# What happened on January 5 in history?

**Date:** January 5  
**Events recorded:** 41  
**Years spanned:** 1477 – 2024  
**Full page:** https://thisday.info/events/january/5/

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## Featured Event

**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 on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eris_(dwarf_planet))

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## Events on this date

- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Nancy))
- **1675** — Battle of Colmar: The French army defeats forces from Austria and Brandenburg. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Turckheim))
- **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). ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XV))
- **1781** — American Revolutionary War: Richmond, Virginia, is burned by British naval forces led by former American general Benedict Arnold. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War))
- **1822** — The government of Central America votes for total annexation to the First Mexican Empire. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_America))
- **1875** — The Palais Garnier, one of the most famous opera houses in the world, is inaugurated in Paris. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_Garnier))
- **1895** — Dreyfus affair: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his rank and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyfus_affair))
- **1900** — Irish nationalist leader John Edward Redmond calls for revolt against British rule. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Redmond))
- **1911** — Kappa Alpha Psi, the world's third-oldest and largest black fraternity, is founded at Indiana University. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Alpha_Psi))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Social_Democratic_Labour_Party))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Balkan_War))
- **1914** — The Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and minimum daily wage of $5 in salary plus bonuses. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company))
- **1919** — The German Workers' Party, which would become the Nazi Party, is founded in Munich. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Workers'_Party))
- **1925** — Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming becomes the first female governor in the United States. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellie_Tayloe_Ross))
- **1933** — Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Johnson))
- **1944** — The Daily Mail becomes the first major London newspaper to be published on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Mail))
- **1945** — The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union))
- **1948** — The Semiramis Hotel bombing kills at least 23 people. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiramis_Hotel_bombing))
- **1949** — In his State of the Union address, United States President Harry S. Truman unveils his Fair Deal program. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman))
- **1953** — The play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett receives its première in Paris. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_for_Godot))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress))
- **1967** — Cultural Revolution: The Shanghai People's Commune is established following the seizure of power from local city officials by revolutionaries. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution))
- **1968** — Alexander Dubček comes to power in Czechoslovakia, effectively beginning the "Prague Spring". ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Dub%C4%8Dek))
- **1969** — The Venera 5 space probe is launched at 06:28:08 UTC from Baikonur. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera_5))
- **1969** — Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes in Fernhill, West Sussex, UK, while on approach to Gatwick Airport, killing 50 people. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariana_Afghan_Airlines_Flight_701))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Tonghai_earthquake))
- **1970** — A Spantax Convair CV-990 Coronado crashes during takeoff from Stockholm Arlanda Airport, killing five people. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spantax))
- **1972** — US President Richard Nixon announces the Space Shuttle program. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon))
- **1975** — The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, is struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra, killing twelve people. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Bridge))
- **1976** — The Khmer Rouge announce that the new Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea is ratified. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge))
- **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 Catholic civilians in the area by Loyalists, particularly the killing of six Catholics the night before. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troubles))
- **1991** — Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, Georgia, opening the 1991–92 South Ossetia War. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country)))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Civil_War))
- **1993** — The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands, spilling 84,700 tons of crude oil. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Braer))
- **2003** — A suicide bombing at the Tel Aviv central bus station kills 23 people and injures over 100 more. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tel_Aviv_central_bus_station_massacre))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eris_(dwarf_planet)))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSAT-14))
- **2022** — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismisses Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and declares state of emergency over the 2022 Kazakh unrest. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kassym-Jomart_Tokayev))
- **2023** — The 2023 Sinaloa unrest begins. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Sinaloa_unrest))
- **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. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_Flight_1282))

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## Notable births on January 5

- **2009** — **Walker Scobell** — American actor ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Scobell))
- **2004** — **Shane Wright** — Canadian ice hockey player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Wright))
- **2001** — **Mykhailo Mudryk** — Ukrainian footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mykhailo_Mudryk))
- **2001** — **Ellis Simms** — English footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Simms))
- **2000** — **Gastón Martirena** — Uruguayan footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gast%C3%B3n_Martirena))
- **1999** — **Mattias Svanberg** — Swedish footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattias_Svanberg))
- **1999** — **Filip Ugrinić** — Swiss footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filip_Ugrini%C4%87))
- **1998** — **Carles Aleñá** — Spanish footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carles_Ale%C3%B1%C3%A1))
- **1998** — **Corey Horsburgh** — Australian rugby league player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corey_Horsburgh))
- **1997** — **Jesús Vallejo** — Spanish footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Vallejo))

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## Notable deaths on January 5

- **2025** — **Mike Rinder** — Australian-American former Scientologist, critic (born 1955) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rinder))
- **2025** — **Costas Simitis** — Greek economist, lawyer, and politician, Prime Minister of Greece (born 1936) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costas_Simitis))
- **2024** — **Joseph Lelyveld** — American journalist and executive editor of The New York Times (born 1937) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Lelyveld))
- **2024** — **Mário Zagallo** — Brazilian footballer and manager (born 1931) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1rio_Zagallo))
- **2022** — **Kim Mi-soo** — South Korean actress and model (born 1992) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Mi-soo))
- **2021** — **Colin Bell** — English footballer (born 1946) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Bell_(footballer%2C_born_1946)))
- **2021** — **John Georgiadis** — English violinist and composer (born 1939) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Georgiadis))
- **2020** — **Tafazzul Haque Habiganji** — Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and politician (born 1938) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hefazat-e-Islam_Bangladesh))
- **2019** — **Bernice Sandler** — American women's rights activist (born 1928) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernice_Sandler))
- **2019** — **Dragoslav Šekularac** — Serbian footballer and manager (born 1937) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoslav_%C5%A0ekularac))

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## About this page

This is a machine-readable Markdown summary of [thisday.info/events/january/5/](https://thisday.info/events/january/5/).  
Historical data is sourced from [Wikipedia/Wikimedia](https://www.wikipedia.org) under [CC BY-SA](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).  
Editorial framing and site content © thisday.info.