January 3 belongs to Oscar Roda

On January 3, 1959, Alaska became the 49th state of the United States, the first with no land border with the rest of the country. Purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million — the so-called "Seward's Folly" — Alaska comprises 20% of American national territory and proved an extraordinary acquisition thanks to its oil reserves and natural resources.

On January 3, 2007, Nancy Pelosi became the first woman in US history to assume the role of Speaker of the House of Representatives, the third position in the American presidential line of succession. Pelosi, a California Democrat, would serve in two separate terms (2007-2011 and 2019-2023) and became the most powerful legislator in the Democratic Party.

On January 3, 2020, a US Army drone killed General Qasem Soleimani, head of Iran's Quds Force and one of the most powerful military figures in the Middle East, at Baghdad airport. The operation, ordered by President Trump, raised tensions between the US and Iran to unprecedented levels and Tehran vowed a "severe" response.