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On This Day in History — January 5

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Highlights of January 5

2009 — In Eng Foong Ho v Attorney-General, the Court of Appeal of Singapore held that equality before the law was satisfied by a "reasonable nexus" between state action and the object of the law. Read more
2008 — Mikheil Saakashvili was decisively re-elected as President of Georgia in "the first genuinely competitive presidential election" in the history of the country. Read more
2007 — The Taiwan High Speed Rail opened, connecting Taipei and Kaohsiung. Read more
2005 — The dwarf planet Eris was discovered by a team using images from the Samuel Oschin telescope at Palomar Observatory. Read more
2003 — The Metropolitan Police arrested six people in conjunction with an alleged terrorist plot to release ricin on the London Underground, although no toxin was found. Read more
2000 — Sri Lankan Tamil politician Kumar Ponnambalam was killed in an assassination suspected to have been sanctioned by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Read more
1991 — Georgian troops attacked Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian capital, beginning the First South Ossetia War. Read more
1991 — The embassy of the United States to Somalia was evacuated by helicopter airlift days after violence enveloped Mogadishu during the Somali Civil War. Read more
1976 — The Troubles: In response to the killings of six Catholics the previous night, South Armagh Republican Action Force gunmen killed ten Protestants in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Read more
1975 — The bulk carrier Lake Illawarra struck a bridge over the River Derwent in Hobart, Australia, causing the deaths of seven of the ship's crewmen and five motorists on the bridge. Read more
1970 — A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Tonghai County in southern China, killing at least 10,000 people and eventually spurring the creation of the nation's largest earthquake monitoring system. Read more
1949 — In his State of the Union speech, U.S. president Harry S. Truman (pictured) announced: "Every segment of our population, and every individual, has a right to expect from his government a fair deal." Read more
1941 — Second World War: Australian and British troops defeated Italian forces in Bardia, Libya, the first battle of the war in which an Australian Army formation took part. Read more
1933 — Construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge across the Straits of the Golden Gate, the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Read more
1925 — Nellie Tayloe Ross was inaugurated as Governor of Wyoming, the first woman to serve as the governor of a U.S. state. Read more
1922 — Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton (pictured) died of a heart attack during his final expedition. Read more
1919 — The German Workers' Party, the precursor of the Nazi Party, was founded by Anton Drexler. Read more
1869 — Te Kooti's War: After surviving a five-day siege in the pā at Ngātapa, Māori leader Te Kooti escaped from New Zealand's Armed Constabulary. Read more
1757 — King Louis XV survived an assassination attempt by Robert-François Damiens, who later became the last person in France to be executed by drawing and quartering. Read more
1675 — Franco-Dutch War: French troops defeated Austrian and Brandenburg forces at the Battle of Turckheim (pictured) in Alsace. Read more

