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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 at Cape Kennedy, Fla.
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 1901, opera composer Giuseppe Verdi died in Milan, Italy, at age 87.
- In 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American air raid against Germany during World War II.
- In 1944, the Soviet Union announced the complete end of the deadly German siege of Leningrad, which had lasted for more than two years.
- In 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.
- In 1951, an era of atomic testing in the Nevada desert began as an Air Force plane dropped a one-kiloton bomb on Frenchman Flat.
- In 1967, more than 60 nations signed a treaty banning the orbiting of nuclear weapons.
- In 1973, the Vietnam peace accords were signed in Paris.
- In 1981, President Ronald Reagan greeted the 52 former American hostages just released by Iran at the White House.
Ten years ago:
- The Republican-controlled Senate blocked dismissal of the impeachment case against President Bill Clinton and then voted for new testimony from Monica Lewinsky and two other witnesses — but by margins well short of the two-thirds needed to oust the president.
Five years ago:
- John Kerry won the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary.
- A jury in New York heard opening arguments in the trial of Martha Stewart, who was accused of lying about a stock sale. (She was convicted in March 2004 and sentenced to five months in prison.)
- Former "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar died in Greenwich, Conn., at age 85.
One year ago:
- Former Indonesian president Suharto, whose regime killed hundreds of thousands of left-wing political opponents, died in Jakarta at age 86.
- Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died in Salt Lake City at age 97.
- Novak Djokovic fended off unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the Australian Open final, earning his first Grand Slam title.
- Evan Lysacek won his second straight title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, in St. Paul, Minn.
Today's Birthdays:
- Singer Bobby "Blue" Bland is 79.
- Actor James Cromwell is 69.
- Actor John Witherspoon is 67.
- Rock musician Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is 64.
- Rhythm-and-blues singer Nedra Talley (The Ronettes) is 63.
- Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov is 61.
- Chief U.S. Justice John Roberts is 54.
- Country singer Cheryl White is 54.
- Country singer-musician Richard Young (The Kentucky Headhunters) is 54.
- Actress Mimi Rogers is 53.
- Rock musician Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) is 52.
- Sportscaster and political commentator Keith Olbermann is 50.
- Rock singer Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 48.
- Rock musician Gillian Gilbert is 48.
- Actress Bridget Fonda is 45.
- Actor Alan Cumming is 44.
- Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 41.
- Rock singer Mike Patton is 41.
- Rapper Tricky is 41.
- Rock musician Michael Kulas (James) is 40.
- Actor Josh Randall is 37.
- Country singer Kevin Denney is 33.
Thought for Today:
"There's a difference between beauty and charm. A beautiful woman is one I notice. A charming woman is one who notices me."
John Erskine, American author and educator (1879-1951).
"Let's all be careful out there!"
