This day in history

[January 25, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Monday, Jan. 25, the 25th day of 2010. There are 340 days left in the year.

Today's highlights in history:

On Jan. 25, 1890, reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) of the New York World completed a round-the-world journey in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes. The United Mine Workers of America was founded in Columbus, Ohio.

On this date:

In 1759, Scottish poet Robert Burns was born in Alloway.

In 1787, Shays's Rebellion suffered a setback when debt-ridden farmers led by Capt. Daniel Shays failed to capture an arsenal at Springfield, Mass.

In 1858, Britain's Princess Victoria, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, married Crown Prince Frederick William (the future German Emperor and King of Prussia) at St. James's Palace.

In 1909, the opera "Elektra" by Richard Strauss premiered in Dresden, Germany.

In 1915, Alexander Graham Bell inaugurated U.S. transcontinental telephone service between New York and San Francisco.

In 1947, American gangster Al Capone died in Miami Beach, Fla., at age 48.

In 1959, American Airlines began jet flights between New York and Los Angeles on the Boeing 707.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy held the first presidential news conference carried live on radio and television.

In 1971, Charles Manson and three women followers were convicted in Los Angeles of murder and conspiracy in the 1969 slayings of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate.

In 1990, an Avianca Boeing 707 ran out of fuel and crashed in Cove Neck, Long Island, N.Y.; 73 of the 158 people aboard were killed. Actress Ava Gardner died in London at age 67.

Ten years ago: Under government orders, the Florida relatives of Elian Gonzalez agreed to make the boy available for a meeting with his Cuban grandmothers at a neutral site. Martina Navratilova entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Five years ago: A videotape showed Roy Hallums, an American kidnapped in Baghdad the previous November, pleading for his life. (Hallums was rescued by coalition troops on September 7, 2005.) A stampede during a Hindu festival in western India killed at least 258 people. Architect Philip Johnson died in New Canaan, Conn. at age 98.

One year ago: The White House used the Sunday talk shows to warn the country could face a long and painful financial recovery, even with major government intervention. The Eastern Conference won the NHL All-Star game 12-11. Jeremy Abbott won his first title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Cleveland. "Slumdog Millionaire" won the Screen Actors Guild Award for best cast of a motion picture; "30 Rock" and "Mad Men" won best for TV comedy and drama casts.

Today's birthdays: Journalist-author Edwin Newman is 91. Basketball Hall of Famer Dick McGuire is 84. Actor Gregg Palmer is 83. The former president of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze, is 82. Actor Dean Jones is 79. Country singer Claude Gray is 78. Blues singer Etta James is 72. Movie director Tobe Hooper is 67. Actress Leigh Taylor-Young is 65. Actress Jenifer (cq) Lewis is 53. Actress Dinah Manoff is 52. Country musician Mike Burch (River Road) is 44. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is 44. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kina is 41. Actress China Kantner is 39. Actress Ana Ortiz is 39. Musician Matt Odmark (OHD'-mark) (Jars of Clay) is 36. Actress Mia Kirshner is 35. Actress Christine Lakin is 31. Rhythm-and-blues singer Alicia (ah-LEE'-sha) Keys is 29.

Thought for today: "Love must be learned, and learned again and again; there is no end to it. Hate needs no instruction, but wants only to be provoked." -- Katherine Anne Porter, American author (1894-1980)

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.