January 8 historical events
871 — Battle of Ashdown
The Battle of Ashdown was a West Saxon victory over a Danish Viking army on about 8 January 871. The location of Ashdown is not known, but may be Kingstanding Hill in Berkshire. Other writers place the battle near Starveall, a short distance north of the village of Aldworth and south east of Lowbury Hill. The West Saxons were led by King Æthelred and his younger brother, the future King Alfred the Great, while the Viking commanders were Bagsecg and Halfdan. The battle is described in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Asser's Life of King Alfred.
Berkshire, United Kingdom · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1806 — Battle of Blaauwberg
The Battle of Blaauwberg, also known as the Battle of Cape Town, fought near Cape Town on 8 January 1806, was a small but significant military engagement. It established British rule in South Africa, which was to have many ramifications for the region during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A bi-centennial commemoration was held in January 2006.
South Africa · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-24
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1815 — Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815, between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the French Quarter of New Orleans, in the current suburb of Chalmette, Louisiana. The battle was the climax of the five-month Gulf Campaign (September 1814 to February 1815) by Britain to try to take New Orleans, West Florida, and possibly the Louisiana Territory which began at the First Battle of Fort Bowyer.
New Orleans, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1862 — Battle of Roan's Tan Yard
The Battle of Roan's Tan Yard (also known as Silver Creek) was an action during the American Civil War, occurring on January 8, 1862, in Randolph County, Missouri. Rumors and sightings of a Confederate force in the Howard County area had circulated for more than a week, but the Union troops could not locate them. On January 7, 1862, information was received that Col. John A. Poindexter and his force of 800 Missouri State Guard recruits were camped on Silver Creek. Detachments from various Union units came together and headed towards the Confederate camp which was about 14 miles northwest of Fayette.
Randolph County, Missouri, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1863 — Second Battle of Springfield
The Second Battle of Springfield was a battle in the American Civil War fought January 8, 1863, in Springfield, Missouri. It is sometimes known as The Battle of Springfield. (The First Battle of Springfield was fought on October 25, 1861, and there was also the better-known Battle of Wilson's Creek, fought nearby on August 10, 1861.) Fighting was urban and house-to-house, which was rare in the war.
Missouri, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1865 — Battle of Dove Creek
The Battle of Dove Creek was a small engagement during the American Civil War that took place January 8, 1865, along Dove Creek in what is now southwest Tom Green County, Texas. Texan soldiers under Confederate captains Henry Fossett and S.S. Totten, misunderstanding which tribe occupied a discovered camp, attacked a tribe of peaceful Kickapoo Indians and were badly beaten by an organized defense.
Texas, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1877 — Battle of Wolf Mountain
The Battle of Wolf Mountain, also known the Battle of the Wolf Mountains, Miles's Battle on the Tongue River, the Battle of the Butte and called the Battle of Belly Butte by the Northern Cheyenne, occurred January 8, 1877, in southern Montana Territory between soldiers of the United States Army against Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors during the Great Sioux War of 1876. It was fought about four miles southwest of modern-day Birney, along the Tongue River. In 2001, the Wolf Mountains Battlefield was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was raised to the status of National Historic Landmark in 2008.
Montana, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1880 — Battle of Murino
On the third day of Serbian Christmas, January 8, 1880, about a month after the battle of Novšiće, around 10,000 pro-Ottoman Albanians attacked the Montenegrin forces numbering 3,000, led by commanders Marko Miljanov and Todor Miljanov and priest Đoko, in Murino. At this battle, the Montenegrin forces were made up of the Bratonožići, Vasojevići and Moračani. The Albanians, among whom were Ottoman regulars (as in previous battles), had 1,400 casualties (dead and wounded), the Montenegrins 36 dead and 70 wounded. According to the Montenegrin Prince Nicholas, the defeat of retreating Ottoman forces was so devastating, that Montenegrin forces finished the battle before the night had fallen, which is something they usually don't do.
Velika, Montenegro, Montenegro · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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1912 — African National Congress
The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election resulted in Nelson Mandela being elected as President of South Africa. Founded on 8 January 1912 in Bloemfontein as the South African Native National Congress, the organisation was formed to advocate for the rights of black South Africans.
South Africa · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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1939 — 1938 Tschammerpokal final
The 1938 Tschammerpokal final decided the winner of the 1938 Tschammerpokal, the 4th season of Germany's knockout football cup competition. It was played on 8 January 1939 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Rapid Wien won the match 3–1 against FSV Frankfurt, to claim their 1st cup title.
