Who are famous people born on January 5?

Famous people born on January 5 include: Walker Scobell, Shane Wright, Mykhailo Mudryk.

What famous people died on January 5?

Notable historical figures who died on January 5 include: Mike Rinder, Costas Simitis, Joseph Lelyveld.

January 5 in History

Q: What happened on January 5 in history?

On January 5, 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.

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

January 5 spans 41 recorded events across recorded history — from 1477 – 2024. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.

By thisDay.info Editorial Team · January 5 — Wikipedia

Historical Events 41 events 1477 – 2024

Did you know

In 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. This featured entry focuses on the immediate decision and its direct historical impact.

Did you know

The International Astronomical Union is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and development through global cooperation. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.

Did you know

It was founded on 28 July 1919 in Brussels, Belgium, and is based in Paris, France. This clarifies the institutional and public response around the event.

Did you know

In 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 had consequences that extended beyond the first headline. The key context is the institutions involved, the policy shift, and how the public response evolved afterward.

Did you know

In 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 had consequences that extended beyond the first headline. The key context is the institutions involved, the policy shift, and how the public response evolved afterward.

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.

Part of the Burgundian Wars, 1477

The Battle of Nancy was the final and decisive battle of the Burgundian Wars, fought on 5 January 1477 outside the walls of Nancy, Lorraine by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, against René II, Duke of Lorraine, and the Swiss Confederacy. René's forces won the battle, and Charles' mutilated body was found two days later.

1477

Battle of Colmar: The French army defeats forces from Austria and Brandenburg.

1675 battle of the Franco-Dutch War

The Battle of Turckheim took place on 5 January 1675 during the Franco-Dutch War at a site between the towns of Colmar and Turckheim in Alsace. The French army, commanded by the Viscount of Turenne, defeated the armies of Austria and Brandenburg, led by Alexander von Bournonville and Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg.

1675

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).

King of France from 1715 to 1774

Louis XV, known as Louis the Beloved, was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity in 1723, the kingdom was ruled by his grand-uncle Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, as Regent of France. Cardinal Fleury was chief minister from 1726 until his death in 1743, at which time the king took sole control of the kingdom.

1757

American Revolutionary War: Richmond, Virginia, is burned by British naval forces led by former American general Benedict Arnold.

1775–1783 conflict in North America

The American Revolutionary War, also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence or simply the American Revolution, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which American Patriot forces organized as the Continental Army and commanded by George Washington defeated the British Army. The conflict was fought in North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The war's outcome seemed uncertain for most of the war, but Washington and the Continental Army's decisive victory in the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 led King George III and the Kingdom of Great Britain to negotiate an end to the war. In 1783, in the Treaty of Paris, the British monarchy acknowledged the independence of the Thirteen Colonies, leading to the establishment of the United States as an independent and sovereign nation.

1781

The government of Central America votes for total annexation to the First Mexican Empire.

Subregion of North America

Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually defined as consisting of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, and also sometimes includes Mexico. Within Central America is the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, which extends from southern Mexico to southeastern Panama. Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc, seismic activity in the region, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, is high, which has caused death, injury, and property damage.

1822

The Palais Garnier, one of the most famous opera houses in the world, is inaugurated in Paris.

Opera house in Paris, France

The Palais Garnier, also known as Opéra Garnier, is a historic 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III. Initially referred to as le nouvel Opéra de Paris, it soon became known as the Palais Garnier, "in acknowledgment of its extraordinary opulence" and the architect Charles Garnier's plans and designs, which are representative of the Napoleon III style. It was the primary theatre of the Paris Opera and its associated Paris Opera Ballet until 1989, when a new opera house, the Opéra Bastille, opened at the Place de la Bastille. The company now uses the Palais Garnier mainly for ballet. The theatre has been a monument historique of France since 1923.

1875

Dreyfus affair: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his rank and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island.

