TUESDAY INHISTORY

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2017. There are 306 days left in the year.

Highlight in History:

On Feb. 28, 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; the “Zimmermann Note,” which had been intercepted and decoded by Britain, proposed a German alliance with Mexico and Japan should the U.S. enter WorldWar I.

On this date:

In 1844, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded as the ship was sailing on the Potomac River, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others.

In 1861, the Territory of Colorado was organized.

In 1942, the heavy cruiser USSHouston and theAustralian light cruiser HMAS Perth were attacked by Japanese forces during the World War II Battle of Sunda Strait.

In 1953, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick announced they had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.

In1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch David ian leader David Koresh on weapons charges.

In 2013, Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign, ending an eight-year pontificate.

Tenyearsago: Afederaljudge in Miami ruled that suspected al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla was competent to stand trial on terrorism support charges.

Five years ago: Republican Mitt Romney won presidential primary victories in Arizona andMichigan.

One year ago: Australian Cardinal George Pell, testifying before an investigative commission in Sydney via videolink from Rome, acknowledged that the Catholic Church had made “enormous mistakes” in allowing thousands of children to be raped and molested by priests over centuries.

Today’s Birthdays: Architect Frank Gehry is 88. Hall of Fame auto racer Mario Andretti is 77. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman is 64. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is 62. BasketballHall ofFamer Adrian Dantley is 62. Actor John Turturro is 60. Actress Ali Larter is 41. Country singer Jason Aldean is 40.

Thought for Today: “Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know.” — Daniel J. Boorstin, American historian, educator and Librarian of Congress (1914-2004).