1348 ~ Friuli Earthquake hit the South Alpine region of Friuli in Italy on the 25th January 1348, causing damage to buildings as far away as Rome.

1533 ~ Henry VIII of England secretly married his 2nd wife Anne Boleyn on the 25th January 1533. On the 23rd May 1533, Thomas Cranmer declared Henry and Catherine‘s marriage null and void, and 5 days later, he declared Henry and Anne’s marriage to be good and valid. See wedding painting..

1554 ~ São Paulo city in Brazil was founded on the 25th January 1554.

1755 ~ Moscow University was established on Tatiana Day on the 25th January 1755.

1765 ~ Port Egmont, the 1st British settlement in the Falkland Islands at the southern tip of South America, was founded on the 25th January 1765.

1858 ~ The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn became a popular wedding recessional after it was played on the 25th January 1858, at the marriage of Queen Victoria‘s daughter, Victoria, and Friedrich of Prussia.

1881 ~ Thomas Edison & Alexander Graham Bell formed the Oriental Telephone Company on the 25th January 1881.

1882 ~ Virginia Woolf the English author and critic was born on the 25th January 1882 (died 1941).

1890 ~ Nellie Bly completed her round-the-world journey in 72 days on the 25th January 1890 (died 1922).

1909 ~ Richard Strauss‘s opera Elektra received its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera on the 25th January 1909.

1915 ~ Alexander Graham Bell inaugurated the U.S. transcontinental telephone service on the 25th January 1915, when he spoke from New York to Thomas Watson in San Francisco.

1919 ~ League of Nations was founded on the 25th January 1919.

1924 ~ The 1924 Winter Olympics opened in Chamonix, France on the 25th January 1924, inaugurating the Winter Olympic Games.

1937 ~ The Guiding Light debuted on NBC radio on the 25th January 1937. In 1952 it moved to CBS television, where it remained on air until the 18th September 2009.

1938 ~ Etta James the American singer-songwriter was born on the 25th January 1938 (died 2012 aged 73). YouTube video: Etta James – I’d Rather Be Blind (Live at Montreux 1975)..

1947 ~ Thomas Goldsmith Jr. filed a patent for a CRT amusement device on the 25th January 1947.

1949 ~ The Emmy Awards were presented for the 1st time on the 25th January 1949, at the Hollywood Athletic Club.

1955 ~ Soviet Union ended the state of war with Germany on the 25th January 1955.

1961 ~ John F. Kennedy delivered the 1st live presidential television news conference on the 25th January 1961, in Washington, D.C.

1969 ~ Kina the American singer-songwriter from Brownstone was born on the 25th January 1969. YouTube music video by Brownstone performing I Can’t Tell You Why (by Eagles) in 1995..

1971 ~ Charles Manson and 3 female “Family” members were found guilty of the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders on the 25th January 1971.

1974 ~ Emily Haines the Canadian singer-songwriter from Metric was born on the 25th January 1974.

1980 ~ Mother Teresa was honored with India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna on the 25th January 1980.

1981 ~ Alicia Keys the American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress was born on the 25th January 1981. YouTube video: Girl On Fire (2012)..

1983 ~ Andrée Watters the Canadian singer was born on the 25th January 1983. YouTube video: Nouveau Vidéoclip Ma liberté d’Andrée Watters.. 

1990 ~ Thomas Berge the Dutch singer was born Chiel Ottink on the 25th January 1990. YouTube video: Thomas Berge ~ Words..

1992 ~ Jordan “Rizzle” Stephens from the English hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks was born on the 25th January 1992.

1994 ~ The Clementine space probe was launched on the 25th January 1994.

1995 ~ The Norwegian Rocket Incident was on the 25th January 1995, when Russia almost launched a nuclear attack after it mistook Black Brant XII, a Norwegian research rocket, for a US Trident missile.

1996 ~ Billy Bailey became the last person to be hanged in the United States of America on the 25th January 1996.

1999 ~ Jai Waetford the Australian 2013 X Factor finalist was born on the 25th January 1999. Jai Waetford official Facebook. YouTube video: Jai Waetford 2013 X factor audition: Different Worlds & Don’t Let Me Go.. 

