January 4 Events

2011 The United Kingdom raises its value-added tax to 20% from 17.5%, its highest rate ever
2011 In Canada, Kathryn Gray becomes the youngest person to ever discover a supernova; she is ten years old
2010 Maylasia's Islamic morality police capture 52 unmarried couples in hotel rooms, charging them with sexual misconduct and possible imprisonment
2007 Nancy Pelosi is elected Speaker of the House, by a vote of 233-202
2006 Ehud Olmert becomes Prime Minister of Israel after Ariel Sharon suffers a stroke
1998 "Funny Thing Happened," closes at St. James New York City after 715 perform
1998 "Ivanov," closes at Vivian Beaumont Theater New York City after 51 performances
1998 "Triumph of Love," closes at Royale Theater New York City
1996 "Father" opens at Criterion Theater New York City for 52 performances
1995 Newt Gingrich becomes speaker of the House
1994 10th largest wrestling crowd (58,000-Tokyo Dome)
1993 7th largest wrestling crowd (63,500-Tokyo Dome)
1992 8th largest wrestling crowd (60,000-Tokyo Dome)
1991 AT&T workers in Newark accidentally snap a cable
1991 Fu Mingxia, 12, of China wins World Swimming Championships gold medal
1991 Iraq agrees to send Aziz to Geneva to meet Baker on Jan 9th
1991 Jan Krzystof Bielecki becomes premier of Poland
1989 Comet Tempel 1 at perihelion
1989 U.S. F-14s shoot down 2 Libyan jet fighters over Mediterranean
1989 Vice President Bush is 1st since Vice President Van Buren to declare himself president
1987 16 die in a train crash in Chase Md
1986 David Boon's second Test century, 131 vs. India at Adelaide
1986 NCAA basketball's David Robinson blocks a record 14 shots
1984 "Night Court" starring Harry Anderson premieres on NBC TV
1984 Edmonton beats Minnesota 12-8 highest-scoring modern NHL game
1983 U.S. Football League holds its 1st player draft
1982 Bryant Gumbel became co-host of NBC's "Today Show"
1982 Chris Wallace becomes co-anchor of the Today Show
1982 Golden Gate Bridge closed for 3rd time by fierce storm
1982 ABC Direction Network (57 affiliates) and ABC Rock Network (40 affiliates) become the 5th and 6th ABC radio network
1981 "Frankenstein" opens and closes on Broadway
1981 "Peter Pan" closes at Lunt-Fontanne Theater New York City after 578 performances
1981 69th Australian Mens Tennis: B Teacher beats Kim Warwick (75 76 63)
1981 British police arrest Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper"
1980 President Carter announces U.S. boycott of Moscow Olympics
1977 Mary Shane hired by Chicago White Sox as 1st woman TV play-by-play
1976 "Candide" closes at Broadway Theater New York City after 740 performances
1976 "Home Sweet Homer" opens and closes at Palace Theater New York City
1975 "Good News" closes at St. James Theater New York City after 16 performances
1975 "Gypsy" closes at Winter Garden Theater New York City after 120 performances