January 5, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Laura-Belle Robinson!

950 years ago
1066

Died on this date
Edward the Confessor, 61. King of England, 1042-1066. Edward the Confessor succeeded his father Æthelred the Unready and was the last king of the House of Wessex. He died without children, and was succeeded by Harold II, the choice of the Witan. King Edward was buried in Westminster Abbey, which had been consecrated just eight days before his death.

170 years ago
1846

Americana
The United States House of Representatives voted to stop sharing the Oregon Territory with the United Kingdom.

130 years ago
1886

Journalism
Calgary Herald editor Hugh Cayley was jailed for contempt of court.

120 years ago
1896

Science
The Austrian newspaper Wiener Presse reported the discovery by German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen of a type of radiation that came to be known as an X-ray.

75 years ago
1941

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Mazarin Stone

Died on this date
Amy Johnson, 37. U.K. aviatrix. Miss Johnson became the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia in 1930, and set numerous distance records in the '30s, some in partnership with her husband Jim Mollison. She went off course in adverse weather conditions over the Thames Estuary, and bailed out as her aircraft crashed into the Thames Estuary near Herne Bay. A convoy of ships saw Miss Johnson coming down and saw her alive in the water, but HMS Haslemere, captained by Lieutenant Commander Walter Fletcher, was unsuccessful in attempting to rescue her. It has been rumoured that Miss Johnson's plane was hit by friendly fire, and that she was sucked into the rescue ship's propellers.

War
Three days of fighting in Libya concluded with a decisive victory by Australian and British forces over Italian forces in the Battle of Bardia. The British Air Ministry reported the bombing of Hamburg and Brest, while German bombers struck Bristol.

Diplomacy
Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka said that Japan must establish the "Greater East Asia Sphere" as a step toward peace.

Defense
U.S. oil magnate William R. Davis denied funding Verne Marshall's No Foreign Wars Commission.

Economics and finance
The Bogota newspaper La Razon said that Germany had smuggled counterfeit pesos and dollars into Colombia.

Labour
The executive board of the Congress of Industrial Organizations Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilders barred Nazis, Communists, and Fascists from national or local office.

70 years ago
1946

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Symphony--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra with Clyde Rogers (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--1st week at #1); White Christmas--Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra (Airplay--2nd week at #1); I Can't Begin to Tell You--Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro (Juke Box--2nd week at #1)

War
The U.S.S.R. reported that eight Germans tried for atrocities in Leningrad had been sentenced to be hanged. Lieutenant Colonel Seichi Ohta, former head of the Japanese "thought control" police in the Philippines, was sentenced by a U.S. military commission in Manila to be hanged for crimes at Fort Santiago.

Diplomacy
A seven-member United Nations subcommittee arrived in New York to inspect sites for the UN's headquarters.

The U.S. State Department resumed diplomatic relations with Siam after a break of nearly four years.

Palestine High Commissioner Lieutenant General Sir Alan Cunningham asked several members of the Palestine Arab Committee in Jerusalem to consent to the monthly admission of 1,500 European Jews, while the Anglo-American Commission of Inquiry studied the Palestinian issue.

Politics and government
The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff directed Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan General Douglas MacArthur to arrange a conference between U.S. and Soviet authorities in Korea for the purpose of coordinating economic and administrative policies.

U.S. President Harry Truman named Judge William Hastie as Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands; if confirmed he would be the first Negro Governor there.

Business
U.S. Surplus Property Administrator Stuart Symington accused Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) of obstructing disposal of government-pwned aluminum plants to competitors.

Labour
The Congress of Industrial Organizations United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America called a strike of 200,000 workers at General Electric, Westinghouse Electric, and General Motors electrical division for January 15 after rejecting a second offer to raise wages.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): L'Homme et l'Enfant--Eddie & Tania Constantine (5th week at #1)

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Mamma Mia--ABBA (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun--Masato Shimon

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Amor, amor--Lolita (5th week at #1)

On television today
Television came to South Africa as the South African Broadcasting Corporation began broadcasting.



Died on this date
John A. Costello, 84. Taoiseach of Ireland, 1948-1951; 1954-1957. Mr. Costello, member of the Fine Gael party, was Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of a coalition government at the time Ireland was declared a republic in 1948. After electoral defeat in 1951, another coalition was successful in 1954, and Mr. Costello was elected to head the government again, until another electoral defeat in 1957.

Mal Evans, 40. U.K. talent manager. Mr. Evans was road manager, and later personal assistant, of the Beatles from 1962-1970. He moved to Los Angeles in 1973, and was fatally shot at his home by police when he refused to put down the air rifle he was pointing at them.

Personal
This blogger started the second semester of Grade 10 at Sir John Franklin Territorial High School in Yellowknife.

War
Roman Catholic gunmen shot dead 10 Protestant civilians after stopping their minibus at Kingsmill in County Armagh, Northern Ireland in retaliation for the previous day's killing of six Roman Catholic Civilians by the Ulster Volunteer Force.

Law
The Khmer Rouge proclaimed the Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Nikita--Elton John (5th week at #1)

Diplomacy
The Arab League "vigorously condemned" U.S. threats against Libya.

