Discover · History

On this day — February 1

A hand-curated thread of what happened on this date, across centuries.

2022

Milestone

Five-year-old Moroccan boy Rayan Aourram falls into a 32-meter (105 feet) deep well in Ighran village in Tamorot commune, Chefchaouen Province, Morocco, but dies four days later, before rescue workers reached him.

2021

Milestone

A coup d'état in Myanmar removes Aung San Suu Kyi from power and restores military rule.

2013

Milestone

The Shard, the sixth-tallest building in Europe

opens its viewing gallery to the public.

2012

Sport

Seventy-four people are killed and over 500 injured as a result of clashes between fans of Egyptian football teams Al Masry and Al Ahly in the city of Port Said.

2009

Milestone

The first cabinet of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir was formed in Iceland

making her the country's first female prime minister and the world's first openly gay head of government.

2007

Milestone

The National Weather Service in the United States switches from the Fujita scale to the new Enhanced Fujita scale to measure the intensity and strength of tornadoes.

2005

Milestone

King Gyanendra of Nepal carries out a coup d'état to capture the democracy

becoming Chairman of the Councils of ministers.

2004

Milestone

Hajj pilgrimage stampede

In a stampede at the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, 251 people are trampled to death and 244 injured.

2004

Milestone

Double suicide attack in Erbil on the offices of Iraqi Kurdish political parties by members of Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad

2003

Milestone

Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during the reentry of mission STS-107 into the Earth's atmosphere

killing all seven astronauts aboard.

2002

Milestone

Daniel Pearl

American journalist and South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, kidnapped on January 23, is beheaded and mutilated by his captors.

1998

Milestone

Rear Admiral Lillian E

Fishburne becomes the first female African American to be promoted to rear admiral.

1996

Milestone

The Communications Decency Act is passed by the U.S

Congress.

1992

Politics

The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal court declares Warren Anderson

ex-CEO of Union Carbide, a fugitive under Indian law for failing to appear in the Bhopal disaster case.

1991

Milestone

A runway collision between USAir Flight 1493 and SkyWest Flight 5569 at Los Angeles International Airport results in the deaths of 34 people, and injuries to 30 others.