- 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
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