On This Day — 31 October

2020

Berlin Brandenburg Airport opens its doors after nearly 10 years of delays due to construction issues and project corruption.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport

2017

A truck drives into a crowd in Lower Manhattan, New York City, killing eight people.

2017 New York City truck attack

2015

Metrojet Flight 9268 is bombed over the northern Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.

Metrojet Flight 9268

2014

During a test flight, the VSS Enterprise, a Virgin Galactic experimental spaceflight test vehicle, suffers a catastrophic in-flight breakup and crashes in the Mojave Desert, California.

VSS Enterprise

2011

The global population of humans reaches seven billion. This day is now recognized by the United Nations as the Day of Seven Billion.

World population

2003

Mahathir Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia and is replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, marking an end to Mahathir's 22 years in power.

Mahathir Mohamad

2002

A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas indicts former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer.

Houston

2000

Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been crewed continuously since then.

Soyuz TM-31

2000

Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes on takeoff from Taipei, killing 83.

Singapore Airlines Flight 006

1999

Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted.

Yacht

1999

EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantucket, killing all 217 people on board.

EgyptAir Flight 990

1998

Iraq disarmament crisis begins: Iraq announces it would no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.

Iraq disarmament crisis

1996

TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 crashes in São Paulo, Brazil, killing 99 people.

TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402

1994

American Eagle Flight 4184 crashes near Roselawn, Indiana killing all 68 people on board.

American Eagle Flight 4184

1984

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by two Sikh security guards. Riots break out in New Delhi and other cities and around 3,000 Sikhs are killed.

Indira Gandhi

1979

Western Airlines Flight 2605 crashes on landing in Mexico City, killing 73 people.

Western Airlines Flight 2605

1973

Three Provisional Irish Republican Army members escape from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin aboard a hijacked helicopter that landed in the exercise yard.

Provisional Irish Republican Army

1968

Vietnam War October surprise: Citing progress with the Paris peace talks, US President Lyndon B. Johnson announces to the nation that he has ordered a complete cessation of "all air, naval, and artillery bombardment of North Vietnam" effective November 1.

Vietnam War

1968

Great Drought of 1968: Amidst a collapse of hydropower President of Chile Eduardo Frei Montalva decrees the establishment of daylight saving time.

Great Drought of 1968

1963

Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum gas explosion: A gas explosion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis kills 81 people and injures another 400 during an ice show.

1963 Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum gas explosion

1961

In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin's body is removed from Lenin's Mausoleum, and is buried near the Kremlin Wall under a plain white marker.

Soviet Union

1956

Suez Crisis: The United Kingdom and France begin bombing Egypt to force the reopening of the Suez Canal.

Suez Crisis

1956

Hungarian Revolution of 1956: A Revolutionary Headquarters is established in Hungary. Following Imre Nagy's announcement of October 30, banned non-Communist political parties are reformed, and the MDP is replaced by the MSZMP. József Mindszenty is released from prison. The Soviet Politburo makes the decision to crush the Revolution.

Hungarian Revolution of 1956

1943

World War II: An F4U Corsair accomplishes the first successful radar-guided interception by a United States Navy or Marine Corps aircraft.

Vought F4U Corsair

1941

After 14 years of work, Mount Rushmore is completed.

Mount Rushmore

1941

World War II: The destroyer USS Reuben James is torpedoed by a German U-boat near Iceland, killing more than 100 U.S. Navy sailors. It is the first U.S. Navy vessel sunk by enemy action in WWII.

USS Reuben James (DD-245)

1940

World War II: The Battle of Britain ends, causing Germany to abandon Operation Sea Lion.

World War II

1938

Great Depression: In an effort to restore investor confidence, the New York Stock Exchange unveils a fifteen-point program aimed to upgrade protection for the investing public.

Great Depression

1924

World Savings Day is announced in Milan, Italy by the Members of the Association at the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks).

World Savings Day

1923

The first of 160 consecutive days of 100° Fahrenheit at Marble Bar, Western Australia.

Fahrenheit

1922

Benito Mussolini is made Prime Minister of Italy.

Benito Mussolini

1918

World War I: The Aster Revolution terminates the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, and Hungary achieves full sovereignty.

Aster Revolution

1917

World War I: Battle of Beersheba: The "last successful cavalry charge in history".

World War I

1913

Dedication of the Lincoln Highway, the first automobile highway across United States.

Lincoln Highway

1913

The Indianapolis Streetcar Strike and subsequent riot begins.

Indianapolis streetcar strike of 1913

1907

The Parliament of Finland approved the Prohibition Act, but the law was not implemented because it was not ratified by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.

Parliament of Finland

1903

The Purdue Wreck, a railroad train collision in Indianapolis, kills 17 people, including 14 players of the Purdue University football team.

Purdue wreck

1895

The strongest earthquake in the Midwestern United States since 1812 strikes near Charleston, Missouri, causing damage and killing at least two.

1895 Charleston earthquake

1864

Nevada is admitted as the 36th U.S. state.

Nevada

1863

The New Zealand Wars resume as British forces in New Zealand led by General Duncan Cameron begin their Invasion of the Waikato.

New Zealand Wars

1837

Approximately 300 Muscogee die in the steamboat Monmouth disaster on the Trail of Tears in the United States.

Muscogee

1822

Emperor Agustín de Iturbide attempts to dissolve the Congress of the Mexican Empire.

Agustín de Iturbide

1587

Leiden University Library opens its doors after its founding in 1575.

Leiden University Library

1517

Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

Reformation

932

Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadir is killed while fighting against the forces of general Mu'nis al-Muzaffar. Al-Muqtadir's brother al-Qahir is chosen to succeed him.

List of Abbasid caliphs

802

Empress Irene is deposed and banished to Lesbos. Conspirators place Nikephoros, the minister of finance, on the Byzantine throne.

Irene of Athens

683

During the Siege of Mecca, the Kaaba catches fire and is burned down.

Siege of Mecca (683)

475

Romulus Augustulus is proclaimed Western Roman Emperor.

Romulus Augustulus