1894–1906 political scandal in France

The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided the Third French Republic from 1894 until its resolution in 1906. The scandal began in December 1894 when Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a 35-year-old Alsatian French artillery officer of Jewish descent, was wrongfully convicted of treason for communicating French military secrets to the German Embassy in Paris. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and sent overseas to the penal colony on Devil's Island in French Guiana, where he spent the following five years imprisoned in very harsh conditions.

1895

Irish nationalist leader John Edward Redmond calls for revolt against British rule.

Irish politician (1856–1918)

John Edward Redmond was an Irish nationalist politician, barrister, and MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. He was best known as leader of the moderate Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) from 1900 until his death in 1918. He was also the leader of the paramilitary organisation the Irish National Volunteers (INV).

1900

Kappa Alpha Psi, the world's third-oldest and largest black fraternity, is founded at Indiana University.

International historically Black fraternity

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (ΚΑΨ) is a historically African American fraternity. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911, at Indiana University Bloomington, it has never restricted membership based on color, creed, or national origin, though membership traditionally is dominated by black men. The fraternity has over 260,000 members with 721 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the United States, and international chapters in ten countries.

1911

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.

The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP), also known as the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party (RSDWP) or the Russian Social Democratic Party (RSDP), was a socialist political party founded in 1898 in Minsk, Russian Empire. The party emerged from the merger of various Marxist groups operating under Tsarist repression, and was dedicated to the overthrow of the autocracy and the establishment of a socialist state based on the revolutionary leadership of the Russian proletariat.

1912

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.

1912–1913 war between the Balkan League and the Ottoman Empire

The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The Balkan states' combined armies overcame the initially numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies, achieving rapid success.

1913

The Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and minimum daily wage of $5 in salary plus bonuses.

American multinational automobile manufacturer

The Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand, and luxury cars under its Lincoln brand. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the single-letter ticker symbol F, and is controlled by the Ford family. They have minority ownership, but a plurality of the voting power.

1914

The German Workers' Party, which would become the Nazi Party, is founded in Munich.

Predecessor of the Nazi Party (1919–1920)

The German Workers' Party was an obscure far-right political party established in the Weimar Republic after World War I. It lasted from 5 January 1919 until 24 February 1920. The DAP was the precursor of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, commonly known as the Nazi Party.

1919

Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming becomes the first female governor in the United States.

American politician (1876–1977)

Nellie Davis Tayloe Ross was an American educator and politician who served as the 14th governor of Wyoming from 1925 to 1927, and as the 28th and first female director of the United States Mint from 1933 to 1953. She was the first woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state, and remains the only woman to have served as governor of Wyoming. She was a Democrat and supported Prohibition.

1925

Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay.

Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean in California, United States. The structure links San Francisco—the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula—to Marin County, carrying both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 across the strait. It also carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and is designated as part of U.S. Bicycle Route 95. Recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Wonders of the Modern World, the bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco and California.

1933

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.

British aviator (1903–1941)

Amy Johnson was a pioneering English pilot who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia.

1941

The Daily Mail becomes the first major London newspaper to be published on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

British tabloid newspaper

The Daily Mail, often known simply as the Mail, is a British daily middle-market tabloid-size conservative newspaper founded in 1896 and published in London. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982, a Scottish edition was launched in 1947, and an Irish edition in 2006. Content from the paper appears on the MailOnline news website, although the website is managed separately and has its own editor.

1944

The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland.

Country in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It was the world's third-most populous country, the largest by area, and bordered twelve countries. A diverse multinational state, it was organized as a federal union of national republics, with the largest and most populous being the Russian SFSR. In practice, its government and economy were highly centralized. As a one-party state governed by the Communist Party, it was the flagship communist state. Its capital and largest city was Moscow.

1945

The Semiramis Hotel bombing kills at least 23 people.

1948 Jewish terror attack in Jerusalem

An attack was carried out by the Jewish paramilitary group Haganah on the Christian-owned Semiramis Hotel in the Katamon neighborhood of Jerusalem during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine.

1948

In his State of the Union address, United States President Harry S.

Truman unveils his Fair Deal program.

