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TOP TEN LISTS

World's Most Dangerous Animals

Deadliest animals in the world ranked by estimated number of human fatalities per year

Best Selling Musicians

Top selling musicians of all time ranked by estimated number of albums sold

Best Selling Books of All-Time

Best selling novels worldwide ranked by estimated number of copies sold

Fastest Manned Aircraft in the World

Fastest manned aircraft (excluding spacecraft) ranked by top speed

World's Most Practiced Religions

Major religions of the world ranked by estimated number of followers

Worst Genocides of the Twentieth Century

The ten worst genocides of the 20th century listed by dictators responsible; ranked by number of deaths

World's Fastest Land Animals

The fastest land animals in the world ranked by maximum speed

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Today in History

Sunday, 04 January 2026

2010

The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building is officially opened.

2007

The 110th United States Congress convenes, electing Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House in U.S. history.

2006

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel suffers a second, apparently more serious stroke. His authority is transferred to acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

2004

Spirit, a NASA Mars Rover, lands successfully on Mars at 04:35 UTC.

1999

Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as governor of Minnesota.

Gunmen open fire on Shiite Muslims worshipping in an Islamabad mosque, killing 16 people and injuring 25.

1998

Wilaya of Relizane massacres in Algeria: over 170 are killed in three remote villages.

A massive ice storm hits eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, continuing through January 10 and causing widespread destruction.

1989

Second Gulf of Sidra incident: a pair of Libyan MiG-23 "Floggers" are shot down by a pair of US Navy F-14 Tomcats during an air-to-air confrontation.

1987

The Chase, Maryland rail wreck: An Amtrak train en route to Boston, Massachusetts from Washington, D.C., collides with Conrail engines in Chase, Maryland, killing 16 people.

FACTOIDS