Today in History

Galileo space mission ends as the probe is sent into Jupiter’s atmosphere where it is crushed.

Earthquake in Taiwan kills more than 2,400, injures over 11,305, and causes $300 billion New Taiwan dollars ($10 billion in US dollars).

The Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 begins when Russian President Boris Yeltsin suspends parliament and invalidates the existing constitution.

Armenia granted independence from USSR.

General Colin Powell is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Ashley and Courtney Paris, twins who played in the Women’s National Basketball Association, Ashley for the Los Angeles Sparks, Courtney for the Atlanta Dream.

Belize granted full independence from the United Kingdom.

Two Soviet cosmonauts set a space endurance record after 96 days in space.

Ricki Lake, actress (China Beach TV series), producer, host of The Ricki Lake Show TV talk show for which she won a Daytime Emmy.

Mark Levin, attorney, author; host of syndicated radio program The Mark Levin Show.

Aslan Aliyevich Maskhadov, rebel leader widely credited for the Chechen victory in First Chechen War (1994-96); President of Chechnya (1997-99).

Bill Murray, actor; won Emmy for his work on Saturday Night Live TV series; movies include Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation.

Marsha Norman, playwright (Getting Out, ‘Night Mother).

U.S. troops of the 7th Army, invading Southern France, cross the Meuse River.

British forces attack the Japanese in Burma.

The German Army cuts off the Crimean Peninsula from the rest of the Soviet Union.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel The Hobbit is published.

The German army holds its largest maneuvers since 1914.

Fighting between China and the Soviet Union breaks out along the Manchurian border.

Stonehenge is sold by auction for 6,600 pounds sterling ($11,500) to a Mr. Chubb, who buys it as a present for his wife. He presents it to the British nation three years later.

Chuck Jones, animator and director of Warner Brothers cartoons.

Exiled Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph dies of a “broken heart”.

Allen Lake, founded Penguin Books in 1935.

Juan de la Cierva, aeronautical engineer who invented the autogyro.

H.G. Wells, science fiction writer whose works include The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The War of the Worlds.

Union troops defeated at Chickamauga seek refuge in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is then besieged by Confederate troops.

John Loudon McAdam, engineer who invented and gave his name to macadamized roads.

A Scottish Jacobite army commanded by Lord George Murray routs the Royalist army of General Sir John Cope at Prestonpans.

James Needham returns to Virginia after exploring the land to the west, which would become Tennessee.

The Duke of Mayenne of France is defeated by Henry IV at the Battle of Arques.

Suleiman (the Magnificent), son of Selim, becomes Ottoman sultan in Constantinople.

Edward II of England is murdered by order of his wife.

In Italy, Aetius, the supreme army commander, is murdered in Ravenna by Valentinian III, the emperor of the West.