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Truman subsequently implemented the Marshall Plan in the aftermath of World War II to rebuild the economy of Western Europe, and established both the Truman Doctrine and NATO to contain the expansion of Soviet communism. A member of the Democratic Party, he proposed numerous New Deal coalition liberal domestic reforms, but few were enacted by the conservative coalition that dominated the United States Congress.

1949

The play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett receives its première in Paris.

Play by Samuel Beckett

Waiting for Godot is a play by Irish author Samuel Beckett. It was written (1948–1949), first published (1952), and first performed (1953) in French as En attendant Godot. Waiting for Godot is Beckett's own English-language adaptation. Subtitled "tragicomedy in two acts", it was published in 1954 and first performed in 1955 (UK) and 1956 (U.S.A.). It is Beckett's best-known literary work and is regarded by critics as "one of the most enigmatic plays of modern literature". In a poll conducted by London's Royal National Theatre in the year 1998, Waiting for Godot was voted as "the most significant English-language play of the 20th century."

1953

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.

The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both meet in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

1957

Cultural Revolution: The Shanghai People's Commune is established following the seizure of power from local city officials by revolutionaries.

Period of sociopolitical turmoil in China (1966–1976)

The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by CCP chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his death in 1976. Its stated goal was to preserve Chinese communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society.

1967

Alexander Dubček comes to power in Czechoslovakia, effectively beginning the "Prague Spring".

Leader of Czechoslovakia from 1968 to 1969

Alexander Dubček was a Slovak statesman who served as the First Secretary of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) from January 1968 to April 1969 and as Chairman of the Federal Assembly from 1989 to 1992 following the Velvet Revolution. He oversaw significant reforms to the communist system during a period that became known as the Prague Spring, but his reforms were reversed and he was eventually sidelined following the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968.

1968

The Venera 5 space probe is launched at 06:28:08 UTC from Baikonur.

Soviet space probe to Venus in 1969

Venera 5 was a space probe in the Soviet space program Venera for the exploration of Venus.

1969

Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes in Fernhill, West Sussex, UK, while on approach to Gatwick Airport, killing 50 people.

1969 aviation accident

Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 was a scheduled international flight involved in an aviation accident on 5 January 1969. The incident involved a Boeing 727 aircraft, carrying 62 individuals, that crashed into a residential property during its approach to London Gatwick Airport amidst heavy fog. The accident was primarily attributed to pilot error, specifically the failure to extend the flaps to maintain flight at the final approach speed.

1969

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.

An earthquake occurred in Tonghai, Yunnan province, China at 01:00:41 local time on 5 January 1970 with a moment magnitude of 7.1 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The strike-slip rupture originated on the Red River Fault, which had not experienced an earthquake above magnitude 7 since 1700. At least 10,000 people were killed, making it one of the deadliest in its decade. The tremor caused between US$5 and $25 million in damage, felt over an area of 8,781 km2 (3,390 sq mi). In Hanoi, North Vietnam, almost 483 km (300 mi) from the epicenter, victims left their homes as the rupture rumbled through the city.

1970

A Spantax Convair CV-990 Coronado crashes during takeoff from Stockholm Arlanda Airport, killing five people.

Spanish leisure airline (1959–1988)

Spantax S.A. was a Spanish leisure airline headquartered in Madrid that operated from 6 October 1959 to 29 March 1988. Spantax was one of the first Spanish airlines to operate tourist charter flights between European and North American cities and popular Spanish holiday destinations and was considered a major force in developing 20th-century mass tourism in Spain. Its popularity and image faded from the 1970s onward when a series of crashes and incidents revealed safety deficits, which, combined with rising fuel costs and increasing competition, resulted in the company facing severe financial difficulties that led to its demise in 1988.

1970

US President Richard Nixon announces the Space Shuttle program.

President of the United States from 1969 to 1974

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he represented California in both houses of the United States Congress before serving as the 36th vice president under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1961. His presidency saw the reduction of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, détente with the Soviet Union and China, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Nixon's second term ended early when he became the only U.S. president to resign from office, as a result of the Watergate scandal.