Football
NFL
NFC Divisional Playoff
New York Giants 0 @ Chicago 21

The Chicago defense sacked quarterback Phil Simms 6 times and limited the New York offense to 181 yards as the Bears blanked the Giants before 65,670 fans at Soldier Field. The winning touchdown scored in the 1st quarter when New York punter Sean Landeta had the ball go off the side of his foot, and Shaun Gayle returned it 5 yards for the shortest punt return touchdown in NFL history.

AFC Divisional Playoff
New England 27 @ Los Angeles Raiders 20

The Patriots scored 10 points in two plays in the 3rd quarter and held on to defeat the Raiders before 87,163 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With Los Angeles leadiing 20-17, Tony Frankilin kicked a field goal to tie the game, and his kickoff was fumbled by Los Angeles returner Sam Seale and recovered in the Raiders' end zone by New England special teams player Jim Bowman for the winning touchdown, converted by Mr. Franklin. New England running back Craig James rushed fo 104 yards and a touchdown, caught 3 passes for 48 yards, and completed a pass for 8 yards.



25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Alle Børnene--2 X Kaj (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Sadeness Part I--Enigma (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Petit Frank--François Feldman (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter--Iron Maiden

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice (3rd week at #1)
2 Sadeness Part I--Enigma
3 Pray--MC Hammer
4 Justify My Love--Madonna
5 Mary Had a Little Boy--Snap!
6 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers
7 Don't Worry--Kim Appleby
8 I'll Be Your Baby Tonight--Robert Palmer and UB40
9 Unbelievable--EMF
10 It Takes Two--Rod Stewart & Tina Turner

Singles entering the chart were All the Man that I Need by Whitney Houston (#30); Knockin' Boots by Candyman (#32); Falling by Julee Cruise (#33); Sucker DJ (A Witch for Love) by Dimples D (#34); Mamma 'k Wil Een Man He! by Jody Singers (#37); Are You Dreaming? by Twenty 4 Seven featuring Capt. Hollywood (#39); and Parachute by Something Happens (#40). Falling was the theme from the television series Twin Peaks.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Justify My Love--Madonna
2 Because I Love You (The Postman Song)--Stevie B
3 From a Distance--Bette Midler
4 High Enough--Damn Yankees
5 Tom's Diner--DNA featuring Suzanne Vega
6 Impulsive--Wilson Phillips
7 Love Will Never Do (Without You)--Janet Jackson
8 Sensitivity--Ralph Tresvant
9 The First Time--Surface
10 I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston

Singles entering the chart were Here Comes the Hammer by M.C. Hammer (#85); Signs by Tesla (#89); Remember My Name by House of Lords (#91); I've Been Waiting for You by Guys Next Door (#93); Don't Hold Back Your Love by Daryl Hall John Oates (#95); and Power of Love by Deee-Lite (#96).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Cash Box)
: Justify My Love--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Tõnis Kint, 95. Prime Minister of Estonia in exile, 1970-1990. Mr. Kint was an agriculture bureaucrat who was director of Estonia's Department of Agriculture (1938-1940) and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1938. He worked with the puppet Estonian government under Nazi occupation during World War II, but escaped to Sweden in 1944. Mr. Tint was an agriculture bureaucrat in Sweden (1945-1975), while also holding the offices of Minister of Agriculture (1953-1970); acting Prime Minister (1964-1970); and Prime Minister in duties of the President (1970-1990) in the Estonian government in exile.

World events
U.S. and Italian forces began separate operations to rescue foreigners from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Helicopters and 40 U.S. Marines evacuated 61 people, 23 of them Americans, who had gathered at the U.S. embassy. Italy, the former colonial ruler in Somalia, rescued about 200 Italian citizens and flew them to Nairobi. Somalia was beset by civil war, as rebel groups were attempting to end the 21-year rule of President Mohamed Siad Barre.

War
Georgian forces entered the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, opening the 1991–1992 South Ossetia War.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department expressed concern over Israel's use of force against Arab demonstrators.

Economics and finance
The day after the Bank of New England Corporation announced a loss of $450 million for the fourth quarter of 1990, worried investors withdrew $1 billion.

Hockey
NHL
Los Angeles 4 @ Toronto 2

Football
NFL
NFC Wild Card Playoff
Washington 20 @ Philadelphia 6

Mark Rypien threw touchdown passes to Art Monk and Gary Clark as the Redskins came back from a 6-0 2nd-quarter deficit to defeat the Eagles before 65,287 fans at Veterans Stadium.



AFC Wild Card Playoff
Kansas City 16 @ Miami 17

Dan Marino completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tony Paige with 12 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter and a 12-yard TD pass to Mark Clayton with 3:28 remaining, and Pete Stoyanovich converted both as the Dolphins came back from a 16-3 3rd-quarter deficit to edge the Chiefs before 67,276 fans at Joe Robbie Stadium. Mr. Stoyanovich set a playoff record in the 2nd quarter with a 58-yard field goal.



20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio feauring L.V. (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Father and Son--Boyzone (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Yahya Ayyash, 29. Palestinian terrorist. Mr. Ayyash was the chief bombmaker for the terrorist organization Hamas. He was assassinated by the Israeli security agency Shin Bet.

Abominations
The Chinese government denied allegations by New York-based Human Rights Watch that 1,000 children in Shanghai orphanages had been abused and had died of systematic starvation from 1986-1992.

10 years ago
2006

Hockey
World Junior Championships
Final @ General Motors Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada 5 Russia 0