December 30th

Samoa and Tokelau skipped December 30. The South Pacific Ocean Islands changed their time zone and move west of the international dateline to align their time zone with their major trading partners, Australia and New Zealand. In doing so, they skipped December 30 and moved directly from December 29 to December 31. 119 years ago, Samoa had made a similar shift, eastwards of the dateline, to synchronize its time with the United States. Today, Samoa follows West Samoa Time, which is 13 hours ahead of UTC.

Saddam Hussein executed. The deposed president of Iraq was hanged after he was found guilty of crimes against humanity. Hussein was the fifth president of Iraq and came to power after a coup in 1968.

Highest barometric pressure recorded. At 2 am local time, the atmospheric pressure in Tosontsengel, Mongolia rose to 846.5 hPa (adjusted for height above sea level).

Lowest temperature ever recored in the UK. Altnaharra, a small hamlet in northern Scotland, recorded a temperature of −27.2°C (-16.96 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature had dipped this low once before in the UK - in Braemar, East Scotland on January 10, 1982

Israel and the Vatican signed an agreement of mutual recognition to put an end to Jewish-Christian hostilities.

President Nixon halted the heavy bombing on North Vietnam.

Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia become Independent states within the French Union.

Last king of Romania steps down. Michael I was forced to abdicate by the Communist Party of Romania. His first reign over the country was in 1927 as a 6-year old, and it lasted only 3 years until 1930. He was then reinstalled in 1940.

California's first freeway opened.

Astronomer Edwin Hubble formally announces existence of other galactic systems at meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

Creation of the USSR formally proclaimed in Moscow from the Bolshoi Theatre, Soviet Union organized as a federation of RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR, Belorussian SSR & Transcaucasian SSR.

Sun Yat-sen was elected the first president of the Republic of China.

The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, later laid down the foundations of Pakistan.

The United States bought some 45,000 sq mi of land from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase.

Tokyo hit by Earthquake. about 37,000 die

Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield (Northern England), Duke of York killed and his forces soundly defeated by forces for King Henry VI.