Events

2024 — Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 makes an emergency landing at Portland International Airport after a door plug blows off the Boeing 737 MAX 9 operating the flight. There are no fatalities, but the accident prompts the 737 MAX to be grounded and renews scrutiny on Boeing's manufacturing and design issues. Read more
2023 — The 2023 Sinaloa unrest begins. Read more
2022 — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismisses Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and declares state of emergency over the 2022 Kazakh unrest. Read more
2014 — A launch of the communication satellite GSAT-14 aboard the GSLV MK.II D5 marks the first successful flight of an Indian cryogenic engine. Read more
2005 — The dwarf planet Eris is discovered by Palomar Observatory-based astronomers, later motivating the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to define the term planet for the first time. Read more
2003 — A suicide bombing at the Tel Aviv central bus station kills 23 people and injures over 100 more. Read more
1993 — The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands, spilling 84,700 tons of crude oil. Read more
1991 — Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, Georgia, opening the 1991–92 South Ossetia War. Read more
1991 — Somali Civil War: The United States Embassy to Somalia in Mogadishu is evacuated by helicopter airlift days after the outbreak of violence in Mogadishu. Read more
1976 — The Khmer Rouge announce that the new Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea is ratified. Read more
1976 — The Troubles: Gunmen shoot dead ten Protestant civilians after stopping their minibus at Kingsmill in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK, allegedly as retaliation for a string of attacks on Irish Catholic civilians in the area by Loyalists, particularly the killing of six Catholics the night before. Read more
1975 — The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, is struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra, killing twelve people. Read more
1972 — US President Richard Nixon announces the Space Shuttle program. Read more
1970 — The 7.1 Mw Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). Between 10,000 and 15,000 people are known to have been killed and about another 26,000 are injured. Read more
1970 — A Spantax Convair CV-990 Coronado crashes during takeoff from Stockholm Arlanda Airport, killing five people. Read more
1969 — The Venera 5 space probe is launched at 06:28:08 UTC from Baikonur. Read more
1969 — Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes in Fernhill, West Sussex, UK, while on approach to Gatwick Airport, killing 50 people. Read more
1968 — Alexander Dubček comes to power in Czechoslovakia, effectively beginning the "Prague Spring". Read more
1967 — Cultural Revolution: The Shanghai People's Commune is established following the seizure of power from local city officials by revolutionaries. Read more
1957 — In a speech given to the United States Congress, United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces the establishment of what will later be called the Eisenhower Doctrine. Read more
1953 — The play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett receives its première in Paris. Read more
1949 — In his State of the Union address, United States President Harry S. Truman unveils his Fair Deal program. Read more
1948 — The Semiramis Hotel bombing kills at least 23 people. Read more
1945 — The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland. Read more
1944 — The Daily Mail becomes the first major London newspaper to be published on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Read more
1941 — Amy Johnson, a 37-year-old pilot and the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia, disappears after bailing out of her plane over the River Thames, and is presumed dead. Read more
1933 — Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay. Read more
1925 — Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming becomes the first female governor in the United States. Read more
1919 — The German Workers' Party, which would become the Nazi Party, is founded in Munich. Read more
1914 — The Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and minimum daily wage of $5 in salary plus bonuses. Read more
1913 — First Balkan War: The Battle of Lemnos begins; Greek admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forces the Turkish fleet to retreat to its base within the Dardanelles, from which it did not venture for the rest of the war. Read more
1912 — The sixth All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Prague Party Conference) opens. In the course of the conference, Vladimir Lenin and his supporters break from the rest of the party to form the Bolshevik movement. Read more
1911 — Kappa Alpha Psi, the world's third-oldest and largest black fraternity, is founded at Indiana University. Read more
1900 — Irish nationalist leader John Edward Redmond calls for revolt against British rule. Read more
1895 — Dreyfus affair: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his rank and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. Read more
1875 — The Palais Garnier, one of the most famous opera houses in the world, is inaugurated in Paris. Read more
1822 — The government of Central America votes for total annexation to the First Mexican Empire. Read more
1781 — American Revolutionary War: Richmond, Virginia, is burned by British naval forces led by former American general Benedict Arnold. Read more
1757 — Louis XV of France survives an assassination attempt by Robert-François Damiens, who becomes the last person to be executed in France by drawing and quartering (the traditional form of capital punishment used for regicides). Read more
1675 — Battle of Colmar: The French army defeats forces from Austria and Brandenburg. Read more
1477 — Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is defeated and killed in a conflict with René II, Duke of Lorraine; Burgundy subsequently becomes part of France. Read more

Born on January 5

2009 — Walker Scobell, American actor Read more
2004 — Shane Wright, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
2001 — Mykhailo Mudryk, Ukrainian footballer Read more
2001 — Ellis Simms, English footballer Read more
2000 — Gastón Martirena, Uruguayan footballer Read more
1999 — Mattias Svanberg, Swedish footballer Read more
1999 — Filip Ugrinić, Swiss footballer Read more
1998 — Carles Aleñá, Spanish footballer Read more
1998 — Corey Horsburgh, Australian rugby league player Read more
1997 — Jesús Vallejo, Spanish footballer Read more
1996 — James Fisher-Harris, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
1996 — Nicolás Tripichio, Argentine footballer Read more
1996 — Tyler Ulis, American basketball player and coach Read more
1995 — Toafofoa Sipley, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
1994 — Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Australian rugby league player Read more
1994 — Zemgus Girgensons, Latvian ice hockey player Read more
1994 — Matt Grzelcyk, American ice hockey player Read more
1994 — Tyrone Phillips, Australian rugby league player Read more
1994 — Gustavo Scarpa, Brazilian footballer Read more
1993 — Phillip Dorsett, American football player Read more
1993 — Franz Drameh, English actor Read more
1993 — Stefan Rzadzinski, Canadian race car driver Read more
1992 — Mike Faist, American actor, singer, and dancer Read more
1992 — Suki Waterhouse, English actress, singer-songwriter, and model Read more
1991 — Denis Alibec, Romanian footballer Read more
1991 — Eric Fisher, American football player Read more
1990 — C. J. Cron, American baseball player Read more
1990 — Leroy Fer, Dutch footballer Read more
1990 — José Iglesias, Cuban-American baseball player Read more
1990 — Mark Nicholls, Australian rugby league player Read more
1990 — José Luis Palomino, Argentine footballer Read more
1989 — Eduardo Escobar, Venezuelan-American baseball player Read more
1989 — Krisztián Németh, Hungarian footballer Read more
1988 — Azizulhasni Awang, Malaysian track cyclist Read more
1988 — Luke Daniels, English footballer Read more
1988 — Mandip Gill, English actress Read more
1988 — Nikola Kalinić, Croatian footballer Read more
1988 — Miroslav Raduljica, Serbian basketball player Read more
1987 — Dexter Bean, American race car driver Read more
1987 — Kristin Cavallari, American television personality Read more