1972

The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, is struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra, killing twelve people.

Highway bridge over the River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge carrying the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, it was the longest prestressed concrete bridge in Australia, with a total length of 1,396 metres (4,580 ft), including approaches. The bridge provides a vital link between the Hobart central business district on the western shore and the City of Clarence on the eastern shore. Averaging around 73,000 vehicle crossings per day, it carries the highest traffic volume of any road section in Tasmania. It features five lanes of traffic, including a central lane equipped for tidal flow operations, and grade-separated shared-use walkways on both sides, with ramp upgrades for improved access and cyclists completed in 2010.

1975

The Khmer Rouge announce that the new Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea is ratified.

Members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea

Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihanouk to describe his country's heterogeneous, communist-led dissidents, with whom he allied after the 1970 Cambodian coup d'état.

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.

1960s–1998 conflict in Northern Ireland

The Troubles were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed to have ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Although the Troubles mostly took place in Northern Ireland, at times violence spilled over into parts of the Republic of Ireland, England, and mainland Europe.

1976

Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, Georgia, opening the 1991–92 South Ossetia War.

Country in Eastern Europe and West Asia

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region on the coast of the Black Sea. It is located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia, and is today generally regarded as part of Europe. It is bordered to the north and northeast by Russia; to the west by the Black Sea, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. It has a population of 3.9 million, of which over a third live in Tbilisi, the capital and largest city. Georgians, who are native to the region and constitute the majority of the population, are ethno-linguistically distinct from all of their neighboring nations and primarily speak Georgian, a Kartvelian language that has no relation to any other language family in the world.

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.

Ongoing civil war in East Africa

The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed Forces began engaging in combat against various armed rebel groups, including the Somali Salvation Democratic Front in the northeast, the Somali National Movement in the Somaliland War of Independence in the northwest, and the United Somali Congress in the south. The clan-based armed opposition groups overthrew the Barre government in 1991.

1991

The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands, spilling 84,700 tons of crude oil.

Oil tanker which ran aground during a storm off Shetland, Scotland in 1993

MV Braer was an oil tanker which ran aground during a storm off Shetland, Scotland, in January 1993, and nearly a week later broke up during the most intense extratropical cyclone on record for the northern Atlantic Ocean, the Braer Storm of January 1993.

1993

A suicide bombing at the Tel Aviv central bus station kills 23 people and injures over 100 more.

2003 suicide bombings in Tel Aviv, Israel

The Tel Aviv central bus station massacre was an attack which occurred on January 5, 2003 in which two Palestinian suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing 23 civilians and injuring over 100.

2003

A launch of the communication satellite GSAT-14 aboard the GSLV MK.II D5 marks the first successful flight of an Indian cryogenic engine.

Indian communications satellite

GSAT-14 is an Indian communications satellite launched in January 2014. It replaced the GSAT-3 satellite, which was launched in 2004. GSAT-14 was launched by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.II, which incorporated an Indian-built cryogenic engine on the third stage.

2014

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismisses Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and declares state of emergency over the 2022 Kazakh unrest.

President of Kazakhstan since 2019

Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev is a Kazakh politician and diplomat who has served as the second president of Kazakhstan since 2019. He previously served as Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and as Chairman of the Senate from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2019. Tokayev also held the position of Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva from 2011 to 2013.

2022

The 2023 Sinaloa unrest begins.

Cartel violence in Mexico

The 2023 Sinaloa unrest or The Second Black Thursday began on January 5, 2023, following the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, son of jailed drug lord Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, sparking a wave of violence in the state of Sinaloa. In retaliation for the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, cartel members blocked highways with burning vehicles and began attacks against the armed forces. The Culiacán International Airport was closed after gunfire was opened on two planes. On January 13, the Mexican Secretary of the Interior Adán Augusto López Hernández declared that "order has been reestablished" in Sinaloa.

