Today in history

Today’s highlight in history:

On Jan. 25, 1981, the 52 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days arrived in the United States.

On this date:

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 1890, reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) of the New York World completed a round-the-world journey in 72 days, six hours and 11 minutes.

In 1890, the United Mine Workers of America was founded.

In 1915, the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, inaugurated U.S. transcontinental telephone service.

In 1946, the United Mine Workers rejoined the American Federation of Labor.

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

In 1959, American Airlines opened the jet age in the United States with the first scheduled transcontinental flight of a Boeing 707.

In 1961, President 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, actress Ava Gardner died in London at age 67.

Ten years ago: Responding to recent cases of deadly food poisoning, President Clinton said in his weekly radio address that he would seek $43 million dollars to implement a state-of-the-art early warning system for food contamination. Astrologer Jeane Dixon died in Washington, D.C.