2004 ~ Opportunity rover landed on the surface of Mars on the 25th January 2004.

2011 ~ Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO was released on the 25th January 2011. YouTube Vevo video: LMFAO ~ Party Rock Anthem (2011) ft. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock ~ over 570 million views in the first 2 years…

Today in History for the 25th January video produced by Associated Press

 Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1848 – The California Gold Rush started on the 24th January 1848 when James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter’s Mill near Sacramento.

1857 – The University of Calcutta was formally founded as the 1st fully-fledged university in south Asia on the 24th January 1857.

1862 – Bucharest was proclaimed capital of Romania on the 24th January 1862.

1908 – The 1st Boy Scout troop was organized in England on the 24th January 1908 by Robert Baden-Powell.

1939 – The deadliest earthquake in Chilean history hit Chillán on the 24th January 1939.

1941 – Neil Diamond the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 24th January 1941.

1941 – Aaron Neville the American singer from the Neville Brothers was born on the 24th January 1941.

1943 – Sharon Tate the American actress was born on the 24th January 1943 (d. 1969).

1949 – John Belushi the American actor was born on the 24th January 1949 (d. 1982).

1961 – Nastassja Kinski the German-American actress was born on the 24th January 1961.

1974 ~ Melissa Tkautz the Australian actress, singer-songwriter and model was born on the 24th January 1974. Melissa Tkautz’s official website: www.MelissaTkautz.net | Melissa Tkautz Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MelissaTkautz | Twitter verified: www.twitter.com/Melissa_Tkautz  | iTunes | YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/MelissaTkautz | YouTube video: “Melissa Tkautz – The Hits & More” Promo 2012…

1979 – Nik Wallenda American acrobat and daredevil was born on the 24th January 1979.

1984 – The 1st Apple Macintosh went on sale on the 24th January 1984.

1986 – Mischa Barton, English-American actress was born on the 24th January 1986.

1986 – Voyager 2 passed within 81,500 kilometres (50,600 mi) of Uranus on the 24th January 1986.

Today in History for the 24th January video produced by Associated Press

 Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1571 – The Royal Exchange opened in London on the 23rd January 1571.

1719 – The Principality of Liechtenstein was created on the 23rd January 1719, within the Holy Roman Empire.

1786 – Auguste de Montferrand the French-Russian architect and designer of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral and Alexander Column was born on the 23rd January 1786 (died 1858).

1832 – Édouard Manet the French painter was born on the 23rd January 1832 (died 1883).

1855 – The 1st bridge over the Mississippi River opened on the 23rd January 1855, in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota, a crossing made today by the Hennepin Avenue Bridge.

1857 – Andrija Mohorovičić the Croatian meteorologist was born on the 23rd January 1857 (died 1936).

1872 – Jože Plečnik the Slovenian architect and designer of Plečnik Parliament was born on the 23rd January 1872 (died 1957).

1884 – George McManus the American cartoonist was born on the 23rd January 1884 (died 1954).

1897 – Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky the Austrian architect was born on the 23rd January 1897 (died 2000).

1912 – The International Opium Convention was signed on the 23rd January 1912, at The Hague.

1913 – Jean-Michel Atlan the French painter was born on the 23rd January 1913 (died 1960).

1916 – David Douglas Duncan the American photographer and journalist was born on the 23rd January 1916.

1918 – Gertrude B. Elion the American biochemist, pharmacologist and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 23rd January 1918 (died 1999).

1919 – Hans Hass the Austrian diver was born on the 23rd January 1919 (died 2013).

1919 – Ernie Kovacs the American comedian and actor was born on the 23rd January 1919 (died 1962).

1927 ~ Fred Williams (OBE) the Australian painter was born on the 23rd January 1927 (died 22nd April 1982).

1927 – Lars-Eric Lindblad the Swedish-American businessman and explorer was born on the 23rd January 1927 (died 1994).

1928 – Jeanne Moreau the French actress, singer, screenwriter and director was born on the 23rd January 1928.

1938 – Georg Baselitz the German painter and sculptor was born on the 23rd January 1938.

1943 – Duke Ellington played at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the first time on the 23rd January 1943.

