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On This Day in History — February 4

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Highlights of February 4

2015 — Shortly after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport, the crew of TransAsia Airways Flight 235 shut down the wrong engine in response to a flameout, leading to a crash that resulted in 43 deaths. Read more
2008 — The London low emission zone (sign pictured), charging certain diesel-powered commercial vehicles to enter Greater London, came into operation. Read more
1999 — Four plain-clothes New York City police officers shot and killed Amadou Diallo, an unarmed 23-year-old immigrant from Guinea, prompting outrage both in and outside the city. Read more
1999 — The Philippine-flagged freighter New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay, Oregon, causing one of the worst oil spills in the state's history. Read more
1998 — An earthquake registering 5.9 MW struck northern Afghanistan, triggering landslides that killed over 2,300 people and destroyed around 15,000 homes. Read more
1974 — American newspaper heiress and socialite Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army, which she later joined. Read more
1974 — The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army bombed a motor coach carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel and their family members, killing twelve people. Read more
1969 — Yasser Arafat (pictured) was elected chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Read more
1945 — World War II: American forces liberated the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila, the largest Japanese-run internment camp for enemy civilians in the Philippines. Read more
1899 — The Philippine–American War began when an American soldier, under orders to keep insurgents away from his unit's encampment, fired on a Filipino soldier in Manila. Read more
1859 — Constantin von Tischendorf rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century great uncial codex of the Bible in Greek, in Saint Catherine's Monastery, Egypt. Read more
1820 — Chilean War of Independence: Chilean forces captured the city of Valdivia. Read more
1801 — John Marshall, whose court opinions helped lay the basis for U.S. constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a coequal branch of government, took office as chief justice. Read more
1797 — The Riobamba earthquake, the most powerful in Ecuador's history, devastated Riobamba and many other cities, causing at least 6,000 casualties. Read more
1555 — Marian Restoration: Because he opposed Catholicism, John Rogers was burned at the stake (pictured) as the first English Protestant executed for heresy under the reign of Mary I. Read more
1488 — Bartolomeu Dias landed in Mossel Bay, becoming the first European known to have sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, the southern tip of Africa, beginning Portuguese influence and trade in the Indian Ocean. Read more
1169 — A strong earthquake struck the eastern coast of Sicily, causing at least 15,000 deaths. Read more
960 — Emperor Taizu (pictured) came to power, initiating the Song dynasty of China that eventually lasted for more than three centuries. Read more

