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On This Day in History — December 30
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Highlights of December 30
- 2013 — Supporters of Congolese religious leader Paul-Joseph Mukungubila carried out a series of attacks on television studios, the airport and a military base in Kinshasa. Read more
- 2009 — Due to a rupture of the Lanzhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha pipeline in Shaanxi, China, caused approximately 150,000 l (40,000 US gal) of diesel oil flowed down the Wei River before finally reaching the Yellow River six days later. Read more
- 2009 — Pro-government counter-demonstrators held rallies (pictured) in several Iranian cities in response to recent anti-government protests on the holy day of Ashura. Read more
- 2006 — The Indonesian ferry MV Senopati Nusantara sank in the Java Sea during a storm, killing at least 400 people. Read more
- 2006 — Basque nationalist group ETA detonated a van bomb at Madrid–Barajas Airport in Spain, ending a nine-month ceasefire. Read more
- 2006 — Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq, was executed after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi High Tribunal. Read more
- 2005 — Tropical Storm Zeta (pictured) became a tropical depression, making it the record-breaking 28th tropical cyclone of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, the most active in recorded history until 2020. Read more
- 2000 — A series of bombings occurred around Metro Manila in the Philippines, killing 22 people and injuring around 100 others. Read more
- 1958 — The Guatemalan Air Force fired on Mexican fishing boats that had strayed into Guatemalan territory, triggering an eight-month conflict. Read more
- 1954 — The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation was established to consolidate criminal investigation and intelligence into a single agency. Read more
- 1940 — The Arroyo Seco Parkway, one of the first freeways built in the U.S., connecting downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena, California, was officially dedicated. Read more
- 1935 — Second Italo-Ethiopian War: In retaliation for the execution of an Italian prisoner of war, the Italian Air Force destroyed a field hospital of the Swedish Red Cross in Dolo. Read more
- 1906 — The All-India Muslim League, a political party in British India that developed into the driving force behind the creation of Pakistan as a Muslim state on the Indian subcontinent, was founded in Dhaka. Read more
- 1903 — In one of the deadliest single-building fires in United States history, the Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago killed more than 600 people. Read more
- 1902 — The Discovery Expedition under Robert Falcon Scott attained a new Farthest South point in Antarctica. Read more
- 1845 — The University of Galway, University College Cork and Queen's University Belfast were established as part of the Queen's University of Ireland. Read more
- 1813 — War of 1812: British forces captured Buffalo, New York, and burned down nearly all its buildings. Read more
- 1702 — Queen Anne's War: James Moore, the British colonial governor of Carolina, abandoned a siege against St. Augustine in Spanish Florida and retreated to Charles Town in disgrace. Read more
- 1460 — Wars of the Roses: At the Battle of Wakefield, Lancastrian forces destroyed the Yorkist army and killed Richard of York at Sandal Magna in West Yorkshire, England. Read more
- 999 — In Ireland, the combined forces of Munster and Meath crushed a rebellion by Leinster and Dublin. Read more
Events
- 2020 — A large explosion at the airport in the southern Yemeni city of Aden kills at least 22 people and wounds 50. Read more
- 2013 — More than 100 people are killed when anti-government forces attack key buildings in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read more
- 2009 — A segment of the Lanzhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha pipeline ruptures in Shaanxi, China, and approximately 150,000 L (40,000 US gal) of diesel oil flows down the Wei River before finally reaching the Yellow River. Read more
- 2009 — A suicide bomber kills nine people at Forward Operating Base Chapman, a key facility of the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan. Read more
- 2006 — Madrid–Barajas Airport is bombed. Read more
- 2006 — The Indonesian passenger ferry MV Senopati Nusantara sinks in a storm, resulting in at least 400 deaths. Read more
- 2006 — Former president of Iraq Saddam Hussein is executed. Read more
- 2005 — Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the open Atlantic Ocean, tying the record for the latest tropical cyclone ever to form in the North Atlantic basin. Read more
- 2004 — A fire in the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, kills 194. Read more
- 2000 — Rizal Day bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines within a period of a few hours, killing 22 and injuring about a hundred. Read more
- 1997 — In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, the Wilaya of Relizane massacres, 400 people from four villages are killed. Read more
- 1996 — Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel. Read more
- 1993 — Israel establishes diplomatic relations with Vatican City and also upgrades to full diplomatic relations with Ireland. Read more
