Today in History

The Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator—described as the biggest scientific experiment in history—is powered up in Geneva, Switzerland.

Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister of Pakistan, returns after 7 years in exile, following a military coup in October 1999.

Sweden’s foreign minister, Anna Lindh, is stabbed while shopping and dies the next day.

Contestant Charles Ingram cheats on the British version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, wins 1 million pounds.

Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica is returned to Spain and installed in Madrid’s Prado Museum. Picasso stated in his will that the painting was not to return to Spain until the Fascists lost power and democracy was restored.

Guinea-Bissau (Portuguese Guinea) gains independence from Portugal.

Gibraltar votes to remain a British dependency instead of becoming part of Spain.

President John F. Kennedy federalizes Alabama’s National Guard to prevent Governor George C. Wallace from using guardsmen to stop public-school desegregation.

Jomo Kenyatta returns to Kenya from exile, during which he had been elected president of the Kenya National African Union.

Colin Firth, Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actor (The King’s Speech).

Rosie Flores, singer, musician.

Bill O’Reilly, TV host (The O’Reilly Factor), author.

Margaret Trudeau, actress (Kings and Desperate Men), author, photographer.

Jose Feliciano, guitarist, singer, songwriter.

Gunpei Yokoi, inventor of Game Boy.