:
Martina - Christian Feast Day:
Matthias of Jerusalem - Christian Feast Day:
Mutien-Marie Wiaux - Christian Feast Day:
Savina - Christian Feast Day:
Three Holy Hierarchs (Eastern Orthodox), and its related observances:
Teacher’s Day (Greece) - Christian Feast Day:
January 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Day of Azerbaijani customs (Azerbaijan)
- Day of Saudade (Brazil)