January 7, 2012

120 years ago
1892

Died on this date
Muhammed Tewfik Pasha, 39. Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, 1879-1892. Tewfik succeeded to the Khedivate upon the death of his father Ismail, and followed British recommendations to become a constitutional ruler. He died suddenly at the winter resort of Helwan, south of Cairo. The cause of death was stated as influenza, double pneumonia, and kidney inflammation, but a rumour spread rapidly that Khedive Tewfik had been poisoned by the Turks or even the British.

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: School for the Unspeakable, starring Donald Buka and Don Hanmer

40 years ago
1972

Terrorism
Long-fused time bombs were discovered in banks in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco after their locations had been disclosed in anonymous letters calling for the release of all "political prisoners."

CrimeU.S. gangster Mickey Cohen, 57, was released from prison in Atlanta after serving 10 years of a 15-year sentence for income tax evasion. The last five years of his sentence were dropped for good behaviour, and Mr. Cohen vowed he was "going straight."

Disasters
All 104 people aboard an Iberia jet were killed when it slammed into the highest mountain on Ibiza Island, Spain.

At least 43 people were killed when Typhoon Kit struck the central Philippines.

Basketball
NBA
Los Angeles 134 @ Atlanta 90

The Lakers' win was their 33rd straight. The winning streak, which ended with their next game, remains an NBA record.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CFRN)
1 I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)--Daryl Hall & John Oates
2 Comin' in and Out of Your Life--Barbra Streisand
3 Hooked on Classics--Royal Philharmonic
4 Come Go with Me--The Beach Boys
5 Leather and Lace--Stevie Nicks and Don Henley
6 Trouble--Lindsey Buckingham
7 Harden My Heart--Quarterflash
8 I Wouldn't Have Missed it for the World
9 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
10 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner

Disasters
27 people were killed in a mudslide in Bogota, Colombia.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: The Way You Are--Agnetha Fältskog and Ola Håkansson (8th week at #1)

War
French fighter-bombers struck Libyan radar installations in northern Chad, while Libyan planes bombed a Chadian government post.

20 years ago
1992

World events
A Yugoslav air force jet shot down an unarmed helicopter carrying observers from the European Community, killing all 5 people aboard. The Yugoslav defense ministry accepted responsibility for the attack and expressed "deep regret."

Diplomacy
Canadian External Affairs Minister Barbara McDougall protested the expulsion of Canadian members of parliament Geoff Scott, Svend Robinson, and Beryl Gaffney from China. The MPs were in the midst of a fact-finding tour concerning China's human rights record.

U.S. President George Bush arrived in Tokyo to begin three days of trade talks with Japanese government leaders and business executives.

Baseball
Tom Seaver, who pitched for the New York Mets (1967-1977, 1983); Cincinnati Reds (1977-1982); Chicago White Sox (1984-1986); and Boston Red Sox (1986), compiling a record of 311-205, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving a record 98.8% of the vote.

10 years ago
2002

Space
Scientists presented findings that many gamma-ray bursts originated in nearby galaxy clusters and that such bursts may result from supernova explosions.

Technology
Apple Computer introduced its new iMac, featuring a flat-panel monitor on an adjustable "neck" attached to a hemispheric base.

Diplomacy
The foreign ministers of Myanmar and Thailand began talks in an attempt to reach an accord on the repatriation to Myanmar of 400,000 migrant workers registered in Thailand.

Weather
The worst storm in about three decades dropped a foot of snow on Jordan and Lebanon.