Today in History

Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023

Today is Thursday, Jan. 26, the 26th day of 2022. There are 339 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 26, 1998, President Bill Clinton forcefully denied having an affair with a former White House intern, telling reporters, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”

On this date:

In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Rocky Mountain National Park Act, which created America’s 10th national park. In 1962, the United States launched Ranger 3to land scientific instruments on the moon. (The probe ended up missing its target by more than 22,000 miles.)

In 1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton, appearing with his wife, Hillary, on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” acknowledged “causing pain in my marriage,” but said past problems were not relevant to the campaign.

In 1993, Vaclav Havel (VAHTS’LAHV Hah’-vel) was elected president of the newly formed Czech Republic.

In 1994, a scare occurred during a visit to Sydney, Australia, by Britain’s Prince Charles as college student David Kang lunged at the prince, firing two blank shots from a starter’s pistol. (Kang was later sentenced to 500hours of community service.)

In 2005, a U.S. Marine helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing 30Marines and a Navy medic aboard. A man parked his SUV on railroad tracks in Glendale, California, setting off a crash of two commuter trains that killed 11people. (The SUV’S driver, Juan Alvarez, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms.)

In 2009, Nadya Suleman gave birth at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in California to six boys and two girls; criticism came after the public learned that the unemployed, single mother had gotten pregnant with the octuplets and six elder children through in vitro fertilization.

In 2016, the FBI arrested the leaders of an armed group that was occupying a national wildlife refuge in Oregon for more than three weeks during a traffic stop that left one man, Robert “Lavoy” Finicum, dead. Character actor Abe Vigoda, 94, died in Woodland Park, New Jersey.

In 2020, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed when their helicopter plunged into a steep hillside in dense morning fog in Southern California; the former Lakers star was 41. Eighteen-year-old singer Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards, becoming the youngest to win one of Grammy’s top awards and the first to sweep all four in nearly 40 years.

Ten years ago: Thousands of people, many holding signs with names of gun violence victims, joined a rally in Washington, D.C. for gun control, marching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. Victoria Azarenka won her second consecutive Australian Open title, beating Li Na 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Ashley Wagner became the first woman since Michelle Kwan in 2005 to win back-to-back titles in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, holding off up-and-comer Gracie Gold in Omaha, Neb.

Five years ago: A jury in suburban New Orleans found Ronald Gasser guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of NFL running back Joe Mcknight in a December 2016road-rage confrontation. (Gasser, 56, was later sentenced to 30years in prison.) Michigan State University Athletic Director Mark Hollis retired, two days after the university’s president resigned over the school’s handling of sexual abuse allegations against disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar. A fire raced through a small South Korean hospital with no sprinkler system, killing 37 people.

One year ago: The Federal Reserve signaled that it planned to start raising interest rates to fight high inflation. Boston’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital defended its decision to deny a man a heart transplant in part because he refused to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Spotify said it would grant the request of veteran rocker Neil Young to have his music removed from the streaming platform; Young objected to what he said was Spotify’s decision to allow Covid-19 misinformation to spread in podcasts. After 40 consecutive wins and nearly $1.4 million in prize money, the winning streak of “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider came to an end.

Today’s birthdays: Cartoonist Jules Feiffer is 94. Sportscasteractor Bob Uecker is 88. Actor Scott Glenn is 84. Singer Jean Knight is 80. Activist Angela Davis is 79. Actor Richard Portnow is 76. Rock musician Corky Laing (Mountain) is 75. Actor David Strathairn (STREH-THEHRN’) is 74. Producer-director Mimi Leder is

71. Alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is 70. Reggae musician Norman Hassan (UB40) is 65. Actor-comedian-talk show host Ellen Degeneres is 65. Rock musician Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows) is 63. Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky is

62. Musician Andrew Ridgeley is

60. R&B singer Jazzie B (Soul II Soul) is 60. Actor Paul Johansson is 59. Director Lenny Abrahamson is 57. Actor Bryan Callen is 56. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 53. Actor Nate Mooney is 51. Actor Jennifer Crystal is 50. Rock musician Chris Hesse (Hoobastank) is 49. Actor Matilda Szydagis is

49. Actor Gilles Marini (ZHEEL ma-ree’-nee) is 47. Gospel singer Tye Tribbett is 47. Retired NBA player Vince Carter is 46. Actor Sarah Rue is 45. Actor Colin O’donoghue is 42.