1948 – Anita Pointer the American singer-songwriter from The Pointer Sisters was born on the 23rd January 1948.

1950 – Bill Cunningham the American bass guitarist, keyboardist and classical musician from The Box Tops was born on the 23rd January 1950.

1950 – Danny Federici the American accordion player from E Street Band was born on the 23rd January 1950 (died 2008).

1953 ~ Robin Zander the American singer and guitarist from CHEAP TRiCK was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on the 23rd January 1953. official website: CheapTrick.com | YouTube Vevo video: Cheap Trick ~ If You Want My Love (1982)…

1954 – Richard Finch the American bass player and songwriter from KC and the Sunshine Band was born on the 23rd January 1954.

1957 – American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sold the rights to his flying disc to the Wham-O toy company on the 23rd January 1957, which later was renamed the “Frisbee”.

1971 – Marc Nelson the American singer-songwriter from Boyz II Men was born on the 23rd January 1971.

1974 ~ Tiffani Thiessen the American actress was born in Long Beach, California on the 23rd January 1974. She is best known for starring in Saved By The Bell as Kelly Kapowski (1989 – 1993), and Beverly Hills 90210 as Valerie Malone. official website : TiffaniThiessen.com | social media : Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | instagram | videos : Vimeo |

1974 ~ Rebekah Elmaloglou the Australian actress was born on the 23rd January 1974. Rebekah Elmalogou is best known as Terese Willis on Neighbours and Sophie Simpson on Home and Away (1989 ~ 1993). Rebekah Elmalogou von social media : Twitter.com  | Facebook | instagram | 

1974 – Richard T. Slone the English painter was born on the 23rd January 1974.

1986 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its 1st members: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley on the 23rd January 1986.

1995 ~ Shaun Wilson-Miller the inspirational Australian teenage writer of An Awesome Ride book was born on the 23rd January 1995. Shaun Miller suffered from a chronic heart condition, and became very well known for his inspirational YouTube video: My Final Goodbye. The video went viral online, with over 3 million views, touching the hearts of many people around the World. Sadly, Shaun Miller passed away at 1.40pm on the 26th May 2012, from a terminal heart condition, at the age of 17. An Awesome Ride by Shaun Miller is published by AKA Publishing & available at Booktopia. Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/groups/ShaunMillersFamilyandFriends & Tribute Facebook page: Shaun Wilson-Miller a Brave Young Man 

1997 – Madeleine Albright became the 1st woman to serve as United States Secretary of State on the 23rd January 1997.

2003 – Final communication between Earth and Pioneer 10 was on the 23rd January 2003.

Today in History for the 23rd January video produced by Associated Press Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1889 – Columbia Phonograph was formed in Washington, D.C. on the 22nd January 1889.

1899 – Leaders of 6 Australian colonies met in Melbourne to discuss confederation on the 22nd January 1899.

1927 – Teddy Wakelam gave the 1st live radio commentary of a football match anywhere in the world on the 22nd January 1927. The match was between Arsenal F.C. and Sheffield United at Highbury.

1931 – Sam Cooke the American singer-songwriter was born on the 22nd January 1931 (died 1964).

1938 – Peter Beard the Australian photographer and writer was born on the 22nd January 1938.

1946 – Malcolm McLaren the English singer-songwriter and manager was born on the 22nd January 1946 (died 2010).

1949 – Steve Perry the American singer-songwriter from Journey was born on the 22nd January 1949.

1959 – Linda Blair the American actress was born on the 22nd January 1959.

1960 ~ Michael Hutchence the Australian singer-songwriter from iNXS was born on the 22nd January 1960  (died 22nd November 1997 aged 37). MichaelHutchence.com.au | Facebook.com/inxs.MichaelHutchence | iNXS.com

1965 – Andrew Roachford the English singer-songwriter and keyboard player from Mike + The Mechanics was born on the 22nd January 1965.

1965 – Steven Adler the American drummer from Guns N’ Roses was born on the 22nd January 1965.

1965 – DJ Jazzy Jeff the American DJ from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince was born on the 22nd January 1965.

1968 – Apollo 5 lifts off carrying the first Lunar module into space.

