Today in History

Today is Saturday, Jan. 17, the 17th day of 2009. There are 348 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: On Jan. 17, 1961, in his farewell address, President Dwight D.

Eisenhower warned against the rise of "the military-industrial complex."


On this date: In 1562, French Protestants were recognized under the Edict of St. Germain.

In 1893, the 19th president of the United States, Rutherford B.

Hayes, died in Fremont, Ohio, at age 70; Hawaii's monarchy was overthrown as a group of businessmen and sugar planters forced Queen Lili'uokalani (lee-LEE'-oo-oh-kah-LAH'-nee) to abdicate.

In 1917, the United States paid Denmark $25 million for the Virgin Islands.

In 1945, Soviet and Polish forces liberated Warsaw during World War II; Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews, disappeared in Hungary while in Soviet custody.

In 1946, the United Nations Security Council held its first meeting, in London.

In 1966, a U.S. Air Force B-52 carrying four unarmed hydrogen bombs crashed on the Spanish coast. (Three of the bombs were quickly recovered, but the fourth wasn't recovered until April.) In 1977, convicted murderer Gary Gilmore, 36, was shot by a firing squad at Utah State Prison in the first U.S. execution in a decade.

In 1989, five children were shot to death at the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, Calif., by a drifter, Patrick Purdy, who then killed himself.

In 1994, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck Southern California, killing at least 72 people.

In 1995, more than 6,000 people were killed when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 devastated the city of Kobe (koh-bay), Japan.

Ten years ago: As White House lawyers met to work on President Bill CLinton's defense, their client spent the day preparing for his State of the Union address. The defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos defeated the New York Jets, 23-10, to win the American Football Conference title; the Atlanta Falcons upset the Minnesota Vikings, 30-27, to win the National Football Conference championship.

Five years ago: Three U.S. soldiers were killed north of Baghdad, pushing the U.S. death toll in the Iraq conflict to 500.

Hollywood producer Ray Stark died at age 88.

One year ago: Bobby Fischer, the chess master who became a Cold War icon when he dethroned the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky as world champion in 1972, died in Reykjavik, Iceland, at age 64.

Character actor Allan Melvin died in Los Angeles at age 84.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Betty White is 87. Actor James Earl Jones is 78. Talk show host Maury Povich is 70. Former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is 67. Pop singer Chris Montez is 67.

Rhythm-and-blues singer William Hart (The Delfonics) is 64. Rock musician Mick Taylor is 61. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sheila Hutchinson (The Emotions) is 56. Singer Steve Earle is 54. Singer Paul Young is 53. Actor-comedian Steve Harvey is 52. Singer Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles) is 50. Actor-comedian Jim Carrey is 47. Future first lady Michelle Obama is 45. Actor Joshua Malina is 43. Singer Shabba Ranks is 43. Actor Naveen Andrews is 40. Rapper Kid Rock is 38. Actor Freddy Rodriguez is 34. Actress Zooey Deschanel is 29.

Singer Ray J is 28. Country singer Amanda Wilkinson is 27.

Thought for Today: "The course of history can be changed but not halted." Paul Robeson, American actor, singer and civil rights activist (1898-1976).

(Above Advance for Use Saturday, Jan. 17)


Copyright 2009, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 01-04-09 0942CST | save this article / add to your favorites list