Died on January 5

2025 — Mike Rinder, Australian-American former Scientologist, critic (born 1955) Read more
2025 — Costas Simitis, Greek economist, lawyer, and politician, Prime Minister of Greece (born 1936) Read more
2024 — Joseph Lelyveld, American journalist and executive editor of The New York Times (born 1937) Read more
2024 — Mário Zagallo, Brazilian footballer and manager (born 1931) Read more
2022 — Kim Mi-soo, South Korean actress and model (born 1992) Read more
2021 — Colin Bell, English footballer (born 1946) Read more
2021 — John Georgiadis, English violinist and composer (born 1939) Read more
2020 — Tafazzul Haque Habiganji, Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and politician (born 1938) Read more
2019 — Bernice Sandler, American women's rights activist (born 1928) Read more
2019 — Dragoslav Šekularac, Serbian footballer and manager (born 1937) Read more
2018 — Asghar Khan, Pakistani three star general and politician (born 1921) Read more
2018 — Thomas Bopp, American astronomer best known as the co-discoverer of comet Hale–Bopp (born 1949) Read more
2018 — Karin von Aroldingen, German ballerina (born 1941) Read more
2017 — Jill Saward, English rape victim and activist (born 1965) Read more
2016 — Pierre Boulez, French pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1925) Read more
2015 — Jean-Pierre Beltoise, French racing driver and motorcycle racer (born 1937) Read more
2015 — Bernard Joseph McLaughlin, American bishop (born 1912) Read more
2014 — Eusébio, Mozambican-Portuguese footballer and manager (born 1942) Read more
2014 — Carmen Zapata, American actress (born 1927) Read more
2013 — Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Pakistani scholar and politician (born 1938) Read more
2012 — Isaac Díaz Pardo, Spanish painter and sculptor (born 1920) Read more
2012 — Frederica Sagor Maas, American author, playwright, and screenwriter (born 1900) Read more
2010 — Willie Mitchell, American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, and producer (born 1928) Read more
2010 — Kenneth Noland, American painter (born 1924) Read more
2009 — Griffin Bell, American lawyer and politician, 72nd United States Attorney General (born 1918) Read more
2007 — Momofuku Ando, Taiwanese-Japanese businessman and inventor, founded Nissin Foods (born 1910) Read more
2006 — Merlyn Rees, Welsh educator and politician, Home Secretary (born 1920) Read more
2004 — Norman Heatley, English biologist and chemist, co-developed penicillin (born 1911) Read more
2003 — Roy Jenkins, Welsh politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (born 1920) Read more
2003 — Félix Loustau, Argentine footballer (born 1922) Read more
2000 — Kumar Ponnambalam, Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and politician (born 1938) Read more
1998 — Sonny Bono, American singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and politician (born 1935) Read more
1997 — André Franquin, Belgian author and illustrator (born 1924) Read more
1997 — Burton Lane, American composer and songwriter (born 1912) Read more
1996 — Thung Sin Nio, Dutch–Indonesian activist (born 1902) Read more
1994 — Tip O'Neill, American lawyer and politician, 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1912) Read more
1991 — Vasko Popa, Serbian poet and academic (born 1922) Read more
1990 — Arthur Kennedy, American actor (born 1914) Read more
1987 — Margaret Laurence, Canadian author and academic (born 1926) Read more
1987 — Herman Smith-Johannsen, Norwegian-Canadian skier (born 1875) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian Feast day: Charles of Mount Argus; Christian Feast day: John Neumann (Catholic Church); Christian Feast day: Pope Telesphorus; Christian Feast day: Simeon Stylites (Latin Church); Christian Feast day: January 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (Harbin, China); Joma Shinji (Japan); National Bird Day (United States); The Twelfth day of Christmas and the Twelfth Night of Christmas. (Western Christianity)

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “January 5”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.