Today in History
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1981 The “Yorkshire Ripper” is caught
Peter Sutcliffe confessed to murdering 13 women and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
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1971 66 football fans die in the Ibrox disaster
Over 200 people were injured in the crash, which occurred at the end of an association football game between the Glasgow-based clubs, Rangers and Celtic, at Ibrox Park.
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1967 Ronald Reagan is sworn in as Governor of California
Reagan became the 40th U.S. president in 1981.
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1959 Luna 1 is launched
The Soviet spacecraft was the first to reach the moon’s vicinity and orbit the sun.
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1860 Urban Le Verrier announces the discovery of the planet Vulcan
Despite a thorough search, the planet was never actually sighted.
Births On This Day, January 2
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1936 Roger Miller
American singer-songwriter, actor
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1928 Daisaku Ikeda
Japanese spiritual leader
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1920 Isaac Asimov
American chemist, author
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1905 Michael Tippett
English composer
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1873 Thérèse of Lisieux
French nun
Deaths On This Day, January 2
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1995 Siad Barre
Somalian military officer, politician, 3rd President of Somalia
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1989 Safdar Hashmi
Indian playwright, actor, director
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1960 Fausto Coppi
Italian cyclist
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1904 James Longstreet
American general, diplomat
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1892 George Biddell Airy
English mathematician, astronomer