On This Day in History — January 25

Highlights of January 25

• 2011 — Arab Spring: The Egyptian revolution began with protests on the "Day of Anger", eventually leading to the removal of President Hosni Mubarak after nearly 30 years of rule. Read more
• 2010 — Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, en route to Addis Ababa, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff from Beirut, Lebanon, killing all 90 people on board. Read more
• 2010 — Avatar, a science-fiction film directed by James Cameron, became the highest-grossing film of all time. Read more
• 2006 — Three independent observing campaigns announced the discovery of OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, a super-Earth 21,500 ± 3,300 light-years away from Earth near the center of the Milky Way. Read more
• 2004 — Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on Mars and rolled into Eagle crater, a small crater on the Meridiani Planum. Read more
• 1998 — The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam detonated a truck bomb at the sacred Buddhist Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, killing 17 people. Read more
• 1995 — A team of Norwegian and American scientists launched a Black Brant XII sounding rocket, which was mistaken by Russian forces for a Trident missile. Read more
• 1993 — Pakistani national Mir Aimal Kansi shot five people outside the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia, killing two. Read more
• 1990 — Avianca Flight 52 ran out of fuel on approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport and crashed into the village of Cove Neck, New York, resulting in the deaths of 73 people. Read more
• 1971 — Idi Amin seized power from Ugandan president Milton Obote in a coup d'état, beginning eight years of military rule. Read more
• 1967 — South Vietnamese junta leader Nguyễn Cao Kỳ fired his rival Nguyễn Hữu Có while the latter was overseas on a diplomatic visit. Read more
• 1944 — Representatives of the Chetnik movement began a four-day congress to organise political opposition to the Allied support of the communist-led Yugoslav Partisans in Yugoslavia. Read more
• 1932 — The Alt Llobregat insurrection was suppressed in central Catalonia, and over 100 Catalan anarchist activists were arrested and deported. Read more
• 1917 — Serving as a British armed merchant cruiser, Laurentic (pictured) was sunk by German naval mines off the northern coast of Ireland, resulting in 354 deaths. Read more
• 1890 — American journalist Nellie Bly (pictured) completed a circumnavigation of the globe by land and sea in a then-record-breaking 72 days. Read more
• 1792 — Thomas Hardy founded the London Corresponding Society to seek a "radical reform of parliament", later influencing the reform movements of early-19th-century England. Read more
• 1765 — Port Egmont, the first British colony in the Falkland Islands, was founded. Read more
• 1725 — Privateer Amaro Pargo was declared a hidalgo, a member of the Spanish nobility. Read more
• 1704 — English colonists from the Province of Carolina and their native allies began a series of raids against the largely peaceful population of Apalachee in Spanish Florida. Read more
• 1533 — Anne Boleyn (depicted), already pregnant with the future Elizabeth I, secretly married Henry VIII of England in the second of his six marriages. Read more
• 1515 — Francis I, a great-great-grandson of Charles V, was crowned king of France in the Reims Cathedral. Read more

