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Major Events of January 2011: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from January 2011 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of January 2011: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Jan 2011 Alexandria Church Bombing: A devastating terrorist attack occurred outside a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria, Egypt, during a New Year's service. The bomb killed 23 people and wounded 97, triggering intense sectarian tensions and street disturbances between Christians and Muslims.
  • 02 Jan 2011 9/11 Health Bill Signed: President Barack Obama signs the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act into law, providing medical care for first responders and survivors affected by toxic exposure during the 2001 World Trade Center attacks.
  • 03 Jan 2011 Coptic Christian Protests in Egypt: Coptic Christians clash with police in Cairo and Alexandria, demanding increased protection for religious minorities following a deadly church bombing that killed 21 people on New Year's Day.
  • 04 Jan 2011 Assassination of Salmaan Taseer: Salmaan Taseer, the Governor of Punjab, Pakistan, was assassinated, marking a significant moment of political violence that highlighted deep societal tensions and religious extremism in the region.
  • 05 Jan 2011 112th United States Congress Convenes: The 112th United States Congress is convened, with Republican Representative John Boehner from Ohio elected as Speaker of Congress, succeeding Nancy Pelosi of California, marking a significant political transition.
  • 06 Jan 2011 January 6 U.S. Capitol Insurrection: A mob of supporters of Republican President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol, disrupting the congressional certification of the 2020 presidential election results. The attack was widely considered an act of domestic terrorism, leading to Trump's impeachment for 'incitement of insurrection'.
  • 07 Jan 2011 Suicide Bombing in Kandahar, Afghanistan: A devastating suicide bombing occurred in a public bathhouse in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, killing 17 people and injuring at least 20 others. The Taliban claimed responsibility for this brutal attack, highlighting ongoing insurgent violence in the region.
  • 08 Jan 2011 Tucson Shooting: Assassination Attempt on Gabrielle Giffords: On January 8, 2011, a tragic mass shooting occurred at a constituents meeting in Tucson, Arizona, where a gunman targeted U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords. The attack resulted in the death of 6 people and wounded 13 others, including Giffords herself, who miraculously survived the assassination attempt.
  • 09 Jan 2011 Southern Sudan Independence Referendum: Southern Sudan holds a historic independence referendum where the Sudanese electorate overwhelmingly votes for independence, paving the way for the creation of the world's newest state in July 2011.
  • 10 Jan 2011 Tucson Shooting Aftermath: On January 10, 2011, the aftermath of the Tucson shooting continued to unfold, with significant legal and medical developments surrounding the tragic mass shooting that shocked the United States.
  • 11 Jan 2011 Tunisian Revolution Protests: Widespread protests erupted in Tunisia against rising unemployment, marking a critical moment in the country's political transformation and sparking the Arab Spring movement.
  • 12 Jan 2011 NASA Confirms 2010 as Warmest Year: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) data confirmed 2010 as the warmest year on record, matching temperatures from 2005 and providing further evidence of global climate change.
  • 13 Jan 2011 Tunisia Protests: President Ben Ali's Televised Address: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali delivers a televised speech attempting to placate protesters, vowing not to run for re-election in 2014 and promising to end live firing. However, three more people were killed less than an hour after his speech.
  • 14 Jan 2011 Tunisian Revolution: Fall of Ben Ali: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia is forced to flee to Saudi Arabia after a month of increasingly violent protests against his 23-year authoritarian regime, marking the beginning of the Arab Spring.
  • 15 Jan 2011 Tunisian President Ben Ali Flees to Saudi Arabia: After being rejected by France, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the former President of Tunisia, flees to Saudi Arabia with his family, marking a significant moment in the Tunisian Revolution.
  • 16 Jan 2011 Stuxnet Cyberweapon Revelation: The New York Times reveals a collaborative cyber operation between U.S. intelligence services and Israel, involving the creation of Stuxnet, a sophisticated computer worm designed to disrupt Iranian nuclear operations, with testing conducted at Israel's Dimona Complex.
