Today is Wednesday, Jan. 19, the 19th day of 2022. There are 346 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Jan. 19, 1981, the United States and Iran signed an accord paving the way for the release of 52 Americans held hostage for more than 14 months.
On this date:
In 1861, Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union.
In 1915, Germany carried out its first air raid on Britain during World War I as a pair of Zeppelins dropped bombs onto Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn in England.
In 1942, a German submarine sank the Canadian liner RMS Lady Hawkins off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, killing 251 people; 71 survived.
In 1944, the federal government relinquished control of the nation’s railroads to their owners following settlement of a wage dispute.
In 1953, CBS-TV aired the widely watched episode of “I Love Lucy” in which Lucy Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball, gave birth to Little Ricky. (By coincidence, Ball gave birth the same day to her son, Desi Arnaz Jr.)
In 1966, Indira Gandhi was chosen to be prime minister of India by the National Congress party.
In 2009, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal restoring natural gas shipments to Ukraine and paving the way for an end to the nearly two-week cutoff of most Russian gas to a freezing Europe.
In 2020, health officials in central China reported that 17 more people had been diagnosed with the new coronavirus, which had killed two patients and placed other countries on alert.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Tippi Hedren is 92. Former PBS newsman Robert MacNeil is 91. Actor Shelley Fabares is 78. Country singer Dolly Parton is 76. Former ABC newswoman Ann Compton is 75. TV chef Paula Deen is 75. Rock singer Martha Davis is 71. Actor Desi Arnaz Jr. is 69. Actor Katey Sagal is 68. Comedian Paul Rodriguez is 67. Basketball coach and commentator Jeff Van Gundy is 60. International Tennis Hall of Famer Stefan Edberg is 56. Actor Shawn Wayans is 51. Comedian-impressionist Frank Caliendo is 48. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is 40. Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson is 30.
