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On this day in history - January 12

What Happened On This Day – January 12

  • 2010 An earthquake kills 316,000 in Haiti

    Most of the country's capital, Port-au-Prince, was destroyed during the disaster.

  • 1991 The U.S. Congress votes for war in Iraq

    President George H. W. Bush was given the authority to use military force to expel Iraq from Kuwait.

  • 1969 Led Zeppelin releases their debut album

    The album was imaginatively named “Led Zeppelin”.

  • 1967 James Bedford is frozen with intent of future resuscitation

    Bedford was the first human to be cryonically preserved; his body awaits resuscitation in Scottsdale, Arizona.

  • 1908 The first long-distance radio message is broadcast from the Eiffel Tower in Paris

    Scientist Lee de Forest's broadcast was heard by an audience of 50.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
January 12

  • 1968 Heather Mills

    English model, activist

  • 1917 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

    Indian guru

  • 1916 P. W. Botha

    South African politician, 1st State President of South Africa

  • 1876 Jack London

    American author

  • 1729 Edmund Burke

    Irish politician, philosopher

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
January 12

  • 2005 Amrish Puri

    Indian actor

  • 2003 Maurice Gibb

    English singer-songwriter bass player, producer

  • 1976 Agatha Christie

    English author

  • 1971 John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey

    English Admiral

  • 1856 Ľudovít Štúr

    Slovak politician, author