29/01/2026. Beijing, China. Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets China’s President Xi Jinping for a bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
Historical Events 📜
2022: Xi Jinping is elected as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party by the Central Committee, beginning a third term of the paramount leader of China.
2022: Myanmar Air Force airstrikes a concert in Hpakant Township, Kachin state killing at least 80 people, including senior Kachin Independence Organisation officials, in the Hpakant massacre.
2020: Second Libyan Civil War: The Second Libyan Civil War comes to an end as all parties to the 5+5 Joint Libyan Military Commission agree to a ceasefire.
2017: War against the Islamic State: Philippine defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana declares the end of the Siege of Marawi.
2015: The lowest sea-level pressure in the Western Hemisphere, and the highest reliably-measured non-tornadic sustained winds, are recorded in Hurricane Patricia, which strikes Mexico hours later, killing at least 13 and causing over $280 million in damages.
2011: A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Van Province, Turkey, killing 582 people and injuring thousands.
2011: The Libyan National Transitional Council deems the Libyan Civil War over.
2007: A storm causes the Mexican Kab 101 oil platform to collide with a wellhead, leading to the death and drowning of 22 people during rescue operations after evacuation of the platform.
2007: Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-120, with Pamela Melroy becoming the second female space shuttle commander.
2004: A powerful earthquake and its aftershocks hit Niigata Prefecture in northern Japan, killing 35 people, injuring 2,200, and leaving 85,000 homeless or evacuated.
2002: Second Chechen War: Chechen separatist terrorists seize the House of Culture theater in Moscow and take approximately 700 theater-goers hostage.
2001: Apple Computer releases the iPod.
1998: Israel and the Palestinian Authority sign the Wye River Memorandum.
1995: Yolanda Saldívar is found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of popular Latin singer Selena.
1993: The Troubles: A Provisional IRA bomb prematurely detonates in Belfast, killing the bomber and nine civilians.
Famous Births 👶
2004: Niccolò Pisilli, Italian footballer
2003: Jacob Bethell, English Cricket Legend
2002: Ningning, Chinese singer
1999: Yui Kobayashi, Japanese idol
1998: Amandla Stenberg, American actress
1998: Jordan Goodwin, American basketball player
1997: Nick Bosa, American football player
1997: Élie Okobo, French basketball player
1997: Jaydn Su’A, New Zealand rugby league player
1997: Minnie, Thai singer
1995: Ireland Baldwin, American model
1994: Margaret Qualley, American actress
1993: Josh Ruffels, English footballer
1992: Álvaro Morata, Spanish footballer
1991: Emil Forsberg, Swedish footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
2025: June Lockhart, American actress (b. 1925)
2024: Geoff Capes, British shot putter and strongman (born 1949)
2024: Gary Indiana, American writer, playwright and poet (born 1950)
2024: Jack Jones, American singer and actor (born 1938)
2023: Aira Samulin, Finnish entrepreneur and dance teacher (born 1927)
2023: Bishan Singh Bedi, Indian cricketer (born 1946)
2022: Adriano Moreira, Portuguese politician, Minister of the Overseas Provinces, President of the CDS – People’s Party (born 1922)
2020: Jerry Jeff Walker, American singer-songwriter (born 1942)
2018: Todd Reid, Australian tennis player (born 1984)
2017: Walter Lassally, German cinematographer (born 1926)
2016: Jack Chick, American cartoonist and publisher (born 1924)
2016: Wim van der Voort, Dutch speed skater (born 1923)
2016: Pete Burns, English singer-songwriter (born 1959)
2015: Leon Bibb, American-Canadian singer (born 1922)
2015: Roger De Clerck, Belgian businessman (born 1924)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
Christian feast day:
Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer
Christian feast day:
James the Just (i.e. James, brother of Jesus) (Lutheran, Episcopal Church (USA), Eastern Orthodox)
Christian feast day:
Allucio of Campugliano
Christian feast day:
Amon of Toul (Diocese of Toul)
Christian feast day:
Boethius
Christian feast day:
Ignatios of Constantinople
Christian feast day:
John of Capistrano
Christian feast day:
Joséphine Leroux
Christian feast day:
Peter Pascual
Christian feast day:
Romain (Romanus) of Rouen
Christian feast day:
Servandus and Cermanus
Christian feast day:
Severin of Cologne
Christian feast day:
October 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day:
Christmas or the Feast of Señor Noemi (the Child Jesus) in the Apostolic Catholic Church
