Historical Events
- Jan 1 After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood threatened Memphis
- Jan 1 Dubai skyscraper "The Address" burns as the New Year is rung in. Fire started on the 31st.
- Jan 2 Saudi Arabia executes 47 alleged terrorists, including Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr
- Jan 3 Jimmy Butler breaks Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls record for points in an NBA half, scoring 40 of his 42 points in the second half to lead the Bulls in a 115-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors
- Jan 3 Scotsman Gary Anderson retains his PDC World Darts Championship beating Adrian Lewis of England, 7-5 at the Alexandra Palace, London
- Jan 4 Colombo's Gemology Institute certifies world's largest ever blue star sapphire at 1404.49 carats, found in a Sri Lankan mine in August 2015
- Jan 5 First batsman to ever score 1000 runs in a single innings in cricket - 15 year-old Mumbai schoolboy Pranav Dhanawade is 1009 not out
- Jan 6 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" breaks North American box office record, passing the $760.5M taken by "Avatar"
LA Methane Gas Leak
Jan 6 Governor of California Jerry Brown declares state of emergency over methane gas leak on outskirts of Los Angeles
- Jan 6 North Korea states that they have successfully conducted their fourth nuclear test, saying it was a hydrogen bomb in a claim disputed by most international experts
- Jan 6 Opera "Angel's Bone" by composer Du Yun and librettist Royce Vavrek premieres at the Prototype Festival, New York City (Pulitzer Prize for Music 2017)
"Blackstar"
Jan 8 ISO/Columbia Records/Sony Music release David Bowie's 26th and final studio album "Blackstar" on his 69th birthday; enters charts in US and UK at #1
El Chapo Recaptured
Jan 8 Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, six months after he escaped prison
- Jan 9 Hopman Cup Tennis, Perth: Australian Nick Kyrgios beats Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3, 6-4 for an unassailable 2-0 lead and the home nation's second title
73rd Golden Globes
Jan 10 73rd Golden Globes: "The Revenant", "The Martian", Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson win
- Jan 11 College Football National Championship, University of Phoenix Stadium: #2 Alabama beats #1 Clemson, 45-40
Messi Wins 5th Ballon d'Or
Jan 11 FIFA Ballon d'Or: Barcelona forward Lionel Messi wins his record 5th award with 41.33% of the votes; American midfielder Carli Lloyd is Women's World Player of the Year
Film Release
Jan 12 Michael Bay's film "13 Hours", based on the 2012 Benghazi attack, is released
- Jan 13 Record Powerball lottery held in America - $1.6 billion, (3 winning tickets)
- Jan 14 Sixth republican presidential candidates debate hosted by Fox, held in North Charleston, South Carolina
- Jan 15 American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan unveils newest exhibit replica skeleton of a Titanosaur dinosaur (found 2010 Argentina), largest known dinosaur at 70 tons, 37m
- Jan 15 Islamist militants attack a hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso killing 28, injuring 56
- Jan 16 First ever flower grown in space - a zinnia aboard the International Space Station using NASA Veggie system
Clinton and Sanders Clash
Jan 17 Fourth Democratic presidential candidates debate: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clash over healthcare and gun control in Charleston, South Carolina
Palin Endorses Trump
Jan 19 Sarah Palin officially endorses Donald Trump's presidential bid at a Trump rally in Ames, Iowa
- Jan 22 Winter storm conditions strand 500 motorists for 24 hours in Somerset and Bedford counties, about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
King Tut's Beard Badly Glued
Jan 23 8 museum workers from Egyptian Museum, Cairo referred for prosecution for reattaching Tutankhamun's beard with inappropriate glue
- Jan 23 Category 5 blizzard delivers record 3ft of snow to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US, killing 55 and incurring estimated $500m - $3bn economic losses
- Jan 23 Zika virus outbreak in Brazil prompts Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica to recommend women delay pregnancies for up to 2 years
- Jan 24 AFC Championship, Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO: Denver Broncos beat New England Patriots, 20-18
- Jan 24 NFC Championship, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC: Carolina Panthers beat Arizona Cardinals, 49-15
- Jan 24 TV drama "The X-Files" returns after 13 years, reuniting lead actors David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson and produced again by Chris Carter
- Jan 25 British rowing team becomes first female crew and first crew of four to cross the Pacific, San Francisco to Cairns in 257 days
- Jan 26 Cold snap across East Asia leads to more than 50 deaths and 60,000 travellers stranded in South Korea
- Jan 26 Leader of Oregon militia occupying Malheur wildlife refuge arrested and another killed in shoot-out with Federal agents
- Jan 27 On This Day receives its second substantial face-lift, courtesy of a fresh new website design and brand by design studio Fhoke. Dedicated history and film and television channels are launched alongside the new design.
