January 8th, 2009

Today in History

1996:
An Antonov 32 cargo jet crashes into the central market in Kinshasa, Zaire killing more than 350

1994:
Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov on Soyuz TM-18 leaves for Mir. He will stay on the space station till March 22, 1995 for a record 437 days in space.

1989:
beginning of Japanese Heisei era

1894:
A fire at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois causes a good deal of damage.

1815:
War of 1812: In the Battle of New Orleans Andrew Jackson leads American forces in victory over the British.