1970 ~ The Boeing 747, the world’s 1st jumbo jet, entered commercial service for launch customer Pan American Airways on the 22nd January 1970, with its maiden voyage from John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Heathrow Airport.

1973 – The crew of Apollo 17 addressed a joint session of Congress on the 22nd January 1973, after the completion of the final Apollo moon landing mission.

1977 – Matthew Newton the Australian actor was born on the 22nd January 1977.

1981 – Ben Moody the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Evanescence was born on the 22nd January 1981.

1984 – The Apple Macintosh, the 1st consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, was introduced during Super Bowl XVIII with its famous 1984 television commercial on the 22nd January 1984.

1987 – Pennsylvania politician R. Budd Dwyer shot and killed himself during a televised press conference was born on the 22nd January 1987, leading to debates on boundaries in journalism.

1992 – Space Shuttle program: Dr. Roberta Bondar became the 1st Canadian woman and the first neurologist in space on the 22nd January 1992.

2002 – Kmart became the largest retailer in United States history to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on the 22nd January 2002.

Today in History on the 22nd January video:  Rove vs. Wade decision |  Lyndon Johnson died | Unabomber pleaded guilty | Britain’s Queen Victoria died | The Crucible debut on Broadway | Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in premiered…

1643 – Abel Tasman became the first European to reach Tonga on the 21st January 1643.

1749 – The Verona Philharmonic Theatre was destroyed by fire on the 21st January 1749. It was rebuilt in 1754.

1789 – The first American novel, The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth, was printed in Boston, Massachusetts on the 21st January 1789.

1820 – Joseph Wolf the German illustrator was born on the 21st January 1820 (died 1899).

1824 – Stonewall Jackson the American general was born on the 21st January 1824 (died 1863).

1840 – Jules Dumont d’Urville discovered Adélie Land in Antarctica on the 21st January 1840.

1887 – 465 millimetres (18.3 inches) of rain fell in Brisbane on the 21st January 1887, becoming a record for any Australian capital city.

1899 – Opel manufactured its 1st automobile on the 21st January 1899.

1905 – Christian Dior the French fashion designer and founder of Christian Dior S.A. was born on the 21st January 1905 (died 1957).

1905 – Karl Wallenda the German acrobat was born on the 21st January 1905 (died 1978).

1911 – The 1st Monte Carlo Rally took place on the 21st January 1911.

1915 – Kiwanis International was founded in Detroit, Michigan on the 21st January 1915.

1922 – Telly Savalas the American actor was born on the 21st January 1922 (died 1994).

1924 – Benny Hill the English actor was born on the 21st January 1924 (died 1992).

1925 – Albania declared itself a republic on the 21st January 1925.

1938 – Wolfman Jack the American radio host and actor was born on the 21st January 1938 (died 1995).

1941 – Mike Medavoy the Chinese-American film producer and co-founder of Orion Pictures was born on the 21st January 1941.

1942 ~ Martin Sharp the Australian artist, underground cartoonist, songwriter and film-maker was born in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales on the 21st January 1942 (died 1st December 2013 aged 71). Martin Sharp was known as Australia’s foremost pop artist. Martin Sharp’s psychedelic posters of Bob Dylan, Donovan and others are ranked as classics of the genre. His covers, cartoons and illustrations were a main feature of Oz magazine. Martin Sharp co-wrote Cream‘s Tales of Brave Ulysses song, and created the cover art for Cream’s Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire albums. In the 1970s Martin Sharp became a champion of singer Tiny Tim, and Sydney’s Luna Park. Martin Sharp Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Martin-Sharp | YouTube video: 7News: Cartoonist Martin Sharp has died….

1948 – The Flag of Quebec was adopted and flown for the first time over the National Assembly of Quebec on the 21st January 1948. The day was marked annually as Quebec Flag Day.

1950 – Billy Ocean the Trinidadian-English singer-songwriter was born on the 21st January 1950.

1953 – Paul Allen the American businessman and co-founder of Microsoft was born on the 21st January 1953.

1954 – The 1st nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, was launched on the 21st January 1954, in Groton, Connecticut by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States.

1955 – Jeff Koons the American sculptor was born on the 21st January 1955.

1956 – Geena Davis the American actress was born on the 21st January 1956.

