Summary of the Day ✨ 20 June (20/06)
A rare EF5 tornado struck Enderlin, North Dakota, while Iran shot down an American surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions, and a RusAir plane crash killed 47 in Russia. On this day, the Wikimedia Foundation was founded in Florida as Space Shuttle Columbia launched for a life science mission aboard the Spacelab.
Historical Events 📜
- 2025: The first EF5 tornado in 12 years occurs in Enderlin, North Dakota.
- 2019: Iran’s Air Defense Forces shoot down an American surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions between the two countries.
- 2011: RusAir Flight 9605 crashes in Besovets during approach to Petrozavodsk Airport, killing 47.
- 2003: The Wikimedia Foundation is founded in St. Petersburg, Florida.
- 1996: Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-78 to conduct life science and microgravity research aboard the Spacelab module.
- 1994: The 1994 Imam Reza shrine bomb explosion in Iran leaves at least 25 dead and 70 to 300 injured.
- 1991: The German Bundestag votes to move seat of government from the former West German capital of Bonn to the present capital of Berlin.
- 1990: Asteroid Eureka is discovered.
- 1990: The 7.4 Mw Manjil–Rudbar earthquake affects northern Iran with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing 35,000–50,000, and injuring 60,000–105,000.
- 1988: Haitian president Leslie Manigat is ousted from power in a coup d’état led by Lieutenant General Henri Namphy.
- 1982: The International Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide opens in Tel Aviv, despite attempts by the Turkish government to cancel it, as it included presentations on the Armenian genocide.
- 1982: The Argentine Corbeta Uruguay base on Southern Thule surrenders to Royal Marine commandos in the final action of the Falklands War.
- 1979: ABC News correspondent Bill Stewart is shot dead by a Nicaraguan National Guard soldier under the regime of Anastasio Somoza Debayle during the Nicaraguan Revolution. The murder is caught on tape and sparks an international outcry against the regime.
- 1975: The film Jaws is released in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing film of that time and starting the trend of films known as “summer blockbusters”.
- 1973: Snipers fire upon left-wing Peronists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in what is known as the Ezeiza massacre. At least 13 are killed and more than 300 are injured.
Famous Births 👶
- 2003: Hans Niemann, American chess player
- 2003: Marc Pubill, Spanish footballer
- 1997: Bálint Kopasz, Hungarian sprint canoeist
- 1996: Sam Bennett, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1995: Caroline Weir, Scottish footballer
- 1995: Carol Zhao, Canadian tennis player
- 1994: Leonard Williams, American football player
- 1991: Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegalese footballer
- 1991: Rick ten Voorde, Dutch footballer
- 1990: DeQuan Jones, American basketball player
- 1990: Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, Senegalese writer
- 1989: Christopher Mintz-Plasse, American actor
- 1989: Javier Pastore, Argentinian footballer
- 1989: Terrelle Pryor, American football player
- 1987: A-fu, Taiwanese singer and songwriter
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2024: Donald Sutherland, Canadian actor and producer (born 1935)
- 2024: Taylor Wily, American actor, sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist (born 1968)
- 2022: Caleb Swanigan, American basketball player (born 1997)
- 2017: Prodigy, American music artist (born 1974)
- 2015: Angelo Niculescu, Romanian footballer and manager (born 1921)
- 2015: Miriam Schapiro, Canadian-American painter and sculptor (born 1923)
- 2013: Ingvar Rydell, Swedish footballer (born 1922)
- 2012: Judy Agnew, Second Lady of the United States. (born 1921)
- 2012: LeRoy Neiman, American painter (born 1921)
- 2012: Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss of Köstritz (born 1919)
- 2012: Andrew Sarris, American critic (born 1928)
- 2011: Ryan Dunn, American television personality (born 1977)
- 2010: Roberto Rosato, Italian footballer (born 1943)
- 2010: Harry B. Whittington, English palaeontologist and academic (born 1916)
- 2005: Larry Collins, American journalist, historian, and author (born 1929)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Adalbert of Magdeburg - Christian feast day:
Florentina - Christian feast day:
John of Matera - Christian feast day:
Blessed Margareta Ebner - Christian feast day:
Methodius of Olympus - Christian feast day:
Pope Silverius - Christian feast day:
June 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Day of the National Flag (Argentina)
- Gas Sector Day (Azerbaijan)
- Martyrs’ Day (Eritrea)
- West Virginia Day (West Virginia)
- World Refugee Day (International)