Dashed left edge = started before January 2020 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond January 2020
Events in January 2020 21
1942 – 2020Terry Jones (1942-2020)Died 21 January 2020, aged 77Terry Jones was a Welsh writer, director and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, directing films including Monty Python's Life of Brian. He died on 21 January 2020 after a long illness with a rare form of dementia.
1942 – 2020David Stern (1942-2020)Died 1 January 2020, aged 77David Stern served as commissioner of the NBA from 1984 to 2014, transforming it into a global entertainment brand and expanding the league internationally. He died on 1 January 2020 following a brain hemorrhage.
1952 – 2020Neil Peart (1952-2020)Died 7 January 2020, aged 67Neil Peart was the drummer and primary lyricist of the Canadian rock band Rush, widely regarded as one of the greatest drummers in rock history. He died on 7 January 2020 after a three-year battle with brain cancer, kept private until his death was announced.
1957 – 2020Qassem Soleimani (1957-2020)Died 3 January 2020, aged 62Qassem Soleimani commanded Iran's elite Quds Force and was widely seen as the architect of Iran's regional military strategy across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. He was killed by a US drone strike near Baghdad airport on 3 January 2020.
1978 – 2020Kobe BryantThe Black Mamba5-time NBA champion with the Lakers; famous for his "Mamba Mentality" and scoring prowess.
2020Australian Open 2020Men: Novak Djokovic · Women: Sofia KeninDjokovic's 8th Australian Open.
202014 Peaks: Nothing Is ImpossibleThe Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible was released, bringing his story and Nepali-led mountaineering to a global audience of millions.
20202020: Lewis HamiltonMercedesHamilton won his seventh title in a COVID-shortened season, equalling Schumacher's record of seven World Championships.
2020Australian "Black Summer" bushfiresCatastrophic fire season burns over 18 million hectaresBushfires that had raged across Australia since mid-2019 continued into early 2020, ultimately burning more than 18 million hectares, destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 33 people. Smoke haze reached South America, and the fires were declared contained by mid-February 2020.
2020East Africa locust invasionWorst desert locust outbreak in decades threatens food supplyMassive swarms of desert locusts spread across East Africa and the Horn of Africa through the first half of 2020, devastating crops and pasture in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and beyond. The UN called it the region's worst locust crisis in 25 years, threatening food security for millions.
2020 – 2023Martial Arts and Later LifeHeld a sixth-degree black belt in karate and taught martial arts alongside his literary work. Continued writing, performing and campaigning until his diagnosis with a brain tumour in late 2023.
2020Virtual Rocky Horror ReunionAppeared in a virtual reunion of The Rocky Horror Picture Show cast during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing joy to fans worldwide. His warmth and humour despite his physical limitations inspired an outpouring of love on social media.
2020Zoom usage explodesVideo calling becomes essentialZoom went from 10 million daily meeting participants in December 2019 to 300 million in April 2020, becoming essential infrastructure for remote work, education and socialising during COVID-19.
2020Assassination of Qassem SoleimaniUS drone strike kills Iranian general near BaghdadA US MQ-9 Reaper drone strike ordered by President Trump killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020. The killing sharply escalated tensions between the United States and Iran, prompting Iranian missile strikes on US bases in Iraq days later.
2020Prince Harry and Meghan step back as senior royalsSussexes announce departure from official royal dutiesThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on 8 January 2020 that they would step back as senior members of the British royal family and pursue financial independence. The move, dubbed "Megxit" in the press, took effect on 31 March 2020 and led them to relocate to North America.
2020Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shot downIranian missiles destroy airliner over Tehran, killing 176Shortly after takeoff from Tehran, a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was shot down by Iranian Revolutionary Guard surface-to-air missiles amid heightened tension with the United States. All 176 people aboard were killed, and Iran admitted responsibility three days later after initial denials.
2020Star Trek: Picard — Season 1Patrick Stewart returns as Jean-Luc Picard, now retired and haunted by the Federation's abandonment of the Romulan evacuation. The most sophisticated Star Trek since DS9's peak years. Introduces new characters and deepens the mythology of the TNG era. Brent Spiner, Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) and Jonathan Del Arco (Hugh) reprise their roles.
2020Wuhan lockdownChina seals off city of 11 million to contain COVID-19On 23 January 2020, Chinese authorities imposed an unprecedented lockdown on Wuhan, halting travel in and out of the city of 11 million people. The cordon, later extended across Hubei province, became the model for lockdowns adopted worldwide, and was lifted on 8 April 2020.
2020Bad Boys for Life#1 film of 2020 — $206m worldwideDirected by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The third instalment of the Bad Boys franchise.
2020Kobe Bryant diesBasketball legend killed in helicopter crashKobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others.
2020Brexit completedUK formally leaves European UnionThe United Kingdom formally left the European Union at 11pm on January 31, 2020, ending 47 years of membership.