1966 – Robert Del Naja the English singer-songwriter  from Massive Attack and DJ was born on the 21st January 1966.

1968 – Charlotte Ross the American actress was born on the 21st January 1968.

1971 – The current Emley Moor transmitting station, known as the tallest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom, began transmitting UHF broadcasts on the 21st January 1971.

1974 – Rove McManus the Australian comedian, television host, and producer was born on the 21st January 1974.

1976 – Emma Bunton the English singer-songwriter from the Spice Girls was born on the 21st January 1976.

1976 – Commercial service of Concorde began with the London-Bahrain & Paris-Rio routes on the 21st January 1976.

1977 – President Jimmy Carter pardoned nearly all American Vietnam War draft evaders on the 21st January 1977.

1981 – Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car began on the 21st January 1981 in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland.

1985 – The public celebration of the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan to a 2nd term, was moved indoors because of freezing temperatures and high winds on the 21st January 1985. The parade was cancelled altogether, after already postponed a day because January 20 fell on a Sunday.

1994 ~ Marny Kennedy the Australian actress was born on the 21st January 1994, and grew up in Melton, Victoria. Marny Kennedy is best known for her roles as Taylor Fry in Mortified, and Veronica diAngelo (No.2) on The Saddle Club, and Ally Henson in A_gURLs_wURLd.

1999 – The United States Coast Guard intercepted a ship with over 4,300 kilograms (9,500 lb) of cocaine on board on the 21st January 1999, making it one of the largest drug busts in American history during the War on Drugs.

2003 – A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Mexican state of Colima on the 21st January 2003, killing 29 people while leaving about 10,000 people homeless.

2004 – NASA‘s MER-A (the Mars Rover Spirit) ceased communication with mission control on the 21st January 2004. The problem was in the management of its flash memory and was fixed remotely from Earth on the 6th February.

2008 – Black Monday in worldwide stock markets was on the 21st January 2008, when the FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall. European stocks closed with their worst result since September 11 in 2001, and Asian stocks drop as much as 14%.

Today in History for the 21st January video produced by Associated Press

 Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1896 – George Burns the American actor was born on the 20th January 1896 (d. 1996).

1929 – In Old Arizona the first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors, was released on the 20th January 1929.

1930 – Buzz Aldrin the American pilot and astronaut was born on the 20th January 1930.

1933 – Ronald Townson the American singer from The 5th Dimension was born on the 20th January 1933 (d. 2001).

1934 – Fujifilm the photographic and electronics company was founded on the 20th January 1934, in Tokyo, Japan.

1945 – Eric Stewart the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from 10cc was born on the 20th January 1945.

1946 – David Lynch the American director was born on the 20th January 1946.

1950 – Liza Goddard the English actress was born on the 20th January 1950. Liza is best remembered for her role as Clarissa “Clancy” Merrick in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. YouTube video: Liza Goddard’s Second ‘Skippy’ Episode…

1952 – Paul Stanley the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Kiss was born on the 20th January 1952.

1984 ~ Bonnie McKee the award-winning American singer, songwriter, and actress was born on the 20th January 1984. YouTube video: American Girl (2013)..

1985 – Ronald Reagan was sworn in as U.S. President for the 2nd time on the 20th January 1985, in a private ceremony at the White House.

2009 – Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 1st black President of the United States on the 20th January 2009.

Today in History for the 20th January video produced by Associated Press

 Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1788 – The 2nd group of ships of the First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay on the 19th January 1788.

1809 – Edgar Allan Poe the American author and poet was born on the 19th January 1809 (died 1849).

1813 – Henry Bessemer the English engineer and businessman was born on the 19th January 1813 (died 1898).

1839 – Paul Cézanne the French painter was born on the 19th January 1839 (died 1906).

1883 – The 1st electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, began service at Roselle, New Jersey on the 19th January 1883.

1915 – Georges Claude patented the neon discharge tube for use in advertising on the 19th January 1915.

1920 – The United States Senate voted against joining the League of Nations on the 19th January 1920.

1935 – Coopers Inc. sold the world’s first briefs on the 19th January 1935.

