On This Day: 11 January

11 January in world history

• 2020COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei: Municipal health officials in Wuhan announce the first recorded death from COVID-19.
• 2013French special forces failed in an attempted rescue of a DGSE agent, who had been taken hostage in 2009 by al-Shabaab, in Bulo Marer, Somalia.
• 2003Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois's death row based on the Jon Burge scandal.
• 1998Over 100 people are killed in the Sidi-Hamed massacre in Algeria.
• 1996Space Shuttle program: STS-72 launches from the Kennedy Space Center marking the start of the 74th Space Shuttle mission and the 10th flight of Endeavour.
• 1994The Irish Government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the IRA and its political arm Sinn Féin.
• 1986The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, opened as the largest prestressed-concrete, single-box bridge in the world.
• 1973Major League Baseball owners vote in approval of the American League adopting the designated hitter position.
• 1964In a landmark report, U.S. surgeon general Luther Terry issued a warning that tobacco smoking may be hazardous to health, concluding that it has a causative role in lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and other illnesses.
• 1962Cold War: While tied to its pier in Polyarny, the Soviet submarine B-37 is destroyed when fire breaks out in its torpedo compartment.
• 1943The Republic of China agrees to the Sino-British New Equal Treaty and the Sino-American New Equal Treaty.
• 1942World War II: Japanese forces attack Tarakan in Borneo, Netherlands Indies (Battle of Tarakan)
• 1914The Karluk, the flagship of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, sank after being crushed by ice.
• 1863American Civil War: The Battle of Arkansas Post concluded with the Union Army capturing a fort from Confederate forces near the mouth of the Arkansas River.
• 1851Taiping Rebellion: Hong Xiuquan proclaims the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, starting the Jintian Uprising.
• 1787German-born British astronomer William Herschel discovered two Uranian moons, later named Oberon and Titania by his son John.
• 1693The most powerful earthquake recorded in Italy struck the island of Sicily, causing 60,000 deaths and prompting a period of architectural revival.
• 1654Arauco War: The Mapuche-Huilliche of southern Chile defeated a slave-hunting Spanish army at the Battle of Río Bueno.

Born on 11 January

• 1973Rahul Dravid, Indian cricketerIndia
• 1944Shibu Soren, Indian politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Jharkhand (died 2025)India
• 1907Pierre Mendès France, French lawyer and politician, 142nd Prime Minister of France (died 1982)
• 1878Theodoros Pangalos, Greek general and politician, President of Greece (died 1952)
• 1859George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, English politician, 35th Governor-General of India (died 1925)India
• 1760Oliver Wolcott Jr., American lawyer and politician, 2nd United States Secretary of the Treasury, 24th Governor of Connecticut (died 1833)

Died on 11 January

• 2014Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Indian-Bangladeshi jurist and politician, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (born 1928)India
• 2013Tom Parry Jones, Welsh chemist, invented the breathalyzer (born 1935)
• 1999Fabrizio De André, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1940)
• 1966Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indian academic and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of India (born 1904)India

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 11 January in history?

2020: COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei: Municipal health officials in Wuhan announce the first recorded death from COVID-19. 2013: French special forces failed in an attempted rescue of a DGSE agent, who had been taken hostage in 2009 by al-Shabaab, in Bulo Marer, Somalia. 2003: Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois's death row based on the Jon Burge scandal. 1998: Over 100 people are killed in the Sidi-Hamed massacre in Algeria.

Which famous people were born on 11 January?

Rahul Dravid, Indian cricketer (1973); Shibu Soren, Indian politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Jharkhand (died 2025) (1944); Pierre Mendès France, French lawyer and politician, 142nd Prime Minister of France (died 1982) (1907); Theodoros Pangalos, Greek general and politician, President of Greece (died 1952) (1878).

Which day is observed on 11 January?

Children's Day (Tunisia); Eugenio María de Hostos Day (Puerto Rico); Independence Resistance Day (Morocco); Kagami biraki (Japan); National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (United States).