Events

• 2019 — A mining company's dam collapses in Brumadinho, Brazil, a south-eastern city, killing 270 people. Read more
• 2018 — An Ariane 5 rocket is launched carrying SES-14, Al Yah 3, and NASA's Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk, but the satellites end up in the wrong orbit. Read more
• 2015 — A clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in the Philippines kills 44 members of Special Action Force (SAF), at least 18 from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and five from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. Read more
• 2013 — At least 50 people are killed and 120 people are injured in a prison riot in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Read more
• 2011 — The first wave of the Egyptian revolution begins throughout the country, marked by street demonstrations, rallies, acts of civil disobedience, riots, labour strikes, and violent clashes. Read more
• 2010 — Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashes into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Na'ameh, Lebanon, killing 90. Read more
• 2006 — Mexican professional wrestler Juana Barraza is arrested in connection with the serial killing of at least ten elderly women. Read more
• 2005 — A stampede at the Mandhradevi temple in Maharashtra, India kills at least 258. Read more
• 2003 — Invasion of Iraq: A group of people leave London, England, for Baghdad, Iraq, to serve as human shields, intending to prevent the U.S.-led coalition troops from bombing certain locations. Read more
• 1999 — A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hits western Colombia killing at least 1,000. Read more
• 1998 — During a historic visit to Cuba, Pope John Paul II demands political reforms and the release of political prisoners while condemning US attempts to isolate the country. Read more
• 1998 — A suicide attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Sri Lanka's Temple of the Tooth kills eight and injures 25 others. Read more
• 1996 — Billy Bailey becomes the last person to be hanged in the United States. Read more
• 1995 — The Norwegian rocket incident: Russia almost launches a nuclear attack after it mistakes Black Brant XII, a Norwegian research rocket, for a US Trident missile. Read more
• 1994 — The spacecraft Clementine by BMDO and NASA is launched. Read more
• 1993 — Five people are shot outside the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Two are killed and three wounded. Read more
• 1990 — Avianca Flight 052 crashes in Cove Neck, New York, killing 73. Read more
• 1986 — The National Resistance Movement topples the government of Tito Okello in Uganda. Read more
• 1980 — Mother Teresa is honored with India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. Read more
• 1979 — Pope John Paul II starts his first official papal visits outside Italy to The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. Read more
• 1971 — Charles Manson and four "Family" members (three of them female) are found guilty of the 1969 Tate–LaBianca murders. Read more
• 1971 — Idi Amin leads a coup deposing Milton Obote and becomes Uganda's president. Read more
• 1969 — Brazilian Army captain Carlos Lamarca deserts in order to fight against the military dictatorship, taking with him ten machine guns and 63 rifles. Read more
• 1967 — South Vietnamese junta leader and Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky fires rival, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Nguyen Huu Co, while the latter is overseas on a diplomatic visit. Read more
• 1964 — Blue Ribbon Sports, which would later become Nike, is founded by University of Oregon track and field athletes. Read more
• 1961 — In Washington, D.C., US President John F. Kennedy delivers the first live presidential television news conference. Read more
• 1961 — Walt Disney Productions released the animated feature One Hundred and One Dalmatians, based on Dodie Smith's 1956 children's novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Read more
• 1960 — The National Association of Broadcasters in the United States reacts to the "payola" scandal by threatening fines for any disc jockeys who accept money for playing particular records. Read more
• 1949 — The first Emmy Awards are presented in the United States; the venue is the Hollywood Athletic Club. Read more
• 1947 — Thomas Goldsmith Jr. files a patent for a "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device", the first ever electronic game. Read more
• 1946 — The United Mine Workers rejoins the American Federation of Labor. Read more
• 1946 — United Nations Security Council Resolution 1 relating to Military Staff Committee is adopted. Read more
• 1945 — World War II: The Battle of the Bulge ends. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: Thailand declares war on the United States and United Kingdom. Read more
• 1941 — Pope Pius XII elevates the Apostolic Vicariate of the Hawaiian Islands to the dignity of a diocese. It becomes the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. Read more
• 1937 — The Guiding Light debuts on NBC radio from Chicago. In 1952 it moves to CBS television, where it remains until September 18, 2009. Read more
• 1932 — Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chinese National Revolutionary Army begins the defense of Harbin. Read more
• 1932 — Alt Llobregat insurrection suppressed in Central Catalonia, Spain. Read more
• 1924 — The 1924 Winter Olympics opens in Chamonix, in the French Alps, inaugurating the Winter Olympic Games. Read more
• 1918 — The Ukrainian People's Republic declares independence from Soviet Russia. Read more
• 1918 — The Finnish Defence Forces (The White Guards) are established as the official army of independent Finland, and Baron C. G. E. Mannerheim is appointed its Commander-in-Chief. Read more
• 1917 — Sinking of the SS Laurentic after hitting two German mines off the coast of northwest Ireland. Read more
• 1915 — Alexander Graham Bell inaugurates U.S. transcontinental telephone service, speaking from New York to Thomas Watson in San Francisco. Read more
• 1909 — Richard Strauss's opera Elektra receives its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera. Read more
• 1890 — Nellie Bly completes her round-the-world journey in 72 days. Read more
• 1881 — Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company. Read more
• 1879 — The Bulgarian National Bank is founded. Read more
• 1858 — The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn is played at the marriage of Queen Victoria's daughter, Victoria, and Friedrich of Prussia, and becomes a popular wedding processional. Read more
• 1819 — University of Virginia chartered by Commonwealth of Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson one of its founders. Read more
• 1792 — The London Corresponding Society is founded. Read more
• 1791 — The British Parliament passes the Constitutional Act of 1791 and splits the old Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Read more
• 1787 — Shays' Rebellion: The rebellion's largest confrontation, outside the Springfield Armory, results in the killing of four rebels and the wounding of twenty. Read more
• 1704 — The Apalachee massacre: A combined British and Muscogee force from the Province of Carolina destroys the main fortified mission of Ayubale, breaking Spain's hold on Spanish Florida. Read more
• 1650 — As part of the purges following the Great Potosí Mint Fraud of 1649 Francisco Gómez de la Rocha, a rich former corregidor of Potosí, is executed. Read more
• 1585 — Walter Raleigh is knighted, shortly after renaming a North American region as "Virginia", in honour of Elizabeth I, Queen of England, sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Read more
• 1575 — Luanda, the capital of Angola, is founded by the Portuguese navigator Paulo Dias de Novais. Read more
• 1573 — Battle of Mikatagahara: In Japan, Takeda Shingen defeats Tokugawa Ieyasu. Read more
• 1554 — São Paulo, Brazil, is founded by Jesuit priests. Read more
• 1533 — Henry VIII of England secretly marries his second wife Anne Boleyn. Read more
• 1515 — Coronation of Francis I of France takes place at Reims Cathedral, where the new monarch is anointed with the oil of Clovis and girt with the sword of Charlemagne. Read more

