Today in History for Jan. 21:
In 1525, the first Anabaptist baptismal service took place in Zurich, Switzerland, when Conrad Grebel re-baptized George Blaurock.
In 1549, the British Parliament passed the first of four Acts of Uniformity. The first act required the exclusive use of the Book of Common Prayer, later called the First Prayer Book of Edward VI, in all public services of the Anglican Church.
In 1793, during the French Revolution, King Louis XVI, condemned for treason, was sent to the guillotine.
In 1807, Ezekiel Hart became the first Jew elected to a Canadian legislature when he was elected to the Lower Canada Assembly from Trois-Rivieres.
In 1815, the Lower Canada parliament began a session that dealt with publishing maps of Canada, encouraging vaccination and setting up a parliamentary library.
In 1839, Acadia College was opened in Wolfville, N.S.
In 1900, a second contingent of Canadian troops sailed to the Boer War to support Britain in its fight with the South African republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
In 1908, New York City Council enacted an ordinance making smoking in public by women punishable by a fine of up $25. Mayor George McClellan vetoed the measure two weeks later.
In 1915, the Kiwanis Club was founded in Detroit.
In 1924, Soviet revolutionary leader Vladimir Ilyich Lenin died of a stroke at age 54. After a brief period of collective leadership, control of the government passed to Josef Stalin.
In 1936, Edward, Prince of Wales, was proclaimed Britain's king, one day after the death of his father, King George V. Edward reigned for only 11 months, abdicating on Dec. 11 to marry a divorced American, Wallis Warfield Simpson. Edward took the title of Duke of Windsor. He died of cancer in 1972 at the age of 78.
In 1950, George Orwell, author of ``1984'' and ``Animal Farm,'' died in London at the age of 46.
In 1954, the first atomic submarine, the ``USS Nautilus,'' was launched. It was retired in 1980.
In 1959, movie producer-director Cecil B. DeMille died in Hollywood at age 77.
In 1975, firefighters called to a blaze at a Montreal bar discovered the bodies of 13 people in a closet. Police described the deaths as underworld grudge killings.
In 1976, the supersonic Concorde jet was put into service by Britain and France, with flights from London to Bahrain and from Paris to Rio de Janeiro. (The Concorde airliner was retired in 2003.)
In 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter declared a full pardon for all Vietnam war draft evaders except those who deserted from the military or used violence.
In 1980, for the first time, photographers were allowed to take pictures in the House of Commons.
In 1983, Joann Wilson, the ex-wife of Saskatchewan politician Colin Thatcher, was found beaten and shot to death in the garage of her Regina home. Thatcher was later found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served 22 years behind bars before being granted full parole on Nov. 20, 2006. Thatcher has always maintained his innocence.
In 1989, Brian Peckford resigned after 10 years as the Tory premier of Newfoundland. He was succeeded by Tom Rideout.
In 1992, the Supreme Court of Canada began its review of David Milgaard's murder conviction in the death of Saskatoon nursing aide Gail Miller. The high court quashed the conviction a few months later and Saskatchewan decided not to retry Milgaard. On April 16, after nearly 23 years in jail, he was freed from the Stony Mountain Penitentiary in Manitoba.
In 1992, a jury in Manassas, Va., acquitted Lorena Bobbitt by reason of temporary insanity of maliciously wounding her husband John. She had cut off his penis.
In 1998, the first news accounts appeared of an alleged affair between U.S. President Bill Clinton and a former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The affair, which Clinton denied for many months, led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives. But the Senate failed to convict him and he finished out his term in January 2001.
In 2010, talk-show host Conan O'Brien reached a $45-million deal with NBC to leave ``The Tonight Show'' just seven months after he took over the chair from long-running host Jay Leno.
In 2010, Toyota announced the recall of more than 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to fix a problem with sticking accelerator pedals. (It suspended sales of eight vehicles involved in the recall on Jan. 26 for 10 days until a replacement part was developed.)
In 2016, the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab attacked a beachfront restaurant in Mogadishu, killing 20 people before Somalia's security forces ended the deadly siege.
In 2018, quarterback Tom Brady led the New England Patriots back from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-20 in the AFC championship game; the Philadelphia Eagles routed the Minnesota Vikings 38-7 to earn the NFC championship.
In 2020, celebrated Canadian artist Gordon Smith died at the age of 100. The English-born Smith came to Winnipeg in 1933 and had his first professional exhibition in 1938. He taught at the University of British Columbia until 1982, and with his late wife founded the Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation for Young Artists.
In 2020, a Canadian scientist was inducted into the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame for inventing the automatic tourniquet system that is used in surgeries all over the world. James McEwen was born in Winnipeg but now lives in British Columbia. The system that helps limit blood flow during surgery is used in about 20-thousand surgeries daily and is credited with significantly improving surgical safety.
In 2021, Julie Payette resigned as Governor General following an investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace at Rideau Hall. She issued a statement apologizing for tensions in her office but did not take direct responsibility for creating such an atmosphere. Said Payette, -- quote -- ``We all experience things differently, but we should always strive to do better, and be attentive to one another's perceptions.'' She also suggests the move was made for personal reasons, citing her father's declining health. The allegations against Payette include that she belittled and publicly humiliated employees, reducing some to tears and prompting some to quit.
In 2022, the World Health Organization was now recommending booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine -- starting with the highest-priority groups. That was a shift from its previous insistence that boosters weren't necessary for healthy adults. Last year, the WHO pleaded with rich countries to stop offering booster doses until the end of 2021 to allow for vaccine distribution to developing countries, an appeal that was almost entirely ignored.
In 2022, Canada offered financial help to the government of Ukraine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $120-million loan, saying Ukrainian officials requested financial help during a meeting in Kyiv that week with Foreign Minister Melanie Joly. He said the money would help support Ukraine's economic resilience and that Canada was exploring other options to bolster the country in the face of Russian aggression.
In 2022, Canada's top doctor said there were early indications that the Omicron wave of COVID-19 had peaked nationally. Dr. Theresa Tam pointed to dropping case rates, the share of tests coming back positive, and wastewater surveillance. Her comments echoed recent statements from several provinces, including Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. But while patient numbers in some provinces showed signs of stabilizing, there remained a heavy strain on hospitals.
In 2024, skaters were allowed on an almost two-kilometre stretch of Ottawa's Rideau Canal, kicking off its 54th season after closing for the first time in its history last winter.
In 2024, Israel's military announced the death of another hostage, 19-year-old Sergeant Shay Levinson, saying he died during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and his body was taken to Gaza.
In 2024, a spokesperson said Sarah, the 64-year-old Duchess of York and ex-wife of Prince Andrew, had been diagnosed with melanoma – a malignant skin cancer – discovered during her treatment for breast cancer.
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The Canadian Press