- 1987 — Stella Sigcau, Prime minister of the South African Bantustan of Transkei, is ousted from power in a bloodless military coup led by General Bantu Holomisa. Read more
- 1972 — Vietnam War: Operation Linebacker II ends. Read more
- 1970 — Hurricane Creek mine disaster, near Hyden, Kentucky Read more
- 1967 — Aeroflot Flight L-51 crashes near Liepāja International Airport in Liepāja, Latvia, killing 43. Read more
- 1958 — The Guatemalan Air Force sinks several Mexican fishing boats alleged to have breached maritime borders, killing three and sparking international tension. Read more
- 1954 — The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation is established to consolidate criminal investigation and intelligence into a single agency. Read more
- 1952 — An RAF Avro Lancaster bomber crashes in Luqa, Malta after an engine failure, killing three crew members and a civilian on the ground. Read more
- 1947 — Cold War: King Michael I of Romania is forced to abdicate by the Soviet Union-backed Communist government of Romania. Read more
- 1944 — King George II of Greece declares a regency, leaving the throne vacant. Read more
- 1943 — Subhas Chandra Bose raises the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair. Read more
- 1936 — The Flint sit-down strike hits General Motors. Read more
- 1935 — The Italian Air Force bombs a Swedish Red Cross hospital during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. Read more
- 1927 — The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo, Japan. Read more
- 1922 — The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is formed. Read more
- 1916 — Russian mystic and advisor to the Tsar Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is murdered by a loyalist group led by Prince Felix Yusupov. His frozen, partially-trussed body was discovered in a Petrograd river three days later. Read more
- 1916 — The last coronation in Hungary is performed for King Charles IV and Queen Zita. Read more
- 1906 — The All-India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India (later Dhaka, Bangladesh). Read more
- 1905 — Former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg is assassinated at the front gate of his home in Caldwell. Read more
- 1903 — A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills at least 605. Read more
- 1902 — The Discovery Expedition under Robert Falcon Scott attains a Farthest South at 82°17′S in Antarctica. Read more
- 1897 — The British Colony of Natal annexes Zululand. Read more
- 1896 — Filipino patriot and reform advocate José Rizal is executed by a Spanish firing squad in Manila. Read more
- 1896 — Canadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scores the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, and the Cup-winning goal as the Montreal Victorias defeat the Winnipeg Victorias 6–5. Read more
- 1890 — Following the Wounded Knee Massacre, the United States Army and Lakota warriors face off in the Drexel Mission Fight. Read more
- 1853 — Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest. Read more
- 1825 — The Treaty of St. Louis between the United States and the Shawnee Nation is proclaimed. Read more
- 1816 — The Treaty of St. Louis between the United States and the united Ottawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi Indian tribes is proclaimed. Read more
- 1813 — War of 1812: British soldiers burn Buffalo, New York. Read more
- 1702 — Queen Anne's War: James Moore, Governor of the Province of Carolina, abandons the Siege of St. Augustine. Read more
- 1641 — Reapers' War: Louis XIII of France swears the Catalan constitutions, being appointed Count of Barcelona and thus establishing the personal union of the Principality of Catalonia with the Kingdom of France. Read more
- 1460 — Wars of the Roses: Lancastrians kill the 3rd Duke of York and win the Battle of Wakefield. Read more
- 1419 — Hundred Years' War: Battle of La Rochelle. Read more
- 1066 — Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in Granada, crucifies Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and massacres most of the Jewish population of the city. Read more
- 999 — Battle of Glenmama: The combined forces of Munster and Meath under king Brian Boru inflict a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin near Lyons Hill in Ireland. Read more
- 534 — The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian comes into effect in the Byzantine Empire. Read more
Born on December 30
- 1995 — Igor Shesterkin, Russian hockey goaltender Read more
- 1995 — Joshua, American singer Read more
- 1995 — Ollie Watkins, English footballer Read more
- 1995 — V, South Korean singer Read more
- 1992 — Ryan Tunnicliffe, English footballer Read more
- 1992 — Carson Wentz, American football player Read more
- 1991 — Camila Giorgi, Italian tennis player Read more
- 1990 — Bruno Henrique, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Joe Root, English cricketer Read more
- 1990 — C. J. Wilcox, American basketball player Read more
- 1989 — Tyler Anderson, American baseball player Read more
- 1989 — Ryan Sheckler, American skateboarder and entrepreneur Read more
- 1989 — Kateřina Vaňková, Czech tennis player Read more
- 1987 — Jakub Nakládal, Czech ice hockey player Read more
- 1986 — Domenico Criscito, Italian footballer Read more
- 1986 — Ellie Goulding, English singer-songwriter and producer Read more
- 1986 — Caity Lotz, American actress Read more
