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UPI Almanac for Friday, March 27, 2015

The worst aviation accident, a new Chinese president ... on this date in history.

By United Press International
Chinese President Jiang Zemin speaks in Hong Kong June 30, 1997. File Photo/UPI
1 of 9 | Chinese President Jiang Zemin speaks in Hong Kong June 30, 1997. File Photo/UPI | License Photo

Today is Friday, March 27, the 86th day of 2015 with 279 to follow.

The moon is waxing. Morning stars are Mercury, Neptune and Saturn. Evening stars are Jupiter, Mars, Uranus and Venus.

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Those born on this date are under the sign of Aries. They include printmaker Nathaniel Currier of Currier and Ives in 1813; German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen, discoverer of X-rays, in 1845; schoolteacher Patty Smith Hill, who wrote the words for "Happy Birthday to You," in 1868; photographer Edward Steichen in 1879; architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1886; actor Gloria Swanson in 1899; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Eisaku Sato in 1901; jazz singer Sarah Vaughan in 1924; race car driver Cale Yarborough in 1939 (age 76); actor Michael York in 1942 (age 73); actor Maria Schneider in 1952; filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in 1963 (age 52); singer Mariah Carey in 1970 (age 45);; singer Fergie -- Stacy Ann Ferguson -- in 1975 (age 40).


On this date in history:

In 1886, Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. federal authorities.

In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev replaced Nikolai Bulganin as premier of the Soviet Union.

In 1964, the strongest earthquake to hit North America -- magnitude 9.2 -- struck Alaska, killing 117 people.

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In 1977, two Boeing 747 jumbo jets collided and exploded in flames on a foggy runway at Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, killing 583 people in the worst aviation accident in history.

In 1980, a Norwegian oil platform capsized during a storm in the North Sea, killing 123 people.

In 1993, Jiang Zemin was appointed president of the People's Republic of China.

In 1996, an Israeli court convicted Yigal Amir and sentenced him to life in prison for assassinating Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin Nov. 4, 1995.

In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra for use as a treatment for male impotence.

In 2004, NASA's unmanned experimental hypersonic plane reached about 5,000 mph in a test flight -- more than seven times the speed of sound.

In 2005, ailing Pope John Paul II appeared at his apartment window before an Easter crowd in St. Peter's Square but was unable to speak. He silently blessed thousands of cheering people, many who wept. (The pope died six days later, on April 2. He was 84.)

In 2007, leaders of Myanmar staged a military parade to show off the new capital city, Naypyitaw.

In 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama announced an agreement with Russia to reduce the countries' nuclear weapons arsenals -- and have regular inspections.

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In 2013, Julia Pierson became the first woman to head the U.S. Secret Service. (Pierson resigned in October 2014.)

In 2014, U.S. President Obama Barack Obama visited Pope Francis at the Vatican. It was their first meeting.


A thought for the day: "Fame was thrilling only until it became grueling. Money was fun only until you ran out of things to buy." -- Gloria Swanson

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