1935 ~ Johnny O’Keefe the Australian singer-songwriter was born on the 19th January 1935 (died 6 October 1978 aged 43).

1937 – Howard Hughes set a new air record on the 19th January 1937, by flying from Los Angeles, California to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes, 25 seconds.

1939 – Phil Everly the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Everly Brothers was born on the 19th January 1939.

1942 – Michael Crawford the English actor and singer was born on the 19th January 1942.

1943 – Janis Joplin the American singer-songwriter was born on the 19th January 1943 (died 1970).

1943 – Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was born on the 19th January 1943.

1946 – Dolly Parton the American singer-songwriter and actress was born on the 19th January 1946.

1949 – Robert Palmer the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from the Power Station was born on the 19th January 1949 (died 2003).

1953 – 71.7% of all television sets in the United States were tuned in to I Love Lucy to watch Lucy give birth on the 19th January 1953.

1958 – Thomas Kinkade the American painter was born on the 19th January 1958 (died 2012).

1968 – Whitfield Crane the American singer-songwriter from Ugly Kid Joe was born on the 19th January 1968.

1969 – Luc Longley, Australian basketball player

1977 – Snow fell in Miami, Florida on the 19th January 1977, making it the only time in the history of the city that snow had fallen. Snow also fell in the Bahamas on the same day.

1978 – The last Volkswagen Beetle made in Germany left VW’s plant in Emden on the 19th January 1978. Beetle production continued in Latin America until 2003.

1980 – Jenson Button the English race car driver was born on the 19th January 1980.

1982 – Jodie Sweetin the American actress was born on the 19th January 1982.

1983 – The Apple Lisa, the 1st commercial personal computer from Apple Inc. to have a graphical user interface and a computer mouse, was announced on the 19th January 1983.

1986 – The first IBM PC computer virus was released into the wild on the 19th January 1986. A boot sector virus dubbed (c)Brain was created by the Farooq Alvi Brothers in Lahore, Pakistan, reportedly to deter piracy of the software they had written.

2006 – The New Horizons probe was launched by NASA on the first mission to Pluto on the 19th January 2006.

Today in History for the 19th January video produced by Associated Press  Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1778 – James Cook was the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he named the “Sandwich Islands” on the 18th January 1778.

1788 – The first elements of the First Fleet carrying 736 convicts from England to Australia arrived at Botany Bay on the 18th January 1788.

1849 – Edmund Barton the Australian politician, judge and 1st Prime Minister of Australia was born on the 18th January 1949 (ded 1920).

1866 – Wesley College in Melbourne was established on the 18th January 1866.

1886 – Modern field hockey was born on the 18th January 1886, with the formation of The Hockey Association in England.

1892 – Oliver Hardy the American comedian and actor was born on the 18th January 1892 (died 1957).

1896 – An X-ray generating machine was exhibited for the first time on the 18th January 1896, by H.L. Smith.

1903 – President Theodore Roosevelt sent a radio message to King Edward VII on the 18th January 1903, becoming the first transatlantic radio transmission originating in the United States.

1910 – Kenneth E. Boulding the English economist was born on the 18th January 1910 (died 1993).

1911 – Eugene B. Ely landed on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania on the 18th January 1911, while it was stationed in San Francisco harbor, and was the first time an aircraft landed on a ship.

1916 – A 611 gram chondrite type meteorite hit a house near the village of Baxter in Stone County, Missouri on the 18th January 1916.

1919 – Bentley Motors Limited was founded on the 18th January 1919.

1932 – Robert Anton Wilson the American author was born on the 18th January 1932 (died 2007).

1933 – Ray Dolby the American engineer, businessman and founder of Dolby Laboratories was born on the 18th January 1933.

1944 – The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosted a jazz concert for the first time on the 18th January 1944. The performers were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden.

1944 – Paul Keating the Australian politician and 24th Prime Minister of Australia was born on the 18th January 1944.

1954 – Tom Bailey the English singer-songwriter from Thompson Twins was born on the 18th January 1954.

1954 – Jagdish Mali the Indian photographer was born on the 18th January 1954 (died 2013).

1955 – Kevin Costner the American actor, singer, director, and producer was born on the 18th January 1955.

1955 – Fergus Martin the Irish painter was born on the 18th January 1955.

