Al Jazeera English launched. The English language 24-hour news channel is owned and run by Al Jazeera Media Network based in Doha, Qatar.

State of Palestine created. The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) declared the creation of the state while in exile in Algiers, Algeria. The declaration designated eastern Jerusalem as the state's capital. Today, almost 70% of all UN members state recognize it as an independent country.

Elvis Presley makes his movie debut. Love Me Tender, a black-and-white musical starred the American singer, who is also sometimes called the King of Rock and Roll. The movie was named after Presley's hit single by the same name.

Assassins of MK Gandhi Executed in India. Nathuram Godse, Narayan Apte and 6 other co-conspirators of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi were hanged at the Ambala jail. On January 30, 1948, Godse who was unhappy about Gandhi's accommodation of India's Muslims shot Gandhi while he was out for his evening prayers.

League of Nations meets for the first time. The general assembly of the international organization got together for the first time after being founded in January 1920. The League was created as a response to World War I and was entrusted by member states to maintain peace in the world.