Friday, Jan. 27, 2023

Today is Friday, Jan. 27, the 27th day of 2022. There are 338 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 27, 1967, astronauts Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee died in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo spacecraft.

On this date:

In 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.

In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.

In 1888, the National Geographic Society was incorporated in Washington, D.C.

In 1944, during World War II, the Soviet Union announced the complete end of the deadly German siege of Leningrad, which had lasted for more than two years. In 1945, during World War II, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.

In 1973, the Vietnam peace accords were signed in Paris.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, greeted at the White House the 52 former American hostages released by Iran.

In 1984, singer Michael Jackson suffered serious burns to his scalp when pyrotechnics set his hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi-cola TV commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In 2006, Western Union delivered its last telegram.

In 2010, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the ipad tablet computer during a presentation in San Francisco. J.D. Salinger, the reclusive author of “The Catcher in the Rye,” died in Cornish, New Hampshire, at age 91.

In 2013, Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil, killing 242people.

In 2017, President Donald Trump barred all refugees from entering the United States for four months — and those from war-ravaged Syria indefinitely — declaring the ban necessary to prevent “radical Islamic terrorists” from entering the nation.

In 2020, China confirmed more than 2,700cases of the new coronavirus with more than 80 deaths in that country; authorities postponed the end of the Lunar New Year holiday to keep the public at home. U.S. health officials said they believed the risk to Americans remained low and that they had no evidence that the new virus was spreading in the United States; they advised Americans to avoid non-essential travel to any part of China.

Ten years ago: Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil, killing 242 people. Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-2 to become the first man in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian Open titles. The CIA thriller “Argo” won top honor for overall cast performance at the Screen Actors Guild Awards; Jennifer Lawrence won leading actress for “Silver Linings Playbook” while Daniel Day-lewis won leading actor for “Lincoln.” Five years ago: A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital of Kabul killed more than 100 people; the attacker was driving an ambulance full of explosives and raced through a security checkpoint after saying he was transferring a patient to a hospital. Comic strip artist Mort Walker, a World War II veteran who satirized the Army with the antics of the lazy private “Beetle Bailey,” died in Connecticut at the age of 94. Caroline Wozniacki won the women’s final at the Australian Open, her first victory in a Grand Slam tournament after 43tries, beating topseeded Simona Halep. One year ago: Liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer confirmed that he would step down from the court later in the year. President Joe Biden strongly affirmed that he would nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court to replace Breyer, declaring that such historic representation is “long overdue.” (Biden’s nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, would be confirmed in April.) Millions of health care workers across the country were required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as a mandate from the Biden administration took effect in about half the states. Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement after 18seasons and two Super Bowl wins. Today’s birthdays: Actor James Cromwell is 83. Rock musician Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is 79. R&B singer Nedra Talley (The Ronettes) is 77. Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov is 75. Latin singer-songwriter Djavan is 74. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts is 68. Country singer Cheryl White is 68. Country singer-musician Richard Young (The Kentucky Headhunters) is 68. Actor Mimi Rogers is 67. Rock musician Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) is 66. Actor Susanna Thompson is 65. Political and sports commentator Keith Olbermann is 64. Rock singer Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 62. Rock musician Gillian Gilbert is 62. Actor Tamlyn Tomita is 60. Actor Bridget Fonda is 59. Actor Alan Cumming is 58. Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 55. Rock singer Mike Patton is 55. Rapper Tricky is 55. Rock musician Michael Kulas (James) is 54. Actor-comedian Patton Oswalt is 54. Actor Josh Randall is 51. Country singer Kevin Denney is 45. Tennis player Marat Safin is 43. Rock musician Matt Sanchez (American Authors) is 37. Actor Braeden Lemasters is 27.

Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023

Today is Saturday, Jan. 28, the 28th day of 2023. There are 337 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History:

On Jan. 28, 1973, a cease-fire officially went into effect in the Vietnam War, a day after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords by the United States, North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

On this date:

In 1547, England’s King Henry VIII died; he was succeeded by his 9-year-old son, Edward VI. In 1813, the novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen was first published anonymously in London.

