A Gulf Air passenger jet crashed into the Persian Gulf near Bahrain. 143 people died in the crash.

Armenia declared its independence from the rule of the Soviet Union.

More than two million people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania formed a living chain on the Vilnius-Tallinn road, in support of the independence of the Baltic states.

Heavy rain caused severe floods in Bangladesh, resulting in the death of many hundreds of people.

A coup d'etat took place in Laos, installing a communist government which is still governing the nation.

The first live television connection between the United States and Europe took place, via the Telstar satellite.

A US air force bomber crashed into a school in Freckleton, England resutling in the death of killing 61 people, most of which were children.

Italian actor, Rudolph Valentino, died at the age of 31. He was probably the first male sex symbol in the history of cinema. He died due to complications incurred from an ulcer surgery.

American actor, Gene Kelly, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Along with Fred Astaire, he was one of the most celebrated musical actors of the 20th century.

The snow chain, for car tyres, was patented.

Britain abolished slavery in all its colonies.

German mathematician, Moritz Cantor, was born in Mannheim.

French physicist, Charles Augustin de Coulomb, died at the age of 69. He was one of the leading scientists in the field of electricity and electromagnetism. The unit of electrical charge, the coulomb, is named after him.

King Louis XVI of France was born in Versailles. He was the last king of France who was executed on 21 January 1793. His execution signalled the end of the monarchy in France.

Scottish knight, William Wallace, was executed after being found guilty of treason by an English court.