2023

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.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Alaska Airlines from Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon, to Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California. Shortly after takeoff on January 5, 2024, a door plug on the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft blew out, causing an uncontrolled decompression of the aircraft.

2024

Born on January 5

20 people 1993 – 2009

Walker Scobell

American actor

Walker Scobell is an American actor. Born in Virginia, he made his professional acting debut at age 13 and gained immediate recognition for his lead roles in the science fiction streaming films The Adam Project and…

2009

Shane Wright

Canadian ice hockey player

Shane Wright is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a centre for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Despite being projected as the likely first overall pick leading up to the 2022 NHL…

2004

Mykhailo Mudryk

Ukrainian footballer

Mykhailo Petrovych Mudryk is a Ukrainian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Premier League club Chelsea and the Ukraine national team. He is serving a four-year suspension from football for testing…

2001

Ellis Simms

English footballer

Ellis Reco Simms is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Coventry City.

2001

Gastón Martirena

Uruguayan footballer

Gastón Nicolás Martirena Torres is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Argentine Primera División club Racing Club.

2000

Mattias Svanberg

Swedish footballer

Mattias Olof Svanberg is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for 2. Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg and the Sweden national team.

1999

Filip Ugrinić

Swiss footballer

Filip Ugrinić is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club Valencia and the Switzerland national team.

1999

Carles Aleñá

Spanish footballer

Carles Aleñá Castillo is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Deportivo Alavés.

1998

Corey Horsburgh

Australian rugby league player

Corey Horsburgh is an Australian rugby league footballer who primarily plays as a lock or prop for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL).

1998

Jesús Vallejo

Spanish footballer

Jesús Vallejo Lázaro is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Segunda División club Albacete.

1997

James Fisher-Harris

New Zealand rugby league player

James Fisher-Harris is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop forward for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL), and New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at…

1996

Nicolás Tripichio

Argentine footballer

Nicolás Martín Tripichio is an Argentine footballer who plays as a right-back for San Lorenzo in the Argentine Primera División.

1996

Tyler Ulis

American basketball player and coach

Tyler Ulis is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas. He played college basketball at the University of Kentucky. In 2015, he led…

1996

Toafofoa Sipley

New Zealand rugby league player

Toafofoa Sipley is a Niue international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League.

1995

Lachlan Fitzgibbon

Australian rugby league player

Lachlan Fitzgibbon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as second-row forward for the South Newcastle Lions in the Newcastle Rugby League. He previously played for the Newcastle Knights in the…

1994

Zemgus Girgensons

Latvian ice hockey player

Zemgus Girgensons is a Latvian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 14th overall, in the 2012 NHL entry…

1994

Matt Grzelcyk

American ice hockey player

Matthew Grzelcyk is an American professional ice hockey player who is a defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Boston Bruins with the 85th overall pick in the…

1994

Tyrone Phillips

Australian rugby league player

Tyrone Phillips is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback, centre and winger

1994

Gustavo Scarpa

Brazilian footballer

Gustavo Henrique Furtado Scarpa is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Atlético Mineiro.

1994

Phillip Dorsett

American football player

Phillip Howard Dorsett II is an American professional football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected by the…

1993

See all birthdays on January 5

Died on January 5

20 people 2013 – 2025

Mike Rinder

Australian-American former Scientologist, critic (born 1955)

Michael John Rinder was an Australian and American former senior executive of the Church of Scientology International (CSI) and Sea Org based in the United States. From 1982 to 2007, Rinder was on the board of directors…

2025

Costas Simitis

Greek economist, lawyer, and politician, Prime Minister of Greece (born 1936)

Konstantinos Simitis was a Greek politician who led the 'Modernization' movement of Greece. He succeeded in leadership Andreas Papandreou, the founder of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), and served as Prime…

2025

Joseph Lelyveld

American journalist and executive editor of The New York Times (born 1937)

Joseph Salem Lelyveld was an American journalist. He was executive editor of The New York Times from 1994 to 2001, and interim executive editor in 2003 after the resignation of Howell Raines. He was a Pulitzer…

2024

Mário Zagallo

Brazilian footballer and manager (born 1931)

Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo was a Brazilian professional football player, coordinator and manager, who played as a forward.

