Monday, February 23, 1998
Today's events
The Whitewater-related trial of former Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker and attorney John Haley is scheduled to start.
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On the horizon
On Tuesday, February 24, the fourth annual "Spay Day USA," a campaign by the Doris Day Animal League to reduce the pet population, takes place.
On Wednesday, February 25, the 40th annual Grammy Awards will be presented in New York City.
Thursday, February 26, marks the five year anniversary of the World Trade Center bombing in New York City.
On Friday, February 27, an estimated 600,000 teen-agers are expected to participate in a World Hunger Day event designed to teach children about global hunger issues.
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On this day
In 1685, George Frideric Handel, German composer, born; best known for his great choral work "Messiah."
In 1820, the Cato Street Conspiracy, an attempt to assassinate British Cabinet ministers, was foiled with only hours to spare. The plotters were executed.
In 1821, John Keats, English Romantic poet, died in Rome.
In 1836, Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, leading several thousand Mexican troops, began besieging the Alamo mission settlement held by a force of 145 Texans led by Col. Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. The siege ended on March 6 with all the Texans killed.
In 1848, John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States, died.
In 1866, King Alexander Cuza of Romania was forced to abdicate and was succeeded by Charles, Prince of Hohenzollern as Carol I.
In 1898, in France, novelist Emile Zola was imprisoned for writing his "J'accuse" letter accusing the government of anti-semitism and wrongly jailing Captain Alfred Dreyfus.
In 1905, the Rotary Club was founded by lawyer Paul Percy Harris in Chicago.
In 1919, Benito Mussolini broke with the Socialist party and founded his own Fasci del Comattimento (Fascist) party in Italy.
In 1942, in World War II, a Master Mutual Aid Agreement was signed between the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
In 1944, Josef Stalin forced 1 million Chechens into exile and dissolved the republic accusing them of collaboration with Nazi Germany.
In 1945, the Japanese island of Iwo Jima fell to the Americans after severe fighting and the flag was raised on Mount Suribachi.
In 1966, in Syria, the military seized power in a coup and Dr. Nureddin el-Atassi was named head of state.
In 1970, Guyana, formerly British Guiana, became an independent republic within the Commonwealth.
In 1981, Lt. Col. Antonio Tejero and a group of civil guards burst into the Spanish parliament firing shots in a failed coup attempt.
In 1991, Thailand's armed forces seized power in a bloodless coup and arrested Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhaven.
In 1994, Bosnia's government and separatist Bosnian Croat forces agreed a comprehensive cease-fire under U.N. auspices.
In 1994, the Russian parliament voted to pardon participants in an armed rebellion against President Boris Yeltsin in October 1993 and a Soviet coup attempt in 1991.
In 1996, Kamel Hassan and his brother Saddam Kamel -- both married to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's daughters -- were murdered by relatives in a gunbattle only days after returning from Jordan.
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Newslink
Mexican troops stormed The Alamo on this day in 1836. Remember The Alamo by clicking
here.
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Holidays and more
Brazil, Andorra, Aruba, Bolivia and many other nations celebrate Carnival Monday.
Baseball player Bobby Bonilla is 35.
Actor Peter Fonda is 59.
Singer Howard Jones is 43.
Singer Johnny Winter is 54.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1998, J.P. Morgan
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