1973 – Anthony Koutoufides the Australian footballer was born on the 18th January 1973.

1977 – Scientists identified a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious Legionnaires’ disease on the 18th January 1977.

1977 – Australia‘s worst rail disaster occurred at Granville in Sydney on the 18th January 1977, killing 83 people.

1980 – Jason Segel the American actor, singer, and screenwriter was born on the 18th January 1980.

1981 – Phil Smith and Phil Mayfield parachuted off a Houston skyscraper on the 18th January 1981, becoming the first 2 people to BASE jump from objects in all 4 categories: buildings, antennae, spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs).

1985 – Dale Begg-Smith the Australian skier was born on the 18th January 1985.

1993 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was officially observed for the first time in all 50 states on the 18th January 1993.

1993 ~ Sean Keenan the Australian actor from Busselton, Western Australia was born on the 18th January 1993. Sean Keenan is best known for his leading role in Lockie Leonard filmed in Albany, and role as Gary Hennessey on Puberty Blues. YouTube video: Lockie Leonard ~ Series 1 Trailer…

1994 ~ Blue Heelers the Australian police drama series based at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in Victoria was 1st broadcast on the 18th January 1994, until the 4th June 2006. YouTube video: Blue Heelers – Extended Theme Song…

1997 – Boerge Ousland of Norway became the 1st person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided on the 18th January 1997.

2000 – The Tagish Lake meteorite impacted the Earth on the 18th January 2000.

2002 – Sierra Leone Civil War was finally declared over on the 18th January 2002.

2003 – A bushfire killed 4 people and destroys more than 500 homes in Canberra, Australia on the 18th January 2003.

2005 – The Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial jet, is unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse, France

2007 – The strongest storm in the United Kingdom in 17 years killed 14 people on the 18th January 2007. Germany saw the worst storm since 1999 with 13 deaths. Hurricane Kyrill, causeed at least 44 deaths across 20 countries in Western Europe.

2012 – SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) was opposed online on the internet by Blackout on the 18th January 2012 (2012 Wikipedia blackout).

Today in History for the 18th January video produced by Associated Press

 Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

1524 – Giovanni da Verrazzano set sail westward from Madeira on the 17th January 1542, to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean.

1851 – A. B. Frost the American illustrator was born on the 17th January 1851 (died 1928).

1899 – Al Capone the American gangster was born on the 17th January 1899 (died 1947).

1706 – Benjamin Franklin the American politician, scientist, publisher, and 6th President of Pennsylvania was born on the 17th January 1706 (died 1790). Benjamin Franklin was the signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.

1773 – Captain James Cook and his crew become the first Europeans to sail below the Antarctic Circle on the 17th January 1773.

1904 – Anton Chekhov‘s The Cherry Orchard received its premiere performance at the Moscow Art Theatre on the 17th January 1904.

1922 – Betty White the American actress was born on the 17th January 1922.

1927 – Eartha Kitt the American actress and singer was born on the 17th January 1927 (died 2008).

1929 – Popeye the Sailor Man the cartoon character created by Elzie Segar, first appeared on the 17th January 1929, in the Thimble Theatre comic strip.

1942 – Muhammad Ali the American boxer was born on the 17th January 1942.

1942 – Ita Buttrose the Australian journalist was born on the 17th January 1942.

1962 – Jim Carrey the Canadian-American actor and producer was born on the 17th January 1962.

1974 – Danny Bhoy the Scottish comedian was born on the 17th January 1974.

1976 ~ Keri Russell the American actress and dancer was born on the 17th January 1976. Keri Russell is best known as Felicity Porter in the Felicity television series which ran from 1998 to 2002, which she won a Golden Globe Award.

1980 – Zooey Deschanel the American actress and singer-songwriter from She & Him was born on the 17th January 1980.

1983 –  Hudson’s store in Detroit closed on the 17th January 1983, due to high cost of operating. It was the tallest department store in the world.