- Jan 28 Seventh Republican presidential candidates debate hosted by Fox, held in Des Moines, Iowa
Kerber's 1st Major
Jan 30 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Angelique Kerber of Germany wins her first major title; beats Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
- Jan 30 Boko Haram militants on motorcycles attack Dalori village near Maiduguri, Nigeria, killing at least 65 and injuring 136
- Jan 31 "World's Best Chef" French-Swiss Benoît Violier found dead after apparent suicide weeks after being named world's best by La Liste
- Jan 31 61st NHL All Star Games, Bridgestone Centre, Nashville, TN: Pacific Division All Stars win four-team 3-on-3 tournament; MVP: John Scott, San Jose, LW
Đoković's 6th Title
Jan 31 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Novak Đoković retains Championship for his record-equaling 6th Australian title; beats Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6
NFL Pro Bowl
Jan 31 NFL Pro Bowl, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI: Team Irvin beats Team Rice, 49-27; MVPs: Russell Wilson, Seattle, QB; Michael Bennett, Seattle, DE
Famous Weddings
- Jan 8 American country music singer Colton Dixon (24) weds longtime love Annie Coggeshall (27) in Nashville, Tennessee
- Jan 16 Actress and singer Jamie-Lynn Sigler (35) weds baseball player Cutter Dykstra (53) in Palm Springs, California
- Jan 19 "Ghajini" actress Asin Thottumkal (30) weds Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma in India
- Jan 30 Singer-songwriter Kimberley Walsh (34) weds Triple 8 former member Justin Scott at St James Parish Church in Barbados
Famous Deaths
- Jan 1 Dale Bumpers, American politician (Sen-D Arkansas, 1975-99), dies at 90
- Jan 1 Fazu Aliyeva, Russian poet, novelist and journalist who helped develop Dagestani in Russian literature, dies from heart failure at 83
- Jan 1 Michael G. Oxley, American politician (Rep-R-OH, 1981-2007), dies at 71
- Jan 1 Tony Lane, American art director (Rolling Stone magazine), and Grammy Award-winning album cover art designer (Carly Simon - Boys in the Trees; Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water; Michael Jackson - Bad), dies of brain cancer at 71
- Jan 1 Vilmos Zsigmond, Hungarian-born American cinematographer (Close Encounters of the Third Kind), dies at 85
- Jan 2 Marcel Barbeau, Canadian abstract artist, dies at 90
- Jan 2 Nimr al-Nimr, Saudi Shiite religious leader & non-violent critic of the Saudi Arabian government, executed by the Saudi authorities aged 56 or 57
- Jan 4 Michel Galabru, French actor (Judge & the Assassin), dies at 93
- Jan 4 Robert Stigwood, Australian-British music entrepreneur (RSO Records), stage (Jesus Christ Superstar) and film (Saturday Night Fever; Grease; Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) producer, dies at 81
- Jan 5 Elizabeth Swados, American theater composer playwright (Runaways), and author, dies from complications after surgery for esophageal cancer at 64
- Jan 5 Jean-Paul L'Allier, Canadian politician (Mayor of Quebec City), dies at 77
- Jan 5 Nicholas Caldwell, American R&B and soul singer (The Whispers - "And The Baet Goes On"; "It's A Love Thing"), dies of congestive heart failure at 71
- Jan 5 Pierre Boulez, French composer (La Visage Nuptial), conductor (BBC Symphony, 1970-77; New York Philharmonic, 1971-77), and new music advocate (IRCAM, Ensemble intercontemporain)dies at 90
- Jan 6 Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Cuban jazz trumpeter (Orchestra Harlow; Eddie Palmieri), dies of prostate cancer at 87
- Jan 6 Pat Harrington Jr, American actor (Danny Thomas Show, One Day at a Time), dies at 86
- Jan 7 (Catherine) "Kitty" Kallen, American big band (Harry James, Jimmy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden) and pop singer ("Little Things Mean A Lot"; "My Coloring Book"), dies at 94 [1]
- Jan 7 (John) "JJ" Johnson, American NBA basketball player, 1970-82 (Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics, and 2 other teams), dies at 68
- Jan 7 André Courrèges, French fashion designer, dies at 92
- Jan 7 Francis Kennedy, British diplomat, and administrator (Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, 1995-2001), dies at 89
- Jan 7 Troy Shondell, American singer (This Time (We’re Really Breaking Up)), dies from complications of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease at 76
- Jan 8 Maria Teresa de Filippis, Italian racing car driver (first woman to complete in Formula One), dies at 89
- Jan 9 Ed Stewart, British DJ and broadcaster (Crackerjack), dies of a stroke at 74
- Jan 9 Mitsu Suzuki, Japanese-American Zen teacher (San Francisco Zen Center, wife of Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki), dies at 101
David Bowie (1947-2016)
Jan 10 English rock singer-songwriter ("Space Oddity"; "Changes"; "Ziggy Stardust"; "Heroes"), mime, and actor (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence; Labyrinth), dies of cancer at 69
- Jan 11 Gilberto Mendes, Brazilian composer, dies at 93
