Saturday, January 31, 1998
Today's events
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The National Religious Broadcasters
Association holds its annual meeting in Washington.
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On the horizon
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On Sunday, February 1, the NFL Pro Bowl is held in Honolulu.
On Monday, February 2, President Clinton is scheduled to submit his budget to Congress.
On Tuesday, February 3, the court-martial of former Army Sgt. Maj. Gene McKinney on sexual misconduct charges is scheduled.
On Wednesday, February 4, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair begins a four-day visit to the United States.
On Thursday, February 5, the Senate Agriculture Committee holds a hearing on the December global warming agreement reached in Kyoto, Japan.
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On this day
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In 1606, Guy Fawkes, chief plotter in the attempt to blow up
the British Houses of Parliament, was executed.
In 1788, Bonnie Prince Charlie, leader of the Jacobite
rebellion against the English (1745-46), died in Rome. Known as the "Young Pretender," his cause suffered a fatal blow with defeat at Culloden Moor in 1746.
In 1858, the Great Eastern steamship, built by Isambard
Kingdom Brunel, was launched at Millwall, London.
In 1865, Robert E. Lee was appointed commander-in-chief of
the Confederate forces.
In 1917, Germany announced it was instituting a policy of
unrestricted submarine warfare.
In 1918, in the Soviet Union, January 31 under the Julian
Calendar system was the last day of its use. The next day would be February 14 under the Gregorian system, the dates in between being scrapped to correct the difference between the two.
In 1929, Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Union.
In 1930, Britain, U.S., France, Italy and Japan began the
London Naval Conference, aimed at halting the arms race and
preventing war.
In 1943, after a week of heavy fighting, German field marshal Friedrich von Paulus surrendered to the Russians at Stalingrad.
In 1946, the constitution of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was promulgated.
In 1950, U.S. President Harry Truman announced he had ordered the development of the hydrogen bomb.
In 1956, A.A. Milne, children's writer and author of the
"Winnie the Pooh" stories, died.
In 1957, the Trans-Iranian pipeline from Abadan to Tehran was completed.
In 1958, the first U.S. Earth satellite, Explorer I, was
launched at Cape Canaveral.
In 1962, the Organization of American States, meeting in Uruguay, adopted a resolution to expel Cuba.
In 1968, Nauru, jointly administered by Britain, Australia and New Zealand since World War I, became independent.
In 1971, the three-man U.S. spacecraft Apollo 14 was launched to the moon. The astronauts landed on February 5 and made two moonwalks.
In 1971, a limited telephone service was re-established
between East and West Berlin for the first time in 19 years.
In 1972, King Mahendra of Nepal (1955-72) died and was
succeeded by his son, Birendra.
In 1974, Samuel Goldwyn, U.S. film producer and co-founder of Metro Goldwyn Mayer, or MGM, died. "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "Wuthering Heights" were among his notable productions.
In 1980, in Guatemala, 35 people died when police stormed the Spanish embassy where peasants were holding the ambassador and other diplomats hostage.
In 1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan offered to meet Soviet
President Yuri Andropov to discuss a missile pact; the offer was rejected.
In 1988, the prime ministers of Greece and Turkey agreed on a "no war" agreement while meeting at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.
In 1991, Saudi Arabia claimed the border town of Khafji had
been captured from invading Iraqi forces.
In 1992, Trans World Airlines Inc., or TWA, filed for bankruptcy protection.
In 1994, Algerian Defense Minister Liamine Zeroual was sworn
in as president.
In 1994, German luxury car-maker BMW announced the purchase of Rover from British Aerospace, ending nearly a century of
independent mass car production in Britain.
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Newslink
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Holidays and more
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The Vatican City State celebrates the New Year.
Nauru celebrates Independence Day.
Actress Carol Channing is 75.
Singer John Lydon is 42.
Author Norman Mailer is 75.
Actor and director Stuart Margolin is 58.
Actress Suzanne Pleshette is 61.
Actress Jean Simmons is 69.
Actress Jessica Walter is 54.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1997, J.P. Morgan
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