1988 ~ Home and Away the Australian television soap opera was first broadcast on the 17th January 1988. Home and Away is the 2nd longest running Australian drama. Official website: www.au.tv.yahoo.com/Home-and-Away | YouTube video: Home and away openings from the 1st in 1988 to 1999…

1997 ~ Jack Vidgen the Australian singer-songwriter was born on the 17th January 1997. Jack Vidgen is best known for winning the 5th season of Australia’s Got Talent. Jack Vidgen’s official website: www.JackVidgen.com |Facebook: www.facebook.com/JackVidgen |Twitter: www.Twitter.com/JackVidgen | instagram: www.instagram.com/jack_vidgen 

 YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/JackVidgenHome | YouTube video: Jack Vidgen Singing “Yes I Am” in the Australia’s Got Talent finals in 2011…

1998 – Lewinsky scandal: Matt Drudge broke the story of the Bill Clinton–Monica Lewinsky affair on his website The Drudge Report on the 17th January 1998.

2007 – The Doomsday Clock was set to 5 minutes to midnight on the 17th January  2007, in response to North Korea nuclear testing.

2008 – British Airways Flight 38 crash landed just short of London Heathrow Airport in England on the 17th January 2008, with no fatalities. It was the 1st complete hull loss of a Boeing 777.

Today in History for the 17th January video produced by Associated Press

 Associated Press official website: www.AP.org

27BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus was granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate on the 16th January 27BC, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire.

1581 – The English Parliament outlawed Roman Catholicism on the 16th January 1581.

1605 – The 1st edition of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (Book One of Don Quixote) by Miguel de Cervantes was published on the 16th January 1605, in Madrid, Spain.

1909 – Ernest Shackleton‘s expedition found the magnetic South Pole on the 16th January 1909.

1920 – The League of Nations held its first council meeting on the 16th January 1920, in Paris, France.

1932 ~ Dian Fossey the American zoologist was born in San Francisco on the 16th January 1932 (died 26th December 1985 aged 53). Dian Fossey undertook extensive studies of gorilla groups in the mountain forests of Rwanda. Dian Fossey’s 1983 book, Gorillas in the Mist, combined her scientific study of the mountain gorillas at Karisoke Research Center with her own personal story. Dian Fossey was murdered in 1985 (the case remains open). The Gorillas in the Mist movie was made in 1988, starring Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey. YouTube video: Gorillas in the Mist ~ 1988 movie trailer…

1942 ~ René Angélil the Canadian singer, and husband and manager of Celine Dion was born on the 16th January 1942.

1945 – Adolf Hitler moved into his underground bunker, known as the Führerbunker on the 16th January 1945.

1964 – Hello, Dolly! (musical) starring Carol Channing opened on Broadway on the 16th January 1964, beginning a run of 2,844 performances.

1965 – Maxine Jones the American singer from En Vogue was born on the 16th January 1965.

1969 – Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 4 & 5 performed the 1st-ever docking of a manned spacecraft in orbit on the 16th January 1969, the 1st-ever transfer of crew from one space vehicle to another, and the only time such a transfer was accomplished with a space walk.

1970 – Buckminster Fuller received the Gold Medal award from the American Institute of Architects on the 16th January 1970.

1972 – Greg Page the Australian singer from The Wiggles was born on the 16th January 1972.

1973 – Bonanza‘s final episode aired on NBC on the 16th January 1973.

1974 ~ Kate Moss the English model was born Katherine Moss in  Croydon, Greater London on the 16th January 1974. Kate Moss Tumblr | YouTube video: Kate Moss by Kate Garner at Gallery 618 ~ See Kate Moss in the controversial photographs taken by Kate Garner in “Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil” 20 unique canvas works…

1979 – Aaliyah the American singer, dancer, and actress was born on the 16th January 1979 (died 2001).

1986 – 1st meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force on the 16th January 1986.

2003 – The Space Shuttle Columbia took off for mission STS-107 on the 16th January 2003, which would be its final one. Columbia disintegrated 16 days later on re-entry.

2005 – Romanian university lecturer and novelist Adriana Iliescu gave birth at 66 to her daughter Eliza on the 16th January 2005, breaking the record for the oldest birth mother in the world.

2006 – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia‘s new president on the 16th January 2006, becoming Africa‘s 1st female elected head of state.

Today in History for the 16th January video produced by Associated Press

Associated Press official website: www.AP.org