January 15th

Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah's reign. The siege lasts until July 23, 586 BC.

After allegedly striking a flock of geese, US Airways Flight 1549, en route from La Guardia Airport, New York City, to Charlotte, N.C., is forced to land in the Hudson River. All 150 passengers and 5 crew members survived. The pilot, Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, was hailed as the "Hero of the Hudson" for his quick thinking and deft landing of the plane.

A military court sentenced Army Specialist Charles Graner Jr. to 10 years behind bars for physically and sexually mistreating Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison.

The NASA Spirit rover rolled onto the surface of Mars.

Wikipedia, a web-based encyclopedia, made its debut.

The European Community recognized Croatia and Slovenia as separate states, effectively ending the Yugoslav federation, founded in 1918.

Serial killer Ted Bundy murdered two students in a sorority house at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

President Richard Nixon announced the suspension of all U.S. offensive action in North Vietnam, citing progress in peace negotiations.

The Green Bay Packers of the National Football League defeated the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League 35-10 in the first Super Bowl.

The Who's first single, 'I Can't Explain,' was released.

The mutilated remains of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, who came to be known as the 'Black Dahlia,' were found in a vacant Los Angeles lot. her slaying remains unsolved.

The world's largest office building, the Pentagon, was completed.

Tchaikovsky's ballet 'Swan Lake' premieres, St Petersburg (1/27 NS).

The rules of Basketball are published. Canadian James Naismith invented the sport for his gym class at YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The donkey was first used as symbol of the Democratic Party in Harper's Weekly.

The University of Notre Dame received its charter from the state of Indiana.

The Republic of New Connecticut declared its independence. Six months later it was renamed Vermont.

British Museum opens in Montague House, London.

England's Queen Elizabeth I was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church in England.