Monday, February 24, 1997
Today's Events
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright continues an international tour with a visit to China.
The Organization of African Unity (OAU) foreign ministers are scheduled to hold their annual conference in Tripoli, Libya.
Britain's Prince Charles pays one-day visit to
Bahrain as part of his tour of the Gulf, traveling on board the royal yacht Britannia.
A Chinese warship sunk by Japanese bomb attack in 1938 is due to be salvaged in Wahun, China.
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On the horizon
On Tuesday, February 25, a 33-year-old Bosnian Serb,
identified only as Novislav D., goes on trial at the Bavarian
high court on charges of complicity in genocide and murder
during the Bosnian war.
On Wednesday, February 26, the 39th Annual Grammy Awards will
be presented in New York City.
On Thursday, February 27, the U.S. government is expected to
announce whether Colombia stays on a list of nations
not cooperating in international anti-drug efforts.
On Friday, February 28, the Annual Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering will be held in Alpine, Texas.
On Saturday, March 1, South African President Nelson Mandela visits the Philippines.
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On this day
In 1389, King Albert of Sweden was defeated and captured by
the Danes at the Battle of Falkoeping; the outcome left Margaret of Denmark effective ruler of both Sweden and Denmark.
In 1525, in the French wars in Italy, Francis I was defeated
by a Spanish force under Marquis de Pescara at the Battle of
Pavia. There were at least 8,000 casualties, mainly from one of the earliest uses of the musket.
In 1563, in France's Wars of Religion, Francis, Duc de Guise,
was assassinated by a Huguenot while besieging Orleans.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII issued a Papal Bull introducing the Gregorian calendar, replacing the Julian version.
In 1848, after a revolution in Paris, Louis Philippe of France abdicated in favor of his grandson, the Comte de Paris. The move failed and the Republic was proclaimed.
In 1868, Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the United States,
became the first president to have impeachment proceedings
brought against him by the House of Representatives.
In 1887, Paris and Brussels became the first two capital
cities to be linked by telephone.
In 1920, Lady Astor, first woman member of the British
Parliament, made her maiden speech.
In 1938, nylon was produced for the first time in Arlington,
New Jersey; it was used for toothbrush bristles.
In 1945, Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Maher Pasha was shot to death in Parliament just after reading a declaration of war on Germany and Japan.
In 1946, Juan Peron was elected president of Argentina.
In 1966, in Ghana, President Kwame Nkrumah, president since
independence, was overthrown in an army coup.
In 1989, the cargo door of a United Airlines jumbo jet blew
out on a flight from Los Angeles to Sydney at roughly 22,000
feet; nine passengers were lost.
In 1991, in the Gulf War, ground war began with an allied
night attack. More than 14,000 Iraqis were captured in the first 24 hours of fighting.
In 1994, Syria granted exit visas to all 1,000 Syrian Jews
still living in the country, allowing them to travel abroad if they wished.
In 1996, Cuban fighters shot down two private planes belonging to a Cuban exile group.
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Newslink
A year ago today, three planes were being flown by members of the Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue over the Straits of Florida. Without warning, Cuban fighters shot down two of the planes, killing the four men. A memorial is now planned for those who lost their lives. To learn more about the memorial, click here.
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Holidays and more
Today is Independence Day in Estonia.
Today is a National Day in Brunei Darussalam.
Cuba celebrates its Baire Proclamation today.
Guyana observes its Republic Anniversary today.
Actor James Farentino is 59.
Musician Rupert Holmes is 50.
Composer Michel Legrand is 65.
Georgia Gov. Zell Miller is 65.
Actor Edward James Olmos is 50.
Soprano Renata Scotto is 61.
Actress Helen Shaver is 46.
Actor Richard B. Shull is 68.
Actor John Vernon is 65.
Actor Abe Vigoda is 76.
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Sources: Reuters,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1997, J.P. Morgan
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