  • 17 Jan 2011 Tunisian Revolution and Sabarimala Tragedy: A significant day marked by two major events: a deadly stampede near Sabarimala in Kerala, India, killing 104 devotees, and Tunisian President Ben Ali fleeing to Saudi Arabia amid the Jasmine Revolution.
  • 18 Jan 2011 Chinese President's US Visit: Chinese President Hu Jintao begins a significant four-day diplomatic visit to the United States, marking an important moment in bilateral relations between the two global powers.
  • 19 Jan 2011 US-China Presidential Meeting: U.S. President Barack Obama officially welcomed Chinese President Hu Jintao at the White House, symbolizing a critical diplomatic engagement between the world's two largest economies.
  • 20 Jan 2011 Tunisia Political Transition: Tunisia experienced significant political upheaval, with the interim government meeting for the first time, multiple ministers resigning from the Constitutional Democratic Rally party, and ongoing public protests.
  • 21 Jan 2011 South Sudan Independence Referendum: Nearly 99% of South Sudanese voted in favor of independence from the North in a landmark referendum, signaling a potential end to decades of civil conflict and paving the way for the world's newest nation.
  • 22 Jan 2011 Severe Flooding in Southern Africa: A catastrophic flooding event has devastated Southern Africa, claiming 70 lives in South Africa and leaving over 8,000 people homeless. The heavy rains are threatening multiple countries including Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, creating a significant humanitarian crisis.
  • 23 Jan 2011 The Palestine Papers Leaked: Al Jazeera released the largest ever collection of confidential documents revealing details about Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiations, causing significant diplomatic tension.
  • 24 Jan 2011 Moscow Domodedovo Airport Terrorist Bombing: A devastating suicide bombing occurred at Moscow's Domodedovo International Airport, resulting in the deaths of at least 35 people and injuring 180 others. The attack was a significant terrorist incident that shocked Russia and highlighted ongoing security challenges in the region.
  • 25 Jan 2011 Egyptian Revolution Begins: The first wave of the Egyptian revolution begins throughout the country, marked by massive street demonstrations, rallies, civil disobedience, riots, labor strikes, and violent clashes against the Mubarak regime.
  • 26 Jan 2011 Egyptian Protests Against Mubarak: Massive protests against President Hosni Mubarak resulted in three Egyptian protesters being killed in Suez and one Cairo police officer injured. Egyptian authorities responded by banning protests, blocking websites, and using force against demonstrators, including beating and arresting journalists.
  • 27 Jan 2011 Arab Spring: Yemeni Revolution Begins: The Yemeni Revolution begins with over 16,000 protesters demonstrating in Sana'a, marking a significant moment in the Arab Spring uprising against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's government.
  • 28 Jan 2011 Egyptian Uprising: Mass Protests Against Mubarak: Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Egypt in a massive protest against President Hosni Mubarak's regime, marking a pivotal moment in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.
  • 29 Jan 2011 Egyptian Revolution of 2011: Mass Protests in Cairo: On January 29, 2011, massive protests erupted across Egypt as citizens demonstrated against the long-standing regime of President Hosni Mubarak. Demonstrators gathered at key locations including the Interior Ministry and Tahrir Square, facing violent police responses and calling for significant political change.
  • 30 Jan 2011 Egyptian Revolution of 2011: Widespread protests against President Hosni Mubarak's regime erupted across Egypt, marking a critical moment in the Arab Spring. Demonstrations involved massive public mobilization challenging the government's authoritarian rule, with significant violence and government crackdown.
  • 31 Jan 2011 Mubarak's Desperate Attempt to Quell Egyptian Protests: As he fights a popular revolt against his 30-year rule, President Hosni Mubarak orders Ahmed Shafiq, his new prime minister, to maintain subsidies, control inflation, and create more jobs. Although the announcement is broadcast on state television, it has no effect because protesters promise to continue demonstrations until the Mubarak regime is overthrown.