Born on January 25

• 2004 — Laila Edwards, American ice hockey player Read more
• 2002 — Lil Mosey, American rapper Read more
• 2001 — Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Italian tennis player Read more
• 1997 — Noah Hanifin, American ice hockey player Read more
• 1996 — Mohamed Hany, Egyptian footballer Read more
• 1996 — Seunghee, South Korean singer and television personality Read more
• 1996 — Adama Traoré, Spanish footballer Read more
• 1991 — Ariana DeBose, American actress, singer, and dancer Read more
• 1991 — Ahmed Hegazi, Egyptian footballer Read more
• 1990 — Apostolos Giannou, Greek-Australian footballer Read more
• 1990 — Lee Jun-ho, South Korean singer and actor Read more
• 1988 — Tatiana Golovin, French tennis player Read more
• 1988 — Ryota Ozawa, Japanese actor Read more
• 1987 — Maria Kirilenko, Russian tennis player Read more
• 1986 — Chris O'Grady, English footballer Read more
• 1985 — Brent Celek, American football player Read more
• 1985 — Hwang Jung-eum, South Korean actress Read more
• 1985 — Tina Karol, Ukrainian singer and Eurovision Song Contest 2006 contestant Read more
• 1985 — Acie Law, American basketball player Read more
• 1985 — Hartley Sawyer, American actor Read more
• 1985 — Michael Trevino, American actor Read more
• 1985 — Patrick Willis, American football player Read more
• 1984 — Jay Briscoe, American wrestler (died 2023) Read more
• 1984 — Stefan Kießling, German footballer Read more
• 1984 — Robinho, Brazilian footballer Read more
• 1984 — Fara Williams, English footballer Read more
• 1983 — Josh Powell, American basketball player Read more
• 1981 — Francis Jeffers, English footballer Read more
• 1981 — Alicia Keys, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress Read more
• 1981 — Toše Proeski, Macedonian singer (died 2007) Read more
• 1980 — Alayna Burns, Australian track cyclist Read more
• 1980 — Michelle McCool, American wrestler Read more
• 1980 — Xavi, Spanish footballer Read more
• 1979 — Christine Lakin, American actress and director Read more
• 1979 — David Mutendera, Zimbabwean cricketer Read more
• 1979 — Rodrigo Ribeiro, Brazilian racing driver Read more
• 1978 — Charlene, Princess of Monaco Read more
• 1978 — Ahmet Dursun, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1978 — Denis Menchov, Russian cyclist Read more
• 1978 — Derrick Turnbow, American baseball player Read more