2024

Kim Mi-soo

South Korean actress and model (born 1992)

Kim Mi-soo was a South Korean actress and model.

2022

Colin Bell

English footballer (born 1946)

Colin Bell was an English professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Bell, known for his thirteen-year spell at Manchester City, is regarded as the club's greatest-ever player, and was part of the…

2021

John Georgiadis

English violinist and composer (born 1939)

John Alexander Georgiadis was a British violinist and conductor. He was twice Concert Leader with the London Symphony Orchestra during the 1960s and 70s, a member of both the ensembles London Virtuosi and the Gabrieli…

2021

Tafazzul Haque Habiganji

Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and politician (born 1938)

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh is a right-wing Deobandi Islamist advocacy group based out of the network of Qawmi madrasas consisting mostly of religious teachers (Ulama) and students in Bangladesh. The group oppose secular…

2020

Bernice Sandler

American women's rights activist (born 1928)

Bernice Resnick Sandler was an American women's rights activist. She is best known for being instrumental in the creation of Title IX, a portion of the Education Amendments of 1972, in conjunction with representatives…

2019

Dragoslav Šekularac

Serbian footballer and manager (born 1937)

Dragoslav Šekularac was a Yugoslav and Serbian professional footballer and coach.

2019

Asghar Khan

Pakistani three star general and politician (born 1921)

Mohammad Asghar Khan known as Night Flier, held the distinction of being the first native and second Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force from 1957 to 1965. He has been described as the Father of the Pakistan…

2018

Thomas Bopp

American astronomer best known as the co-discoverer of comet Hale–Bopp (born 1949)

Thomas Joel Bopp was an American amateur astronomer. In 1995, he discovered comet Hale–Bopp; Alan Hale discovered it independently at almost the same time, and it was thus named after both of them. At the time of the…

2018

Karin von Aroldingen

German ballerina (born 1941)

Karin Anny Hannelore Reinbold von Aroldingen was a German ballet dancer. She danced as a soloist at the Frankfurt Opera Ballet before joining the New York City Ballet in 1962 after receiving a personal invitation from…

2018

Jill Saward

English rape victim and activist (born 1965)

Jill Saward, also known by her married name Jill Drake, was an English campaigner on issues relating to sexual violence.

2017

Pierre Boulez

French pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1925)

Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war contemporary classical music.

2016

Jean-Pierre Beltoise

French racing driver and motorcycle racer (born 1937)

Jean-Pierre Maurice Georges Beltoise was a French racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1962 to 1964, and Formula One from 1966 to 1974. Beltoise won the 1972 Monaco…

2015

Bernard Joseph McLaughlin

American bishop (born 1912)

Bernard Joseph McLaughlin was an American bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the Auxiliary Bishop of Buffalo and also held the titular see of Mottola.

2015

Eusébio

Mozambican-Portuguese footballer and manager (born 1942)

Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, nicknamed the "Black Panther", the "Black Pearl" or "o Rei", was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time as well as Benfica's…

2014

Carmen Zapata

American actress (born 1927)

Carmen Margarita Zapata often referred to as "The First Lady of the Hispanic Theater" was an American actress best known for her role in the PBS bilingual children's program Villa Alegre. Zapata was also the co-founder…

2014

Qazi Hussain Ahmad

Pakistani scholar and politician (born 1938)

Qazi Hussain Ahmad was an Islamic scholar, pro-Islamic democracy activist and former Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami, the social conservative Islamist political party in Pakistan.

2013

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What happened on January 5 in history?

On January 5, one notable event in history was 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..

This date currently highlights 41 recorded events on thisDay.info, spanning 1477 – 2024.

DateJanuary 5

Featured year2005

LocationHistorical Location

Events listed41

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January 5 in History

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

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January 5 in History

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

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Died on January 5

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