On this date
In 1844, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others.
In 1917, The Associated Press reported that the United States had obtained a diplomatic communication sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to a German official in Mexico proposing a German alliance with Mexico and Japan should the U.S. enter World War I. (Outrage over the telegram helped push America into the war.)
In 1983, TV’s “M*A*S*H” ended after 11 seasons with a special 2½hour finale that was watched by an estimated 121.6 million people.
In 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began.
In 1996, Britain’s Princess Diana agreed to divorce Prince Charles.
In 2013, Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign, ending an eight-year pontificate. (Benedict was succeeded the following month by Pope Francis.)
In 2018, Walmart announced that it would no longer sell firearms and ammunition to people younger than 21 and would remove items resembling assault-style rifles from its website. Dick’s Sporting Goods said it would stop selling assaultstyle rifles and ban the sale of all guns to anyone under 21. Ten years ago: Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States in the final event of the Vancouver Olympics. Five years ago: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced his country would shrink the size of the U.S. Embassy staff, limit activities of U.S. diplomats and require American tourists to apply for visas. One year ago: Talks between President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un collapsed amid a standoff over U.S. sanctions.