UPI Almanac for Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Today is Wednesday, March 27, the 87th day of 2024 with 279 to follow.

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

Those born on this date are under the sign of Aries. They include printmaker Nathaniel Currier of Currier and Ives in 1813; schoolteacher Patty Smith Hill, who wrote the words for "Happy Birthday to You," in 1868; architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1886; actor Gloria Swanson in 1899; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Eisaku Satō in 1901; jazz singer Sarah Vaughan in 1924; race car driver Cale Yarborough in 1939; actor Michael York in 1942 (age 82); musician Tony Banks (Genesis) in 1950 (age 74); actor Maria Schneider in 1952; musician Andrew Farriss (INXS) in 1959 (age 65); filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in 1963 (age 61); musician Johnny April (Staind) in 1968 (age 56); actor Pauley Perrette in 1969 (age 55); singer Mariah Carey in 1970 (age 54); musician Brendan Hill (Blues Traveler) in 1970 (age 54); actor Elizabeth Mitchell in 1970 (age 54); actor Nathan Fillion in 1971 (age 53); singer Fergie, born Stacy Ann Ferguson, in 1975 (age 49); singer Jessie J, born Jessica Ellen Cornish, in 1988 (age 36); actor Brenda Song in 1988 (age 36); singer Kimbra Lee Johnson in 1990 (age 34); K-pop singer Lalisa "Lisa" Manoban in 1997 (age 27); actor Sophie Nélisse in 2000 (age 24); singer/actor Halle Bailey in 2000 (age 24).

On this date in history:

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

In 1933, the U.S. Embassy in Berlin reported that physical mistreatment of Jews in Germany has been "virtually terminated."

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 139 people.

In 1976, the first section of Washington, D.C.'s Metro subway system opened with more than 4.6 miles of track on the Red Line running from Farragut North to Rhode Island Avenue in the District of Columbia.

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 on 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, Naypyidaw.

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.

In 2020, President Donald Trump signed the $2.3 trillion CARES Act relief package to support Americans the U.S. economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Will Smith slapped Oscars host Chris Rock live during the broadcast after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Moments later, Will Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard. The actor was banned from Academy events for 10 years for the shocking moment.

In 2023, a former student at the Convent School in Nashville opened fire at the school, killing three children and three adults. The shooter, identified as Audrey Hale, was killed in an exchange with police officers.

A thought for the day: "If the attainment of peace is the ultimate objective of all statesmen, it is, at the same time, something very ordinary, closely tied to the daily life of each individual." -- Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Satō