- Jan 11 Kenneth Corfield, English industrialist (CEO Standard Telephones and Cables), dies at 91
- Jan 11 Monty Irvin, American Baseball HOF outfielder (4 x NgL All-Star, NgL World Series 1946 Newark Eagles; MLB All-Star 1952, World Series 1954 NY Giants), dies at 96
- Jan 13 Brian Bedford, English actor (Anthony-Coronet Blue), dies at 80
- Jan 13 Lawrence Phillips, American football running back (Grey Cup, CFL All-Star 2002 Montreal Alouettes; St Louis Rams 1996-97), dies of suicide at 40
- Jan 13 Luis Arroyo, Puerto Rican MLB baseball pitcher, 1955-63 (2 x All-Star; 2 x World Series Champion; St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and 2 other teams), dies at 88
Alan Rickman (1946-2016)
Jan 14 English actor (Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Die Hard, Harry Potter), dies of cancer at 69
- Jan 14 Leonid Zhabotinsky, Ukrainian weightlifter (Olympic gold USSR +90 kg 1964, 68: World C'ships gold 1964, 65, 66, 68), dies at 77
- Jan 14 René Angélil, Canadian music executive, actor and director (Omertà, L'apparition), and husband of Céline Dion, dies of throat cancer at 73
- Jan 15 Dan Haggerty, American actor (Grizzly Adams), dies of cancer at 73
- Jan 15 Noreen Corcoran, American actress (Bachelor Father), dies at 72
- Jan 16 Gary Loizzo, American rock guitarist and singer (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 70
- Jan 17 Dale "Buffin" Griffin, English rock drummer (Mott The Hoople - "All Young Dudes"), and producer (BBC's John Peel sessions), dies from complications of Alzheimer's disease at 67
- Jan 17 Mic Gillette, American trumpet, trombone, and flugelhorn player (Tower of Power, Cold Blood, The Sons of Champlin), dies of a heart attack at 64
Glenn Frey (1948-2016)
Jan 18 American Grammy Award-winning guitarist, singer-songwriter (The Eagles - "Take it Easy"; "Heartache Tonight";"Tequila Sunrise"; solo - "Smuggler's Blues"; "The Heat Is On"), and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame member, dies from complications of rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia at 67
- Jan 18 Johnny Bach, American basketball coach (Fordham Uni, Penn State Uni; NBA C'ship 1991-93 Chicago Bulls assistant coach), dies at 91
- Jan 18 Michel Tournier, French writer (Friday, or, The Other Island), dies at 91
- Jan 19 Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter (A Special Day), dies at 84
- Jan 20 David G. Hartwell, American editor and anthologist, dies at 74
- Jan 20 George Weidenfeld, British publisher (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), dies at 96
- Jan 21 Bill Johnson, alpine skier (first American to win alpine Olympic gold - 1984), dies at 55
- Jan 22 Anthony Simmons, British writer and film director (The Optimists of Nine Elms), dies at 93
- Jan 22 Cecil Parkinson, British politician (C), dies at 84
- Jan 23 Bobby Wanzer, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1952–56; Rochester Royals) and coach (NBA All-Star Game 1957), dies at 94
- Jan 23 Jack Bannister, English cricket commentator (BBC; Talksport radio) and bowler (Warwickshire 1,198 wickets), dies at 85
Marvin Minsky (1927-2016)
Jan 24 American artificial intelligence computer scientist (MIT), dies at 88
- Jan 24 Yvonne Chouteau, Native American dancer (one of the "five Moons" of Oklahoma), dies at 86
- Jan 25 Concepcion Picciotto, American peace activist (longest political protest in US history, outside The White House), dies at 80
- Jan 25 Denise Duval, French soprano (music of Francis Poulenc), dies at 94
- Jan 25 Frank Collett [Taglieri], American jazz pianist and bandleader, dies of liver failure at 75
- Jan 25 Leif Solberg, Norwegian organist, choral conductor and composer, dies at 101
- Jan 25 Paul Terasaki, American scientist, invented tissue typing for organ transplants and founded first kidney transplant registry, dies at 86 [1]
- Jan 26 Abe Vigoda, American actor (Barney Miller, The Godfather), dies at 94
- Jan 26 Colin Vearncombe, British singer-songwriter (Black - "Wonderful Life"), dies from injuries in a car accident at 53
- Jan 27 Artur Fischer, German Inventor with more patents than Edison, dies at 96
- Jan 28 Paul Kantner, American rock singer and guitarist (Jefferson Airplane - "Volunteers"), dies following a heart attack at 74
- Jan 28 Signe Toly Anderson, American singer, founding member of Jefferson Airplane, dies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 74
- Jan 29 Alden Ashforth, American composer and professor of ethnomusicology, dies at 82
- Jan 29 Aurèle Nicolet, Swiss flautist (Berlin Philharmonic), and educator, dies at 90
- Jan 29 Jacques Rivette, French New Wave film director (The Beautiful Troublemaker), dies at 87
- Jan 30 Frank Finlay, British actor (Bouquet of Barbed Wire), dies at 89
- Jan 30 Ken Sailors, professional basketball player (popularized and may have invented the jump shot), dies at 95
- Jan 31 Terry Wogan, British broadcaster (Eurovision Song Contest, Blankety Blank), dies of cancer at 77
