Today in History

Today in History

Today is Monday, Oct. 25, the 298th day of 2021. There are 67 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Oct. 25, 1983, a U.S.-led force invaded Grenada (greh-NAY’-duh) at the order of President Ronald Reagan, who said the action was needed to protect U.S. citizens there.

On this date:

In 1760, Britain’s King George III succeeded his late grandfather, George II.

In 1854, the “Charge of the Light Brigade” took place during the Crimean War as an English brigade of more than 600 men charged the Russian army, suffering heavy losses.

In 1859, radical abolitionist John Brown went on trial in Charles Town, Va., for his failed raid at Harpers Ferry. (Brown was convicted and hanged.)

In 1881, artist Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain.

In 1910, “America the Beautiful,” with words by Katharine Lee Bates and music by Samuel A. Ward, was first published.

In 1962, during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson II demanded that Soviet Ambassador Valerian Zorin confirm or deny the existence of Soviet-built missile bases in Cuba; Stevenson then presented photographic evidence of the bases to the Council.

In 1971, the U.N. General Assembly voted to admit mainland China and expel Taiwan.

In 1982, the situation comedy “Newhart,” starring Bob Newhart as a Vermont innkeeper, premiered on CBS.

In 1994, Susan Smith of Union, South Carolina, claimed that a Black carjacker had driven off with her two young sons (Smith later confessed to drowning the children in John D. Long Lake, and was convicted of murder). Three defendants were convicted in South Africa of murdering American exchange student Amy Biehl. (In 1998, all three were granted amnesty by South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.)

In 1999, golfer Payne Stewart and five others were killed when their Learjet flew uncontrolled for four hours before crashing in South Dakota; Stewart was 42.

In 2002, U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., was killed in a plane crash in northern Minnesota along with his wife, daughter and five others, a week and a-half before the election.

In 2014, the World Health Organization said more than 10,000 people had been infected with Ebola and that nearly half of them had died as the outbreak continued to spread. Jack Bruce, 71, the bassist and lead vocalist of the 1960s power trio Cream, died in London.

Ten years ago: Deposed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, his son Muatassim and former Defense Minister Abu Bakr Younis were buried at dawn in a secret location, five days after Gadhafi was slain by revolutionary fighters.

Five years ago: A federal judge in San Francisco approved a nearly $15 billion settlement, giving nearly a half-million Volkswagen owners and leaseholders the choice between selling their diesel engine cars back or having them repaired so they didn’t cheat on emissions tests and spew excess pollution. The Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago Cubs 6-0 in the World Series opener.

One year ago: White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told CNN that “we’re not going to control the pandemic,” because it’s a “contagious virus just like the flu.” Hundreds of thousands of Californians lost power as utilities sought to reduce the chance of their equipment sparking wildfires and the fire-weary state braced for a new bout of dry, windy weather.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Marion Ross is 93. Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Knight is 81. Author Anne Tyler is 80. Rock singer Jon Anderson (Yes) is 77. Political strategist James Carville is 77. Singer Taffy Nivert (Starland Vocal Band) is 77. Rock musician Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest) is 74. Actor Brian Kerwin is 72. Actor Mark L. Taylor is 71. Movie director Julian Schnabel is 70. Rock musician Matthias Jabs is 65. Actress Nancy Cartwright (TV: “The Simpsons”) is 64. Country singer Mark Miller (Sawyer Brown) is 63. Rock musician Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers; Chickenfoot) is 60. Actor Tracy Nelson is 58. Actor Michael Boatman is 57. Actor Kevin Michael Richardson is 57. Actor Mathieu Amalric is 56. Singer Speech is 53. Actor-comedian-TV host Samantha Bee is 52. Actor Adam Goldberg is 51. Actor-singer Adam Pascal is 51. Rock musician Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies) is 51. Actor Persia White is 51. Country singer Chely (SHEL’-ee) Wright is 51. Actor Leslie Grossman is 50. Violinist Midori is 50. Actor Craig Robinson is 50. Actor Michael Weston is 48. Actor Zachary Knighton is 43. Actor Mariana Klaveno is 42. Actor Mehcad (muh-KAD’) Brooks is 41. Actor Ben Gould is 41. Actor Josh Henderson is 40. Pop singer Katy Perry is 37. Rock singer Austin Winkler is 37. Singer Ciara is 36. Actor Krista Marie Yu (TV: “Dr. Ken”) is 33. Actor Rachel Matthews is 28. Actor Conchita Campbell is 26. Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto is 23.

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