1901–present 1908 – The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority becomes the first Greek-letter organization founded and established by African American college women. 1910 – Construction ends on the Buffalo Bill Dam in Wyoming, United States, which was the highest dam in the world at the time, at . 1911 – Palestinian Arabic-language Falastin newspaper founded. 1919 – Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, two of the most prominent communists in Germany, are clubbed and then shot to death by members of the Freikorps at the end of the Spartacist uprising. 1919 – Great Molasses Flood: A wave of molasses released from an exploding storage tank sweeps through Boston, Massachusetts, killing 21 and injuring 150. 1934 – The 8.0 Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing an estimated 6,000–10,700 people. 1936 – The first building to be completely covered in glass, built for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, is completed in Toledo, Ohio. 1937 – Spanish Civil War: Nationalists and Republicans both withdraw after suffering heavy losses, ending the Second Battle of the Corunna Road. 1943 – World War II: The Soviet counter-offensive at Voronezh begins. 1943 – The Pentagon is dedicated in Arlington County, Virginia. 1947 – The Black Dahlia murder: The dismembered corpse of Elizabeth Short was found in Los Angeles. 1949 – Chinese Civil War: The Communist forces take over Tianjin from the Nationalist government. 1962 – The Derveni papyrus, Europe's oldest surviving manuscript dating to 340 BC, is found in northern Greece. 1962 – Netherlands New Guinea Conflict: Indonesian Navy fast patrol boat RI Macan Tutul commanded by Commodore Yos Sudarso sunk in Arafura Sea by the Dutch Navy. 1966 – The First Nigerian Republic, led by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is overthrown in a military coup d'état. 1967 – The first Super Bowl is played in Los Angeles. The Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10. 1969 – The Soviet Union launches Soyuz 5. 1970 – Nigerian Civil War: Biafran rebels surrender following an unsuccessful 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria. 1970 – Muammar Gaddafi is proclaimed premier of Libya. 1973 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, President Richard Nixon announces the suspension of offensive action in North Vietnam. 1975 – The Alvor Agreement is signed, ending the Angolan War of Independence and giving Angola independence from Portugal. 1976 – Gerald Ford's would-be assassin, Sara Jane Moore, is sentenced to life in prison. 1977 – Linjeflyg Flight 618 crashes in Kälvesta near Stockholm Bromma Airport in Stockholm, Sweden, killing 22 people. 1981 – Pope John Paul II receives a delegation from the Polish trade union Solidarity at the Vatican led by Lech Wałęsa. 1991 – The United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expires, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm. 1991 – Elizabeth II, in her capacity as Queen of Australia, signs letters patent allowing Australia to become the first Commonwealth realm to institute its own Victoria Cross in its honours system. 2001 – Wikipedia, a free wiki content encyclopedia, is launched (Wikipedia Day). 2005 – ESA's SMART-1 lunar orbiter discovers elements such as calcium, aluminum, silicon, iron, and other surface elements on the Moon. 2009 – US Airways Flight 1549 ditches safely in the Hudson River after the plane collides with birds less than two minutes after take-off. This becomes known as "The Miracle on the Hudson" as all 155 people on board were rescued. 2013 – A train carrying Egyptian Army recruits derails near Giza, Greater Cairo, killing 19 and injuring 120 others. 2015 – The Swiss National Bank abandons the cap on the Swiss franc's value relative to the euro, causing turmoil in international financial markets. 2016 – The Kenyan Army suffers its worst defeat ever in a battle with Al-Shabaab Islamic insurgents in El-Adde, Somalia. An estimated 150 Kenyan soldiers are killed in the battle. 2018 – British multinational construction and facilities management services company Carillion went into liquidationofficially, "the largest ever trading liquidation in the UK" 2019 – Somali militants attack the DusitD2 hotel in Nairobi, Kenya killing at least 21 people and injuring 19. 2019 – Theresa May's UK government suffers the biggest government defeat in modern times, when 432 MPs voting against the proposed European Union withdrawal agreement, giving her opponents a majority of 230. 2020 – The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare confirms the first case of COVID-19 in Japan. 2021 – A 6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia's Sulawesi island killing at least 105 and injuring 3,369 people. 2022 – The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupts, cutting off communications with Tonga and causing a tsunami across the Pacific. 2023 – Yeti Airlines Flight 691 crashes near Pokhara International Airport, killing all 72 people on board.
