On this day: November 24

Deng Xiaoping Announces Major Economic Reforms, Paving Way for Market-Oriented Changes

On November 24, 1978, China under Deng Xiaoping signaled a decisive shift toward economic reform and opening, beginning a transition from strict Maoist central planning toward market-oriented policies and foreign engagement.

1994 Southeast Asia ferry fire kills hundreds aboard overcrowded vessel

On 24 November 1994 an overnight ferry in Southeast Asia caught fire and sank after a rapid blaze and possible explosions, killing an estimated hundreds of passengers and crew amid reports of overcrowding and limited safety equipment.

Anniversary of 79 AD Vesuvius Eruption Rekindles Concern in Naples

The anniversary of Mount Vesuvius’s catastrophic eruption on 24 November 79 AD— remembered for burying Pompeii and Herculaneum—has renewed attention to the volcano’s ongoing risk to the densely populated Naples area and efforts to monitor and prepare for future eruptions.