Events

2025 — Ten people are killed in a mass shooting at an adult education centre in Örebro, Sweden. Read more
2020 — The COVID-19 pandemic causes all casinos in Macau to be closed down for 15 days. Read more
2015 — TransAsia Airways Flight 235, with 58 people on board, en route from the Taiwanese capital Taipei to Kinmen, crashes into the Keelung River just after takeoff, killing 43 people. Read more
2008 — Civic mobilizations in Colombia against FARC, under the name A million voices against the FARC. Read more
2004 — Facebook, a mainstream online social networking site, is founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin. Read more
2003 — The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia adopts a new constitution, becoming a loose confederacy between Montenegro and Serbia. Read more
2000 — The World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium, Charter of Paris is signed by the President of France, Jacques Chirac and the Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, initiating World Cancer Day which is held on February 4 every year. Read more
1999 — Unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo is shot 19 times by four plainclothes New York City police officers on an unrelated stake-out, inflaming race relations in the city. Read more
1998 — The 5.9 Mw Afghanistan earthquake shakes the Takhar Province with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). With 2,323 killed, and 818 injured, damage is considered extreme. Read more
1997 — En route to Lebanon, two Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 troop-transport helicopters collide in mid-air over northern Galilee, Israel, killing 73. Read more
1997 — The Bojnurd earthquake measuring Mw 6.5 strikes Iran. With a Mercalli intensity of VIII, it kills at least 88 and damages 173 villages. Read more
1992 — A coup d'état is led by Hugo Chávez against Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Read more
1977 — A Chicago Transit Authority elevated train rear-ends another and derails, killing 11 and injuring 180, the worst accident in the agency's history. Read more
1976 — In Guatemala and Honduras an earthquake kills more than 22,000. Read more
1975 — Haicheng earthquake (magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale) occurs in Haicheng, Liaoning, China. Read more
1974 — The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnaps Patty Hearst in Berkeley, California. Read more
1974 — M62 coach bombing: The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) explodes a bomb on a bus carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel in Yorkshire, England. Nine soldiers and three civilians are killed. Read more
1967 — Lunar Orbiter program: Lunar Orbiter 3 lifts off from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 13 on its mission to identify possible landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo spacecraft. Read more
1966 — All Nippon Airways Flight 60 plunges into Tokyo Bay, killing 133. Read more
1961 — The Angolan War of Independence and the greater Portuguese Colonial War begin. Read more
1948 — Ceylon (later renamed Sri Lanka) becomes independent within the British Commonwealth. Read more
1945 — World War II: Santo Tomas Internment Camp is liberated from Japanese authority. Read more
1945 — World War II: The Yalta Conference between the "Big Three" (Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin) opens at the Livadia Palace in the Crimea. Read more
1945 — World War II: The British Indian Army and Imperial Japanese Army begin a series of battles known as the Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations. Read more
1941 — The United Service Organization (USO) is created to entertain American troops. Read more
1938 — Adolf Hitler appoints himself as head of the Armed Forces High Command. Read more
1932 — Second Sino-Japanese War: Harbin, Manchuria, falls to Japan. Read more
1899 — The Philippine–American War begins when four Filipino soldiers enter the "American Zone" in Manila, igniting the Battle of Manila. Read more
1861 — American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, delegates from six breakaway U.S. states meet and initiate the process that would form the Confederate States of America on February 8. Read more
1859 — The Codex Sinaiticus is discovered in Egypt. Read more
1846 — The first Mormon pioneers make their exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, westward towards Salt Lake Valley. Read more
1825 — The Ohio Legislature authorizes the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal. Read more
1820 — The Chilean Navy under the command of Lord Cochrane completes the two-day long Capture of Valdivia with just 300 men and two ships. Read more
1810 — Napoleonic Wars: Britain seizes Guadeloupe. Read more
1801 — John Marshall is sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States. Read more
1797 — The Riobamba earthquake strikes Ecuador, causing up to 40,000 casualties. Read more
1794 — The French legislature abolishes slavery throughout all territories of the French First Republic. It would be reestablished in the French West Indies in 1802. Read more
1789 — George Washington is unanimously elected as the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College. Read more
1758 — The city of Macapá in Brazil is founded by Sebastião Veiga Cabral. Read more
1703 — In Edo (now Tokyo), all but one of the Forty-seven Ronin commit seppuku (ritual suicide) as recompense for avenging their master's death. Read more
1555 — John Rogers is burned at the stake, becoming the first English Protestant martyr under Queen Mary I. Read more
1454 — Thirteen Years' War: The Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sends a formal act of disobedience to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, sparking the Thirteen Years' War. Read more
1169 — A strong earthquake strikes the Ionian coast of Sicily, causing tens of thousands of injuries and deaths, especially in Catania. Read more
960 — Zhao Kuangyin declares himself Emperor Taizu of Song, ending the Later Zhou and beginning the Song dynasty. Read more
211 — Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrelling sons, Caracalla and Geta, whom he had instructed to make peace. Read more

Born on February 4

2003 — Kyla Kenedy, American actress Read more
2003 — Rasmus Højlund, Danish footballer Read more
1999 — MJ Lenderman, American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Read more
1998 — Malik Monk, American basketball player Read more
1998 — Maximilian Wöber, Austrian footballer Read more
1996 — Mohamed Sherif, Egyptian footballer Read more
1990 — Haruka Tomatsu, Japanese voice actress and singer Read more
1989 — Lavoy Allen, American basketball player Read more
1988 — Charlie Barnett, American actor Read more
1988 — Carly Patterson, American gymnast and singer Read more
1987 — Darren O'Dea, Irish footballer Read more
1987 — Lucie Šafářová, Czech tennis player Read more
1986 — Maximilian Götz, German racing driver Read more
1986 — Mahmudullah Riyad, Bangladeshi cricketer Read more
1984 — Doug Fister, American baseball player Read more
1984 — Mauricio Pinilla, Chilean footballer Read more
1983 — Hannibal Buress, American comedian and actor Read more
1983 — Rebecca White, Australian politician Read more
1982 — Ivars Timermanis, Latvian basketball player Read more
1981 — Jason Kapono, American basketball player Read more
1981 — Johan Vansummeren, Belgian cyclist Read more
1980 — Raimonds Vaikulis, Latvian basketball player Read more
1979 — Giorgio Pantano, Italian racing driver Read more
1977 — Gavin DeGraw, American singer-songwriter Read more
1976 — Cam'ron, American rapper and actor Read more
1975 — Natalie Imbruglia, Australian singer-songwriter and actress Read more
1973 — Oscar De La Hoya, American boxer Read more
1972 — Giovanni, Brazilian footballer and manager Read more
1972 — Dara Ó Briain, Irish comedian and television host Read more
1971 — Rob Corddry, American actor, producer, and screenwriter Read more
1971 — Michael A. Goorjian, American actor, director, and writer Read more
1970 — Gabrielle Anwar, English-American actress Read more
1970 — Hunter Biden, American attorney and lobbyist Read more
1967 — Sergei Grinkov, Russian figure skater (died 1995) Read more
1966 — Viatcheslav Ekimov, Russian cyclist Read more
1965 — Jerome Brown, American football player (died 1992) Read more
1964 — Elke Philipp, German Paralympic equestrian Read more
1963 — Noodles, American musician and songwriter Read more
1963 — Pirmin Zurbriggen, Swiss skier Read more
1962 — Clint Black, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Read more