Berlin, Germany · Sport · Checked 2026-09-24
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1961 — French referendum on Algerian self-determination, 1961
A referendum on self-determination for Algeria was held in France on 8 January 1961. Self-determination was approved by 75.0% of voters overall and 69.5% in Algeria. The government reported voter turnout of 92.2%. Other sources claim that four out of ten of the individuals in France and Algeria entitled to vote abstained. The referendum was worded as follows: "Do you approve the bill submitted to the French people by the President of the Republic and concerning the self-determination of the populations of Algeria and the organization of the public authorities in Algeria prior to self-determination".
Algeria · France · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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1989 — Kegworth air disaster
The Kegworth air disaster occurred when a Boeing 737-400 crashed on to the embankment of the M1 motorway near Kegworth, Leicestershire, England, while attempting to make an emergency landing at East Midlands Airport on 8 January 1989. British Midland Flight 92 was on a scheduled flight from London Heathrow Airport to Belfast Airport, when a fan-blade broke in the left engine, disrupting the air-conditioning and filling the flight-deck with smoke. The pilots believed that this indicated a fault in the right engine, since earlier models of the 737 ventilated the flight-deck from the right, and they were unaware that the 400 used a different system.
England, United Kingdom · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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1993 — 1993 Aruban general election
General elections were held in Aruba on 8 January 1993. The Aruban People's Party and People's Electoral Movement (MEP) both won nine seats in the 21-seat Estates. The MEP remained in government with a three-party coalition headed by Nelson Oduber as Prime Minister.
Aruba · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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1996 — 1996 Air Africa crash
The 1996 Air Africa crash occurred on 8 January 1996 when an overloaded Air Africa Antonov An-32B aircraft, wet leased from Moscow Airways and bound for Kahemba Airport, overshot the runway at N'Dolo Airport in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo after failing to take off and plowed into Kinshasa's Simbazikita street market. Though four of the aircraft's six crew survived, 225 fatalities and around 253 serious injuries occurred on the ground. This is the largest number of non-passenger ground fatalities caused by the accidental crash of an aircraft. According to Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, the aircraft was operating out of license.
Democratic Republic of the Congo · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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1998 — WCW Thunder debut episode
The WCW Thunder debut episode was a professional wrestling show that marked the debut of World Championship Wrestling's (WCW) weekly WCW Thunder television show. The show took place on January 8, 1998. The show aired live on TBS, taking place at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Florida, United States · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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1999 — UFC 18
UFC 18: The Road to the Heavyweight Title was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 8, 1999 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.
Louisiana, United States · Sport · Checked 2026-09-23
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1999 — Ambush near Kosovska Mitrovica
The Ambush near Mitrovica (Serbian: Zaseda kod Kosovske Mitrovice; Albanian: Prita afër Mitrovicës) was an incident that occurred on 8 January 1999, when members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) ambushed a Yugoslav Interior Ministry convoy carrying rations to troops stationed in a field near Mitrovica. Later that evening, two columns of Yugoslav troops, accompanied with at least fifty tanks, set off in the direction of Mitrovica.
Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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2002 — Oklahoma's 1st congressional district special election, 2002
The 2002 United States House of Representatives special election in Oklahoma's 1st congressional district was held on January 8, 2002 to select the successor to Steve Largent (R) who resigned to focus on his campaign for Governor of Oklahoma. Both of the major parties held primaries to determine their nominees. The Republican primary featured a competitive contest between then-First Lady of Oklahoma Cathy Keating, and state Senator Scott Pruitt, and the eventual winner state Representative John Sullivan. Sullivan subsequently defeated Tulsa School Board present Doug Dodd by a ten point margin. Given the strong conservative bent of the district, which voted for George W.
Oklahoma, United States · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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2003 — Air Midwest Flight 5481
Air Midwest Flight 5481 was a Beechcraft 1900D which crashed upon takeoff while on a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina. On the morning of January 8, 2003, the Beechcraft stalled while departing the airport and crashed into an aircraft hangar, killing all 21 passengers and crew aboard and injuring one person on the ground.
North Carolina, United States · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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2008 — Operation Phantom Phoenix
Operation Phantom Phoenix was a major nationwide offensive launched by the Multinational Force Iraq (MNF-I) on 8 January 2008 in an attempt to build on the success of the two previous corps-level operations, Operation Phantom Thunder and Operation Phantom Strike and further reduce violence and secure Iraq's population, particularly in the capital Baghdad. The offensive consisted of a number of joint Coalition and Iraqi Army operations throughout northern Iraq as well as in the southern Baghdad Belts. The northern operation was designated Operation Iron Harvest. Its objective was to hunt down the remaining 200 Al-Qaeda extremists remaining in the province of Diyala following the end of the previous offensive.
