January 22nd Major News Events

1942 Wartime Production

Ernest Kanzler was put in charge of wartime car production operations in Detriot, Michigan. Kanzler was a former associate of Henry Ford. He was in charge of making decisions that would lead to the highest amount of productivity (i.e. making tools for other companies).

1943 Benito Mussolini

Americans had bombed Italian Railroads in an effort to thwart a lecture being given by Hitler addressed to the Italian leader Benito Mussolini. The bombing was an attempt to force Italy to resist Hitler's Power.

The people of Rome were convinced by Mussolini that the Allied Powers (United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, and France) would never bomb Rome, which was considered a holy city. People everywhere ran for cover under Rome's capital building.

1957 Mad Bomber

This was the day when a New York man, known as the "Mad Bomber" had confessed to the planting of approximately 30 bombs within New York City. This man has claimed to have had pent up anger built inside of him for many years.

1968 Lunar Module

1968: America's first Lunar Module (space probe) was to be launched on this day. This module was said to be shaped like a huge bug, and weight about 16 tons. The Lunar Module would be unmanned and the plan was to send it to the moon.

This launching was scheduled in order to test this unit's capability for landing on the moon, as well as its ability to lift off properly. The Apollo 5 mission was schedule was schedule a year after the fatal accident that took place while launching the manned Apollo I rocket.

1972 Rail Accident

1972 : A petroleum rail car had ruptured and exploded while switching tracks on the East St. Louis, Illinois railway. No deaths were reported as a result of this incident, but at least 150 people were injured-mostly by cut glass that flew for quite a distance.

1979 England - public sector workers Strike

Tens of thousands of public sector workers including hospital workers, rubbish collectors, school caretakers, grave diggers and airport staff take part in a day of action - the biggest mass stoppage since 1926 - in support of a claim for more pay.

1990 Soviet Union Azerbaijan

Following the entry by soviet troops into the republic of Azerbaijan attempting to try and end the undeclared conflict between Muslim Azeris and Christian Armenians, and put down a separatist insurrection by Azerbaijani nationalists. Reports say up to 60 people died when tanks rolled into the republic's capital, Baku.

1991 Israel SCUD Missiles

Iraq launches Three SCUDs and one Patriot missile on Ramat Gan in Israel, injuring 96 people, hoping to draw Israel into the Gulf War which would force other Arab countries to join on Iraq's side. Three elderly people die of heart attacks.

2001 MMR triple vaccine

The Government has started a campaign to alleviate fears that the MMR triple vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella could trigger the developmental disability known as autism in some children.

2002 Kmart

2002 : Kmart Corp files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

2007 Robert Pickton

The trial of Robert Pickton a pig farmer from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada for the murder of 6 women, Pickton faced first-degree murder charges. On December 9th 2007 the jury finds Robert Pickton not guilty on 6 counts of first-degree murder, but is guilty on 6 counts of second-degree murder. He is later sentenced to to life with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

( The Crown Prosecution reported that Pickton told an undercover police officer posing as a cell mate that he wanted to kill another woman to make it an even 50, and that he was caught because he was "sloppy" )

Many stories and myths surround the serial killer Robert Pickton and his victims including the possibility that human flesh may have been ground up and mixed with pork from the farm. This pork was never distributed commercially, but was handed out to friends and visitors of the farm. Another claim made is that he fed the bodies directly to his pigs.

2008 Recession Measures

2008 : Following stocks plunging around the world on Monday 21st January, The Federal Reserve slashed a key interest rate by 3/4 of a percentage point on federal funds rate from 4.25 percent down to 3.5 percent on Tuesday Jan. 22nd, and signaled that further rate cuts were likely.

This follows a continued series of bad market news from the financial sector and retail sales that appear to confirm the US is heading for a recession.

For the first time in a long time the Republican President and Democratic Congress have also agreed to work together to bring a stimulus package to support the economy which could include tax rebates of $800 to $1,600 for individuals and couples and so-called bonus depreciation to allow companies to deduct 50 percent of business investments made this year. The package may also include boosts in unemployment benefits, food stamp payments and the Medicaid health care program for the poor and disabled.

Due to the severity of the problem it could be just 3 weeks before a bill is passed and placed on the presidents desk to sign into law. Lightening quick in today's political climate.

2009 Barack Obama orders the closure of the Guantanamo prison camp

One of President Barack Obama orders is to close the Guantanamo prison camp withing 12 months and suspended several of the trials of suspects at Guantanamo so that the legal process can be reviewed. ( Update nearly 18 months later June 2010 the camp is still open with closing date set ).

2010 Stock Markets Fall

Following an announcement by US President Barack Obama of plans to regulate the banking industry, the US stock market drop continues, The market lost nearly 3.0% in 2 days and the banking sector has dropped up to 5.0%. The reforms are in responce to popular anger at financial institutions, who have been paying large bonuses to staff even as they accepted government bail-outs to keep them going.

2010 Some Guantánamo detainees are to be charged in the United states. Others will face military tribunals or be held indefinitely

A governmental task force has recommended that about three dozen Guantnamo Bay detainees will face trial or military commissions. These prosecutions are likely to take place in the United States. The Attorney General has decided that five of these will be tried in a New York federal court for their alleged roles in the 2001 terror attacks, and that an additional six will go before military commissions. The venue of these commissions has not been decided, but the most likely place will be the planned prison facility in Illinois. The Obama administration will need Congressional funds to renovate this facility. As part of Obama’s plan to close Guantnamo Bay, the task force has recommended that 47 of the detainees will be held without charge. An additional seventeen Yemeni detainees are likely to be held until U.S. counter-terrorism officials have secured a place in their home country or other foreign countries. A total of about 110 detainees have been approved for transfer.

2011 Work Begins on Underwater Fiber Optics Cable to Cuba

Venezuela and Cuba began working on laying a fiber-optic telecommunications cable between the two countries. The one thousand mile long cable being laid by the Alcatel-Lucent company is supposed to improve Cuba's internet quality and capacity.   

 

2012 Former Penn State Football Coach Dies

2012 : Joe Paterno, the famous former football coach of Penn State, died at the age of eighty-five. His death came soon after a child abuse scandal broke out surrounding the University as former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested for abusing boys between 1994 and 2009. Paterno was forced to resign following the scandal.

2013 UN Extends North Korea Sanctions

2013 : The United Nations Security Council approved the tightening of sanctions after North Korea test launched a long-range missile. The approval was unanimous and included China, North Korea's closest ally.

2014 Mandela Statue Rabbit Removal

2014 : The South African government has told the sculptors of a new Nelson Mandela statue that they must remove the bronze rabbit sculpture that was place in the ear of the statue. The Mandela statue was revealed soon after Mandela died in December. The government finds the placement of the rabbit to be disrespectful and inaccurate, while the sculptors claimed they placed the rabbit there as a signature and to symbolize the "haste" with which they had to complete it.