Summary of the Day ✨ 31 May (31/05)
Violence erupted worldwide with a deadly shooting at a Virginia Beach municipal building killing 13 people and a massive car bombing in Kabul that claimed over 90 lives during rush hour. Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces launched an offensive against ISIL, and a record-breaking tornado struck Oklahoma, causing eight fatalities including three storm chasers.
Historical Events 📜
- 2019: A shooting occurs inside a municipal building at Virginia Beach, Virginia, leaving 13 people dead, including the shooter, and four others injured.
- 2017: A car bomb explodes in a crowded intersection in Kabul near the German embassy during rush hour, killing over 90 and injuring 463.
- 2016: Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launch the Manbij offensive, in order to capture the city of Manbij from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
- 2013: The asteroid 1998 QE2 and its moon make their closest approach to Earth for the next two centuries.
- 2013: A record breaking 2.6 mile wide tornado strikes near El Reno, Oklahoma, United States, causing eight fatalities (including three storm chasers) and over 150 injuries.
- 2010: Israeli Shayetet 13 commandos boarded the Gaza Freedom Flotilla while still in international waters trying to break the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip; nine Turkish citizens on the flotilla were killed in the ensuing violent affray.
- 2008: Usain Bolt breaks the world record in the 100m sprint, with a wind-legal (+1.7 m/s) 9.72 seconds.
- 2008: Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-124 carrying the second portion of the Japanese Kibō module to the International Space Station.
- 2005: Vanity Fair reveals that Mark Felt was “Deep Throat”.
- 2003: Air France retires its fleet of Concorde aircraft.
- 1997: The Confederation Bridge opens, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick.
- 1991: Bicesse Accords in Angola lay out a transition to multi-party democracy under the supervision of the United Nations’ UNAVEM II peacekeeping mission.
- 1985: United States–Canada tornado outbreak: Forty-one tornadoes hit Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, leaving 76 dead.
- 1977: The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System is completed.
- 1973: The United States Senate votes to cut off funding for the bombing of Khmer Rouge targets within Cambodia, hastening the end of the Cambodian Civil War.
Famous Births 👶
- 2001: Breece Hall, American football player
- 2001: Iga Świątek, Polish tennis player
- 2000: Gable Steveson, American wrestler
- 1998: Santino Ferrucci, American race car driver
- 1997: Woo Jin-young, South Korean singer and rapper
- 1997: Jeong Se-woon, South Korean singer-songwriter
- 1996: Normani Kordei Hamilton, American singer
- 1996: Brandon Smith, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1995: Shane Bieber, American baseball player
- 1995: Matthew Lodge, Australian rugby league player
- 1992: Michaël Bournival, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1992: Laura Ikauniece, Latvian heptathlete
- 1992: Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson, Icelandic politician
- 1991: Azealia Banks, American singer-songwriter and rapper
- 1990: Erik Karlsson, Swedish ice hockey player
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Stanley Fischer, Israeli-American economist (born 1943)
- 2024: Robert Pickton, Canadian serial killer (born 1949)
- 2024: Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama (born 1937)
- 2022: Colin Cantwell, American concept artist and director (born 1932)
- 2022: Krishnakumar Kunnath, Indian singer (born 1968)
- 2022: Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, Colombian drug lord (born 1939)
- 2022: Jim Parks, English cricketer (born 1931)
- 2016: Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (1976–2016) (born 1947)
- 2016: Jan Crouch, American televangelist, co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (born 1938)
- 2016: Carla Lane, English television writer (born 1928)
- 2016: Rupert Neudeck, German journalist and humanitarian (born 1939)
- 2015: Gladys Taylor, Canadian author and publisher (born 1917)
- 2014: Marilyn Beck, American journalist (born 1928)
- 2014: Marinho Chagas, Brazilian footballer and coach (born 1952)
- 2014: Hoss Ellington, American race car driver (born 1935)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Anniversary of Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (Brunei)
- Christian feast day:
Camilla Battista da Varano - Christian feast day:
Hermias - Christian feast day:
Petronella - Christian feast day:
Visitation of Mary (Western Christianity) - Christian feast day:
May 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Kaamatan, harvest festival in the state of Sabah and the federal territory of Labuan (Malaysia)
- World No Tobacco Day (International)
- Borobi Day (Australia)