Died on January 25

• 2025 — Gloria Romero, Filipino actress (born 1933) Read more
• 2024 — Sanath Nishantha, Sri Lankan politician (born 1975) Read more
• 2018 — Neagu Djuvara, Romanian historian, essayist, philosopher, journalist, novelist and diplomat (born 1916) Read more
• 2017 — Stephen P. Cohen, Canadian academic (born 1945) Read more
• 2017 — Robert Garcia, American politician (born 1933) Read more
• 2017 — John Hurt, English actor (born 1940) Read more
• 2017 — Harry Mathews, American novelist and poet (born 1930) Read more
• 2017 — Marcel Prud'homme, Canadian politician (born 1934) Read more
• 2017 — Mary Tyler Moore, American actress and producer (born 1936) Read more
• 2015 — John Leggett, American author and academic (born 1917) Read more
• 2015 — Richard McBrien, American priest, theologian, and academic (born 1936) Read more
• 2015 — Bill Monbouquette, American baseball player and coach (born 1936) Read more
• 2015 — Demis Roussos, Egyptian-Greek singer (born 1946) Read more
• 2014 — Arthur Doyle, American singer-songwriter, saxophonist, and flute player (born 1944) Read more
• 2014 — Heini Halberstam, Czech-English mathematician and academic (born 1926) Read more
• 2014 — Dave Strack, American basketball player and coach (born 1923) Read more
• 2014 — Morrie Turner, American cartoonist (born 1923) Read more
• 2013 — Martial Asselin, Canadian lawyer and politician, 25th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (born 1924) Read more
• 2013 — Kevin Heffernan, Irish footballer and manager (born 1929) Read more
• 2013 — Aase Nordmo Løvberg, Norwegian soprano and actress (born 1923) Read more
• 2012 — Paavo Berglund, Finnish violinist and conductor (born 1929) Read more
• 2012 — Jacques Maisonrouge, French businessman (born 1924) Read more
• 2012 — Franco Pacini, Italian astrophysicist and academic (born 1939) Read more
• 2012 — Robert Sheran, American lawyer, judge, and politician (born 1916) Read more
• 2011 — Vassilis C. Constantakopoulos Greek captain and businessman (born 1935) Read more
• 2011 — Vincent Cronin, Welsh historian and author (born 1924) Read more
• 2010 — Ali Hassan al-Majid, Iraqi general and politician, Iraqi Minister of Defence (born 1941) Read more
• 2009 — Eleanor F. Helin, American astronomer (born 1932) Read more
• 2009 — Ewald Kooiman, Dutch organist and educator (born 1938) Read more
• 2009 — Kim Manners, American director and producer (born 1951) Read more
• 2005 — Stanisław Albinowski, Polish economist and journalist (born 1923) Read more
• 2005 — William Augustus Bootle, American lawyer and judge (born 1902) Read more
• 2005 — Philip Johnson, American architect, designed the PPG Place and Crystal Cathedral (born 1906) Read more
• 2005 — Manuel Lopes, Cape Verdean author and poet (born 1907) Read more
• 2005 — Netti Witziers-Timmer, Dutch runner (born 1923) Read more
• 2004 — Fanny Blankers-Koen, Dutch runner and hurdler (born 1918) Read more
• 2004 — Miklós Fehér, Hungarian footballer (born 1979) Read more
• 2003 — Sheldon Reynolds, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1923) Read more
• 2003 — Samuel Weems, American lawyer and author (born 1936) Read more
• 2002 — Cliff Baxter, employee at Enron (born 1958) Read more

Holidays & observances

Betico Day (Aruba); Burns Night (Scotland); Christian feast day: Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Wales); Christian feast day: Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches, which concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity); Christian feast day: Gregory the Theologian (Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Church); Christian feast day: The last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Christian ecumenism); Christian feast day: January 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); National Nutrition Day (Indonesia); National Police Day (Egypt); National Voters' Day (India); Revolution Day 2011 (Egypt); Tatiana Day or Russian Students Day (Russia, Eastern Orthodox)

More from the Almanac

Sunrise & SunsetStar TransitMoon & Planting CalendarsAncient Measures