Iraq · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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2008 — 2008 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary
The 2008 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary took place on January 8, 2008, with 12 national delegates being allocated proportionally to the popular vote. Senator from Arizona John McCain won the contest with 37% of the vote and 7 pledged delegates. McCain's victory was described by The New York Times as a "Lazarus-like win" that "revived his presidential bid" following a disappointing showing in the 2008 Iowa caucuses.
New Hampshire, United States · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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2008 — 2008 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary
The 2008 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary on January 8, 2008 was the first primary in the United States in 2008. Its purpose was to determine the number of delegates from New Hampshire that would represent a certain candidate at the National Convention. In a primary, members of a political party—in this case, the Democratic Party—will select the candidates to a subsequent election.
New Hampshire, United States · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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2010 — Togo national football team attack
A terrorist attack occurred on 8 January 2010 as the Togo national football team traveled through the Angolan province of Cabinda on the way to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, two days before it began in Angola. A little-known offshoot of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), a group promoting independence for the province of Cabinda, known as the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda – Military Position (FLEC-PM), claimed responsibility for the attack. Bus driver Mário Adjoua, the team's assistant manager Améleté Abalo, and media officer Stanislas Ocloo were killed, with several others injured.
Angola · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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2011 — 2011 Tabankort raid
On January 8, 2011, French and Nigerien commandos attempted to retrieve two French nationals taken hostage by AQIM militants in Niamey in Niger, and who were subsequently brought into the desert near Tabankort in Mali. Both hostages were killed during the botched rescue operation, along with three Nigerien soldiers and four kidnappers. The rescue operation's failure sparked controversy in France as it was reported that one of the hostages was killed by French gunfire.
Mali · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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2011 — 2011 Tucson shooting
On January 8, 2011, United States representative Gabby Giffords and 18 others were shot during a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, Arizona, in the Tucson metropolitan area. Six people were killed, including federal District Court chief judge John Roll; Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords's staffers; and a nine-year-old girl, Christina Taylor Green.
Arizona, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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2012 — Genesis (2012)
Genesis (2012) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, that took place on January 8, 2012 at Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the seventh event under the Genesis chronology and first event of the 2012 TNA PPV schedule. The main event of Genesis saw Bobby Roode successfully defend the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Jeff Hardy.
Florida, United States · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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2015 — Sri Lankan presidential election, 2015
Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 8 January 2015, two years ahead of schedule. The incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the United People's Freedom Alliance's candidate, seeking a third term in office. The United National Party (UNP)-led opposition coalition chose to field Maithripala Sirisena, the former Minister of Health in Rajapaksa's government and general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) – the main constituent party of the UPFA – as its common candidate. Sirisena was declared the winner after receiving 51.28% of all votes cast compared to Rajapaksa's 47.58%. The result was generally seen as a shock.
Sri Lanka · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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2017 — Impact Wrestling Genesis (2017)
Genesis (2017) was a special episode of Impact Wrestling, produced by professional wrestling Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), which took place on January 8, 2017 at the Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. It was the tenth event in the Genesis chronology, and aired on January 26 on Pop. Five matches were contested at the event and every championship in TNA was defended at Genesis.
Florida, United States · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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2021 — La Vega raid
The La Vega raid was a police raid that occurred on 8 January 2021 in La Vega Parish, Caracas, Venezuela. The objective of the raid was to take control of La Vega Parish, which was controlled by a criminal organization, led by Leonardo José Polanco Angulo; he was a drug lord, known as "El Loco Leo".
Venezuela · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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2022 — 2022 Czech Pirate Party leadership election
The Czech Pirate Party held a leadership election on 8 January 2022, following the party's poor performance in the 2021 Czech parliamentary election. Ivan Bartoš was reelected, defeating Senator Lukáš Wagenknecht in the final round.
Czechia · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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2022 — Hard To Kill (2022)
The 2022 Hard To Kill was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Impact Wrestling. It took place on January 8, 2022, at The Factory in Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas. It was the third event under the Hard To Kill chronology. 10 matches were contested at the event, with two matches contested on the pre-show and one match taped as a digital exclusive.
Dallas, United States · Texas, United States · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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2024 — 2024 Dima Hasao Autonomous Council election
The Dima Hasao Autonomous Council election was held on 8 January 2024. The Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, earlier called North Cachar Hills District Council is an autonomous district in the Indian state of Assam.
India · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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2025 — 2025 N'Djamena attack
On 8 January 2025, an attack was carried out against the presidential palace, known as the Pink Palace, in the Chadian capital N'Djamena by unknown attackers. The 24 attackers attempted to gain entry through a security gate of the presidential palace before being confronted by security forces. Chadian President Mahamat Déby was inside the presidential palace at the time, and he later released a thanking guards for thwarting the attack.
N'Djamena, Chad · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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