Summary of the Day ✨ 4 January (04/01)
On this day, deadly incidents in Poland, South Africa, the Philippines, and Venezuela claimed dozens of lives through fires, accidents, and violence, while Dubai celebrated the opening of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Historical Events 📜
- 2019: A fire in an escape room in Koszalin, Poland, kills five teenagers through carbon monoxide poisoning.
- 2018: Hennenman–Kroonstad train crash: A passenger train operated by Shosholoza Meyl collides with a truck on a level crossing at Geneva Station between Hennenman and Kroonstad, Free State, South Africa. Twenty people are killed and 260 injured.
- 2013: A gunman kills eight people in a house-to-house rampage in Kawit, Cavite, Philippines.
- 2010: The Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building in the world, officially opens in Dubai.
- 2008: A Let L-410 Turbolet crashes in the Los Roques Archipelago in Venezuela, killing 14 people.
- 2007: The 110th United States Congress convenes, electing Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House in U.S. history.
- 2006: Ehud Olmert becomes acting Prime Minister of Israel after the incumbent, Ariel Sharon, suffers a second, apparently more serious stroke.
- 2004: Spirit, a NASA Mars rover, lands successfully on Mars at 04:35 UTC.
- 2004: Mikheil Saakashvili is elected President of Georgia following the November 2003 Rose Revolution.
- 2000: A Norwegian passenger train departing from Trondheim, collides with a local train coming from Hamar in Åsta in Åmot Municipality; 19 people are killed and 68 injured in the accident.
- 1999: Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as governor of Minnesota, United States.
- 1998: A massive ice storm hits eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, continuing through January 10 and causing widespread destruction.
- 1990: In Pakistan’s deadliest train accident an overloaded passenger train collides with an empty freight train, resulting in 307 deaths and 700 injuries.
- 1989: Second Gulf of Sidra incident: A pair of Libyan MiG-23 “Floggers” are shot down by a pair of US Navy F-14 Tomcats during an air-to-air confrontation.
- 1987: The Maryland train collision: An Amtrak train en route to Boston from Washington, D.C., collides with Conrail engines in Chase, Maryland, United States, killing 16 people.
Famous Births 👶
- 2006: Marc Guiu, Spanish footballer
- 2005: Rob Dillingham, American basketball player
- 2005: Emil Højlund, Danish footballer
- 2005: Oscar Højlund, Danish footballer
- 2005: Dafne Keen, British-Spanish actress
- 2004: Victor Wembanyama, French basketball player
- 2003: Jaeden Martell, American actor
- 2003: Kevin, Brazilian footballer
- 2002: Vladyslav Vanat, Ukrainian footballer
- 2001: Odilon Kossounou, Ivorian footballer
- 2001: Lola Young, English singer and songwriter
- 2000: Max Aarons, English footballer
- 2000: Facundo Colidio, Argentine footballer
- 1999: Wessam Abou Ali, Palestinian footballer
- 1999: Daniel Arzani, Iranian-Australian footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2026: Michael Reagan, American political commentator (born 1945)
- 2025: Ana Gligić, Serbian virologist (born 1934)
- 2024: Glynis Johns, British actress and singer (born 1923)
- 2024: David Soul, American-British actor and singer (born 1943)
- 2024: Christian Oliver, German actor (born 1972)
- 2023: Rosi Mittermaier, German alpine skier and Olympic champion (born 1950)
- 2021: Tanya Roberts, American actress (born 1949)
- 2020: Tom Long, Australian actor (born 1968)
- 2019: Harold Brown, 14th United States Secretary of Defense (born 1927)
- 2017: Milt Schmidt, Canadian ice hockey player, coach and general manager (born 1918)
- 2017: Georges Prêtre, French orchestral and opera conductor (born 1924)
- 2016: S. H. Kapadia, Indian lawyer, judge, and politician, 38th Chief Justice of India (born 1947)
- 2016: Stephen W. Bosworth, American academic and diplomat, United States Ambassador to South Korea (born 1939)
- 2015: Pino Daniele, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1955)
- 2013: Anwar Shamim, Pakistani general (born 1931)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Angela of Foligno - Christian feast day:
Elizabeth Ann Seton - Christian feast day:
Ferréol of Uzès - Christian feast day:
Mavilus - Christian feast day:
Pharaildis of Ghent - Christian feast day:
Rigobert - Christian feast day:
January 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - The eleventh of the Twelve Days of Christmas. (Western Christianity)
- Independence Day (Myanmar), celebrates the independence of Myanmar from the United Kingdom in 1948.
- Colonial Martyrs Repression Day (Angola)
- Day of the Martyrs (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Ogoni Day (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People)
- Tokyo Dome Show: The annual Wrestle Kingdom event run by New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- World Braille Day