The Costa Concordia cruise ship runs aground off Italy, resulting in 32 deaths.
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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.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
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Algerian militants attack the Tigantourine gas facility, resulting in multiple casualties.
The first case of Ebola is confirmed in the United States, leading to an international health crisis.
The Charlie Hebdo shooting occurs in Paris, killing 12 people in an attack on the satirical magazine's office.
Implementation of the Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) begins following international agreement.
Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States.
The Women’s March takes place in Washington DC . to protest Donald Trump’s blatant misogyny and history of sexual assault. It was the single largest demonstration in the capital’s history, with over 500,000 people in attendance. Additional demonstrations, where hundreds of thousands of people gathered, took place in cities across the United States. More
A false missile alert causes panic in Hawaii, warning of an incoming ballistic missile threat.
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 due to the spread of COVID-19.
Basketball legend Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency.
At 11 p.m. GMT (midnight Central European Time), the UK formally withdraws its membership from the European Union (EU). An 11-month transition period begins immediately during which 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.