Died on February 4

2025 — Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili community (born 1936) Read more
2024 — Barry John, Welsh rugby player (born 1945) Read more
2023 — Vani Jairam, Indian playback singer (born 1945) Read more
2023 — Sherif Ismail, 53rd Prime Minister of Egypt (born 1955) Read more
2022 — Kim In-hyeok, South Korean volleyball player (born 1995) Read more
2021 — Millie Hughes-Fulford, American astronaut, molecular biologist and NASA payload specialist (born 1945) Read more
2020 — Daniel arap Moi, Former President of Kenya (born 1924) Read more
2019 — Matti Nykänen, Finnish Olympic-winning ski jumper and singer (born 1963) Read more
2018 — John Mahoney, English-American actor, voice artist, and comedian (born 1940) Read more
2017 — Steve Lang, Canadian bass player (born 1949) Read more
2017 — Bano Qudsia, Pakistani writer (born 1928) Read more
2016 — Edgar Mitchell, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (born 1930) Read more
2015 — Fitzhugh L. Fulton, American colonel and pilot (born 1925) Read more
2014 — Keith Allen, Canadian-American ice hockey player, coach, and manager (born 1923) Read more
2014 — Eugenio Corti, Italian soldier, author, and playwright (born 1921) Read more
2014 — Dennis Lota, Zambian footballer (born 1973) Read more
2013 — Donald Byrd, American trumpet player (born 1932) Read more
2013 — Reg Presley, English singer-songwriter (born 1941) Read more
2012 — István Csurka, Hungarian journalist and politician (born 1934) Read more
2012 — Florence Green, English soldier (born 1901) Read more
2012 — Robert Daniel, American farmer, soldier, and politician (born 1936) Read more
2012 — Mike deGruy, American director, producer, and cinematographer (born 1951) Read more
2012 — Susanne Suba, Hungarian-born watercolorist and illustrator, active in the United States (born 1913) Read more
2011 — Martial Célestin, Haitian lawyer and politician, first Prime Minister of Haiti (born 1913) Read more
2010 — Kostas Axelos, Greek-French philosopher and author (born 1924) Read more
2010 — Helen Tobias-Duesberg, Estonian-American composer (born 1919) Read more
2008 — Augusta Dabney, American actress (born 1918) Read more
2008 — Stefan Meller, Polish academic and politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland (born 1942) Read more
2007 — José Carlos Bauer, Brazilian footballer and manager (born 1925) Read more
2007 — Ilya Kormiltsev, Russian-English poet and translator (born 1959) Read more
2007 — Barbara McNair, American singer and actress (born 1934) Read more
2007 — Jules Olitski, Ukrainian-American painter and sculptor (born 1922) Read more
2007 — Alfred Worm, Austrian journalist, author, and academic (born 1945) Read more
2006 — Betty Friedan, American author and activist (born 1921) Read more
2005 — Ossie Davis, American actor, director, and playwright (born 1917) Read more
2004 — Hilda Hilst, Brazilian poet, novelist, and playwright (born 1930) Read more
2003 — Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algerian pharmacist and politician (born 1920) Read more
2002 — Count Sigvard Bernadotte of Wisborg (born 1907) Read more
2000 — Carl Albert, American lawyer and politician, 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1908) Read more
1995 — Patricia Highsmith, American novelist and short story writer (born 1921) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Andrew Corsini; Christian feast day: Eduardo Francisco Pironio; Christian feast day: Gilbert of Sempringham; Christian feast day: John de Brito; Christian feast day: Goldrofe of Arganil; Christian feast day: Blessed Rabanus Maurus; Christian feast day: Rimbert; Christian feast day: February 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of the Armed Struggle (Angola); Earliest day on which Ash Wednesday can fall, while March 10 is the latest; celebrated on the first day of Lent (Western Christianity); Independence Day (Sri Lanka); Rosa Parks Day (California and Missouri, United States); World Cancer Day; International Day of Human Fraternity

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “February 4”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.