1901–present 1908 – the alpha kappa alpha sorority becomes the first greek-letter organization founded and established by african american college women 1910 – construction ends on the buffalo bill dam in wyoming united states which was the highest dam in the world at the time at  1911 – palestinian arabic-language falastin newspaper founded 1919 – rosa luxemburg and karl liebknecht two of the most prominent communists in germany are clubbed and then shot to death by members of the freikorps at the end of the spartacist uprising 1919 – great molasses flood a wave of molasses released from an exploding storage tank sweeps through boston massachusetts killing 21 and injuring 150 1934 – the 80 nepal–bihar earthquake strikes nepal and bihar with a maximum mercalli intensity of xi (extreme) killing an estimated 6000–10700 people 1936 – the first building to be completely covered in glass built for the owens-illinois glass company is completed in toledo ohio 1937 – spanish civil war nationalists and republicans both withdraw after suffering heavy losses ending the second battle of the corunna road 1943 – world war ii the soviet counter-offensive at voronezh begins 1943 – the pentagon is dedicated in arlington county virginia 1947 – the black dahlia murder the dismembered corpse of elizabeth short was found in los angeles 1949 – chinese civil war the communist forces take over tianjin from the nationalist government 1962 – the derveni papyrus europe's oldest surviving manuscript dating to 340 bc is found in northern greece 1962 – netherlands new guinea conflict indonesian navy fast patrol boat ri macan tutul commanded by commodore yos sudarso sunk in arafura sea by the dutch navy 1966 – the first nigerian republic led by abubakar tafawa balewa is overthrown in a military coup d'état 1967 – the first super bowl is played in los angeles the green bay packers defeat the kansas city chiefs 35–10 1969 – the soviet union launches soyuz 5 1970 – nigerian civil war biafran rebels surrender following an unsuccessful 32-month fight for independence from nigeria 1970 – muammar gaddafi is proclaimed premier of libya 1973 – vietnam war citing progress in peace negotiations president richard nixon announces the suspension of offensive action in north vietnam 1975 – the alvor agreement is signed ending the angolan war of independence and giving angola independence from portugal 1976 – gerald ford's would-be assassin sara jane moore is sentenced to life in prison 1977 – linjeflyg flight 618 crashes in kälvesta near stockholm bromma airport in stockholm sweden killing 22 people 1981 – pope john paul ii receives a delegation from the polish trade union solidarity at the vatican led by lech wałęsa 1991 – the united nations deadline for the withdrawal of iraqi forces from occupied kuwait expires preparing the way for the start of operation desert storm 1991 – elizabeth ii in her capacity as queen of australia signs letters patent allowing australia to become the first commonwealth realm to institute its own victoria cross in its honours system 2001 – wikipedia a free wiki content encyclopedia is launched (wikipedia day) 2005 – esa's smart-1 lunar orbiter discovers elements such as calcium aluminum silicon iron and other surface elements on the moon 2009 – us airways flight 1549 ditches safely in the hudson river after the plane collides with birds less than two minutes after take-off this becomes known as "the miracle on the hudson" as all 155 people on board were rescued 2013 – a train carrying egyptian army recruits derails near giza greater cairo killing 19 and injuring 120 others 2015 – the swiss national bank abandons the cap on the swiss franc's value relative to the euro causing turmoil in international financial markets 2016 – the kenyan army suffers its worst defeat ever in a battle with al-shabaab islamic insurgents in el-adde somalia an estimated 150 kenyan soldiers are killed in the battle 2018 – british multinational construction and facilities management services company carillion went into liquidationofficially "the largest ever trading liquidation in the uk" 2019 – somali militants attack the dusitd2 hotel in nairobi kenya killing at least 21 people and injuring 19 2019 – theresa may's uk government suffers the biggest government defeat in modern times when 432 mps voting against the proposed european union withdrawal agreement giving her opponents a majority of 230 2020 – the japanese ministry of health labour and welfare confirms the first case of covid-19 in japan 2021 – a 62-magnitude earthquake strikes indonesia's sulawesi island killing at least 105 and injuring 3369 people 2022 – the hunga tonga-hunga haʻapai volcano erupts cutting off communications with tonga and causing a tsunami across the pacific 2023 – yeti airlines flight 691 crashes near pokhara international airport killing all 72 people on board