In 1915, the United States Coast Guard was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill merging the Life-saving Service and Revenue Cutter Service. In 1916, Louis D. Brandeis was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson to the Supreme Court; Brandeis became the court’s first Jewish member.

In 1922, 98 people were killed when the roof of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, D.C., collapsed under the weight of nearly two feet of snow. In 1945, during World War II, Allied supplies began reaching China over the newly reopened Burma Road.

In 1956, Elvis Presley made his first national TV appearance on “Stage Show,” a CBS program hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.

In 1980, six U.S. diplomats who had avoided being taken hostage at their embassy in Tehran flew out of Iran with the help of Canadian diplomats.

In 1982, Italian anti-terrorism forces rescued U.S. Brig. Gen. James L. Dozier, 42days after he had been kidnapped by the Red Brigades.

In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members, including schoolteacher Christa Mcauliffe.

In 2011, chaos engulfed Egypt as protesters seized the streets of Cairo, battling police, burning down the ruling party’s headquarters and defying a military curfew.

In 2013, Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboard player Billy Powell, who survived the 1977plane crash that killed three band members, died in Orange Park, Fla., at age 56.

Ten years ago: Side by side, leading Democratic and Republican senators pledged to propel far-reaching immigration legislation through the Senate by summer, providing a possible path to citizenship for an estimated 11million people in the U.S. illegally. (Although the Senate did pass such a measure, it has encountered opposition from House Republicans who insisted on a more limited approach.) Backed by French helicopters and paratroopers, Malian soldiers entered the fabled city of Timbuktu after al-qaida-linked militants who’d ruled the outpost by fear for nearly 10 months fled into the desert.

Five years ago: Bruno Mars won all six Grammy awards for which he was nominated, including album of the year for “24K Magic;” the leading nominee, Jay-z, walked away empty-handed. Roger Federer won his 20th Grand Slam singles title, defeating Marin Cilic in the Australian Open final. Protesters gathered across Russia to support the call from opposition leader Alexei Navalny to boycott the March presidential election; Navalny himself was arrested while walking to the Moscow demonstration.

One year ago: A 50-year-old bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh, requiring rescuers to rappel down a ravine and form a human chain to reach some occupants of a municipal bus that plummeted along with the span; there were no fatalities, but at least four people were taken to hospitals. President Joe Biden, on a previously-planned trip to Pittsburgh to tout a $1trillion infrastructure law he had signed, visited the site of the bridge collapse hours later and vowed to fix the nation’s aging bridges. Police in the Canadian capital called in reinforcements as trucks and cars began rolling into downtown Ottawa, part of a protest by a group demanding an end to vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Nicholas Pryor is 88. Actor Alan Alda is 87. Actor Susan Howard is 81. Actor Marthe (cq) Keller is 78. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., is 76. Actor-singer Barbi Benton is 73. Evangelical pastor Rick Warren is 69. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (sahrkoh-zee’) is 68. Actor Harley Jane Kozak is 66. Movie director Frank Darabont is 64. Rock musician Dave Sharp is 64. Rock singer Sam Phillips is 61. Rock musician Dan Spitz is 60. Gospel singer Marvin Sapp is 56. Singer Sarah Mclachlan is 55. Rapper Rakim is 55. DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill) is 55. Actor Kathryn Morris is 54. Humorist Mo Rocca is 54. Rock/soul musician Jeremy Ruzumna (Fitz and the Tantrums) is

53. R&B singer Anthony Hamilton is 52. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is 51. Singer Monifah is 51. Actor Gillian Vigman is 51. Retired MLB All-star Jermaine Dye is 49. Actor Terri Conn is 48. Singer Joey Fatone Jr. (‘N Sync) is 46. Rapper Rick Ross is 46. Actor Rosamund Pike is 44. Actor Angelique Cabral is

44. Singer Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys) is 43. Actor Vinny Chhibber is 43. Actor Elijah Wood is 42. Rapper J. Cole is 38. Actor Alexandra Krosney is 35. Actor Yuri Sardarov is 35. Actor Ariel Winter is 25.