A false missile alert causes panic in Hawaii, warning of an incoming ballistic missile threat.
Browse Historical Events by Month:
What Happened in January?
Tragic deaths, ravaged cities, and great acts of heroism. Discover what happened this month in history and the defining moments that shaped the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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China successfully lands the Chang'e 4 spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, a first in human space exploration.
British Parliament rejects Theresa May's Brexit deal, leading to political uncertainty regarding the UK's departure from the EU.
Zimbabwe experiences protests and violent crackdowns over a significant fuel price hike.
A viral outbreak of the coronavirus begins in Wuhan, China, which later leads to a global pandemic.
A U.S. drone strike kills Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad, escalating tensions between the US and Iran.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 is shot down by Iran, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.
The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump begins in the U.S. Senate. Three weeks later on February 5 the U.S. Senate acquited President Donald Trump of impeachment charges on both articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress made by the House of Representatives in December 2019.
The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was diagnosed in Snohomish County, WA. The patient from had returned to the United States from Wuhan on January 15, 2020. The Seattle area became an early epicenter of the U.S. outbreak.
Notably, 39 residents of a nursing home in Kirkland, WA, died from complications from the virus during a span of one month. The CDC reported that 14 U.S. coronavirus cases were reported by public health agencies between January 21 and February 23, 2020; all patients had traveled to China. On February 26, the first non-travel case was confirmed in California, and the first U.S. death was reported on February 29. More than 110 Million cases were diagnosed in the U.S. alone.
The Chinese city of Wuhan is placed under lockdown on January 23, 2020, to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Basketball legend Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
At 11 p.m. GMT (midnight Central European Time) on January 31, 2020, the UK formally withdraws its membership from the European Union (EU). The departure initiated an 11-month transition period that concluded on December 31, 2020.
During the transition period. the UK was out of the EU but continued to follow most EU rules and trade arrangements. On January 1, 2021, the transition period ended and the UK officially left the EU's single market and customs union.
Democrats win both Senate seats in the State of Georgia's runoff elections, giving them control of the U.S. Senate.
Pro-Trump supporters storm the United States Capitol in a violent insurrection, disrupting the certification of Joe Biden's presidential victory forcing lawmakers into hiding.
Twitter permanently suspends then-President Donald Trump's account, citing the risk of further incitement of violence.
The U.S. House of Representatives impeaches President Donald Trump for the second time, charging him with "incitement of insurrection."
Uganda holds presidential elections, resulting in a controversial win for incumbent President Yoweri Museveni.
Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021 with Kamala Harris as Vice President.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) enters into force on January 22, 2021, 90 days after the 50th ratification, as per Article 15 of the Treaty. marking a significant step in nuclear disarmament efforts.
While major nuclear-armed states have not signed, the TPNW has strong support, with numerous countries as Parties and Signatories, creating a growing global norm against nuclear weapons.
Anti-government protests erupt in Russia, demanding the release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and Kremlin’s most prominent foe. Russian police arrested more than 850 protesters, some of whom took to the streets in minus 58 Fahrenheit frigid temperatures.