Today in history

On Feb. 7, 1962, President John F. Kennedy imposed a full trade embargo on Cuba.

In 1812, author Charles Dickens was born in Landport, Portsmouth, England.

In 1817, America’s first public gas street lamp was lighted in Baltimore at the corner of Market and Lemon streets (now East Baltimore and Holliday streets).

In 1904, a fire began in Baltimore that raged for about 30 hours and destroyed more than 1,500 buildings.

In 1943, the government abruptly announced that wartime rationing of shoes made of leather would go into effect in two days, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person per year. (Rationing was lifted in October 1945.)

In 1964, The Beatles arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to begin their first American tour.

In 1971, women in Switzerland gained the right to vote through a national referendum, 12 years after a previous attempt failed.

In 1984, space shuttle Challenger astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart went on the first untethered spacewalk, which lasted nearly six hours.

In 1986, the Philippines held a presidential election marred by charges of fraud against the incumbent, Ferdinand E. Marcos.

In 1998, the Winter Olympic Games were opened in Nagano, Japan, by Emperor Akihito.

Ten years ago: A miles-wide section of ice in Lake Erie broke away from the Ohio shoreline, trapping about 135 fishermen, some for as long as four hours before they could be rescued (one man fell into the water and later died of an apparent heart attack). Walls of flame roared across southeastern Australia, leveling scores of homes, forests and farmland in the country’s worst wildfire disaster in a quarter century.

Five years ago: The Sochi Olympics opened with a celebration of Russia’s past greatness and hopes for future glory. President Barack Obama, during a visit to Michigan State University, signed an agriculture spending bill spreading benefits to farmers in every region of the country while trimming the food stamp program that had inspired a two-year battle over the legislation.

One year ago: St. John’s beat top-ranked Villanova, 79-75, for its second win that week over a top-five team. (St. John’s had earlier snapped an 11game losing streak by beating fourth-ranked Duke.) Biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong struck a $500 million deal to by the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune and some other publications; the deal would take effect in June.