- 1986 — Jeff Ward, American actor Read more
- 1986 — Gianni Zuiverloon, Dutch footballer Read more
- 1985 — Lars Boom, Dutch cyclist Read more
- 1985 — Bryson Goodwin, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1985 — Anna Wood, American actress Read more
- 1984 — Randall Azofeifa, Costa Rican footballer Read more
- 1984 — Andra Day, American singer and songwriter Read more
- 1984 — LeBron James, American basketball player, producer and businessman Read more
- 1983 — Eddie Edwards, American professional wrestler Read more
- 1983 — Nick Symmonds, American runner Read more
- 1983 — Kevin Systrom, American computer programmer and businessman, co-founded Instagram Read more
- 1982 — Kristin Kreuk, Canadian actress Read more
- 1982 — Tobias Kurbjuweit, German footballer Read more
- 1982 — Dawan Landry, American football player Read more
- 1981 — Ali Al-Habsi, Omani footballer Read more
- 1981 — Cédric Carrasso, French footballer Read more
- 1981 — Michael Rodríguez, Costa Rican footballer Read more
- 1981 — Matt Ulrich, American football player Read more
- 1980 — Eliza Dushku, American former actress and producer Read more
- 1980 — D. J. Mbenga, Congolese-Belgian basketball player Read more
- 1980 — Alison McGovern, British politician Read more
- 1979 — Michael Grimm, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1978 — Devin Brown, American basketball player Read more
Died on December 30
- 2025 — Khaleda Zia, Bangladeshi politician, Former prime minister of Bangladesh Read more
- 2023 — Bryan Ansell, British role-playing and wargame designer (born 1955) Read more
- 2023 — Tom Wilkinson, English actor (born 1948) Read more
- 2023 — Aki Yashiro, Japanese singer (born 1950) Read more
- 2022 — Barbara Walters, American journalist, producer, and author (born 1929) Read more
- 2020 — Dawn Wells, American actress, (born 1938) Read more
- 2017 — Erica Garner, American civil rights activist (born 1990) Read more
- 2015 — Doug Atkins, American football player (born 1930) Read more
- 2015 — Howard Davis, Jr., American boxer and trainer (born 1956) Read more
- 2015 — Mangesh Padgaonkar, Indian poet, playwright, and translator (born 1929) Read more
- 2015 — Howard Pawley, Canadian lawyer and politician, 18th Premier of Manitoba (born 1934) Read more
- 2014 — Terry Becker, American actor, director, and producer (born 1921) Read more
- 2014 — Jim Galloway, Scottish-Canadian clarinet player and saxophonist (born 1936) Read more
- 2014 — Luise Rainer, German-born American-British actress (born 1910) Read more
- 2013 — Kinnaird R. McKee, American admiral (born 1929) Read more
- 2013 — José María Maguregui, Spanish footballer and manager (born 1934) Read more
- 2013 — Eiichi Ohtaki, Japanese singer-songwriter and producer (born 1948) Read more
- 2013 — Johnny Orr, American basketball player and coach (born 1927) Read more
- 2013 — Paul Sally, American mathematician and academic (born 1933) Read more
- 2012 — Philip Coppens, Belgian-American journalist and author (born 1971) Read more
- 2012 — Beate Sirota Gordon, Austrian-American director and producer (born 1923) Read more
- 2012 — Rita Levi-Montalcini, Italian neurologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1909) Read more
- 2012 — Carl Woese, American microbiologist and biophysicist (born 1928) Read more
- 2012 — Dennis Ferguson, Australian sex offender (born 1948) Read more
- 2011 — Ronald Searle, English-French cartoonist (born 1920) Read more
- 2010 — Bobby Farrell, Dutch dancer and performer from Aruba (born 1949) Read more
- 2009 — Rowland S. Howard, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1959) Read more
- 2009 — Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian journalist and politician, fourth President of Indonesia (born 1940) Read more
- 2006 — Saddam Hussein, Iraqi general and politician, fifth President of Iraq (born 1937) Read more
- 2006 — Terry Peck, Falkland Islander police officer and spy (born 1938) Read more
- 2006 — Michel Plasse, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1948) Read more
- 2005 — Eddie Barlow, South African cricketer and coach (born 1940) Read more
- 2005 — Rona Jaffe, American novelist (born 1932) Read more
- 2004 — Artie Shaw, American clarinet player, composer, and bandleader (born 1910) Read more
- 2003 — John Gregory Dunne, American novelist, screenwriter, and critic (born 1932) Read more
- 2002 — Mary Brian, American actress (born 1906) Read more
- 2002 — Eleanor J. Gibson, American psychologist and academic (born 1910) Read more
- 2002 — Mary Wesley, English author (born 1912) Read more
- 2000 — Julius J. Epstein, American screenwriter and producer (born 1909) Read more
- 1999 — Joff Ellen, Australian comedian and actor (born 1915) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Abraham the Writer; Christian feast day:
Anysia of Salonika; Christian feast day:
Egwin of Evesham; Christian feast day:
Frances Joseph-Gaudet (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day:
Liberius of Ravenna; Christian feast day:
Pope Felix I; Christian feast day:
Ralph of Vaucelles; Christian feast day:
Roger of Cannae; Christian feast day:
December 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province (Slovakia); Rizal Day (Philippines); The fifth day of Kwanzaa (United States); The sixth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “December 30”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.