Tukuk-OS📅 July 31
18 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
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What happened on July 31? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2020 — A mid-air collision in Soldotna, Alaska, United States, killed seven people, including state representative Gary Knopp.
- 2012 — The largest power outage in history occurred across 22 Indian states, affecting more than 620 million people, or about 9 percent of the world's population.
- 2007 — The Troubles: Operation Banner, the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland, ended after 38 years with a military stalemate and ceasefire.
- 2006 — Following intestinal surgery, Fidel Castro provisionally transferred the duties of the Cuban presidency to his brother Raúl.
Fidel Castro2006–2008 Cuban transfer of presidential dutiesPresident of Cuba
- 2002 — Hamas attackers detonated a bomb at the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, killing nine students and injuring about 100 more.
- 2000 — Three years after being hit by a mudslide, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Hong Kong fully reopened.
- 1991 — Soviet Special Purpose Police Unit troops killed seven Lithuanian customs officials in Medininkai in the most serious attack of their campaign against Lithuanian border posts.
OMONMedininkaiSoviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts
- 1975 — The Troubles: In a botched paramilitary attack, three members of the popular Miami Showband and two Ulster Volunteer Force gunmen were killed in County Down, Northern Ireland.
- 1972 — The Troubles: Hours after the British Army's Operation Motorman brought an end to the self-declared autonomous area of Free Derry (Free Derry Corner pictured) in Northern Ireland, three car bombs exploded in the village of Claudy.
- 1966 — The pleasure cruiser MV Darlwyne disappeared off the coast of Cornwall with the loss of all 31 people aboard.
- 1954 — A team of Italian climbers became the first to reach the summit of K2, the world's second-highest mountain.
1954 Italian expedition to K2K2List of highest mountains on Earth
- 1941 — The Holocaust: Under instructions from Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring authorised SS officer Reinhard Heydrich to handle preparations for the "Final Solution of the Jewish question".
- 1924 — A private senator's bill by Herbert Payne to introduce compulsory voting in Australia became law.
Private member's billHerbert PayneElectoral system of Australia
- 1917 — First World War: The Battle of Passchendaele began near Ypres, Belgium, with the Allies aiming to force German troops to withdraw from the Channel Ports.
- 1874 — Patrick Francis Healy was inaugurated as president of Georgetown University, becoming the first African-American president of a predominantly white university in the United States.
- 1777 — The Second Continental Congress passed a resolution commissioning the Marquis de Lafayette (pictured) as a major general in the American revolutionary forces.
Second Continental CongressMarquis de LafayetteMajor general
- 1667 — The Second Anglo-Dutch War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Breda.
- 1009 — Sergius IV became the 142nd pope, succeeding John XVIII.
Births
- 2003 — Calvin Ramsay, Scottish footballer
- 2002 — João Gomes, Brazilian singer
- 2002 — Will Penisini, Australian-Tongan rugby league player
- 2000 — Kim Sae-ron, South Korean actress (died 2025)
- 1998 — Rico Rodriguez, American actor
- 1997 — Bobbi Althoff, American podcaster and influencer
- 1997 — Thomas Bryant, American basketball player
- 1995 — Lil Uzi Vert, American hip hop artist
- 1993 — Linus Ullmark, Swedish professional hockey player
- 1992 — José Fernández, Cuban-American baseball player (died 2016)
- 1992 — Ryan Johansen, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1992 — Kyle Larson, American race car driver
Deaths
- 2026 — Glenn A. Baker, Australian journalist and author (born 1952)
- 2026 — Franco Baresi, Italian footballer (born 1960)
- 2026 — Jakob Butturff, American bowler (born 1994)
- 2024 — Paul Bucha, United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (born 1943)
- 2024 — Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian politician, political leader of Hamas (born 1962/1963)
- 2023 — Angus Cloud, American actor (born 1998)
- 2022 — Fidel V. Ramos, 12th President of the Philippines (born 1928)
- 2022 — Bill Russell, NBA Hall of Fame player and coach (born 1934)
- 2020 — Alan Parker, English filmmaker (born 1944)
- 2019 — Harold Prince, Broadway producer and director, who received more Tony awards than anyone else in history (born 1928)
- 2018 — Tony Bullimore, British sailor and businessman (born 1939)
- 2017 — Jeanne Moreau, French actress (born 1928)
Observances & holidays
- Christian feast day: Abanoub
- Christian feast day: Blessed Cecília Schelingová
- Christian feast day: Blessed Solanus Casey
- Christian feast day: Fabius
- Christian feast day: Germanus of Auxerre
- Christian feast day: Giustino de Jacobis
- Christian feast day: Helena of Skövde
- Christian feast day: Ignatius of Loyola
- Christian feast day: Neot
- Christian feast day: July 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Earliest day on which the Feast of Kamál (Perfection) can fall, while August 1 is the latest; observed on the first day of the eighth month of the Baháʼí calendar. (Baháʼí Faith)
- End of the Trinity term (sitting of the High Court of Justice of England)
- Lā Hae Hawaiʻi Day (Hawaii, United States), and its related observance: Sovereignty Restoration Day (Hawaiian sovereignty movement)
- Martyrdom Day of Shahid Udham Singh (Haryana and Punjab, India)
- Treasury Day (Poland)
- Warriors' Day (Malaysia)
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