Today in History

Today is Wednesday, March 9, the 69th day of 2016. There are 297 days left in the year.

Today's Highlights in History:

On March 9, 1916, more than 400 Mexican raiders led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 Americans. During the First World War, Germany declared war on Portugal.

On this date:

In 1661, Cardinal Jules Mazarin, the chief minister of France, died, leaving King Louis XIV in full control.

In 1796, the future emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, married Josephine de Beauharnais. (The couple later divorced.)

In 1862, during the Civil War, the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimac) clashed for five hours to a draw at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In 1933, Congress, called into special session by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, began its "hundred days" of enacting New Deal legislation.

In 1945, during World War II, U.S. B-29 bombers began launching incendiary bomb attacks against Tokyo, resulting in an estimated 100,000 deaths.

In 1954, CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow critically reviewed Wisconsin Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy's anti-communism campaign on "See It Now."

In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court, in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, raised the standard for public officials to prove they'd been libeled in their official capacity by news organizations.

In 1965, the Rev. James Reeb, a white minister from Boston who'd gone to Selma, Alabama, to show support for civil rights marchers, was attacked by a group of white men and struck on the head; he died two days later at age 38.

In 1976, a cable car in the Italian ski resort of Cavalese fell some 700 feet to the ground when a supporting line snapped, killing 43 people.

In 1977, about a dozen armed Hanafi Muslims invaded three buildings in Washington, D.C., killing one person and taking more than 130 hostages. (The siege ended two days later.)

In 1981, Dan Rather made his debut as principal anchorman of "The CBS Evening News."

In 1990, Dr. Antonia Novello was sworn in as surgeon general, becoming the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold the job.

Ten years ago: Bowing to ferocious opposition in Congress, a Dubai-owned company, DP World, relinquished its quest to take over operations at U.S. ports. John Profumo, the former British Cabinet minister whose affair with model Christine Keeler rocked Britain in 1963, died in London at age 91.

Five years ago: After a trip to the International Space Station, shuttle Discovery ended its career as the most flown U.S. spaceship, returning from orbit for the last time. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation abolishing the death penalty in his state and commuting the sentences of all remaining death row inmates. David Broder, 81, one of the nation's premier political reporters for decades, died in Arlington, Virginia.

One year ago: In northwestern Argentina, two helicopters collided and burst into flames shortly after taking off near the remote settlement of Villa Castelli, killing both pilots and eight French nationals. (Among the victims were Olympic champion swimmer Camille Muffat, Olympic bronze-medalist boxer Alexis Vastine and pioneering sailor Florence Arthaud, who were contestants on a European reality TV show which was being shot in the sparsely populated region.) Solar Impulse 2, a Swiss-made solar-powered aircraft, took off from Abu Dhabi just after daybreak in a historic first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fossil fuel (however, overheated batteries grounded the plane in Hawaii). Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the Apple Watch in San Francisco.

Today's Birthdays: Former Sen. James L. Buckley, Conservative-N.Y., is 93. Singer-actress Keely Smith is 88. Singer Lloyd Price is 83. Actress Joyce Van Patten is 82. Country singer Mickey Gilley is 80. Actress Trish Van Devere is 75. Singer Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere and the Raiders) is 74. Former ABC anchorman Charles Gibson is 73. Rock musician Robin Trower is 71. Singer Jeffrey Osborne is 68. Country musician Jimmie Fadden (The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 68. Actress Jaime Lyn Bauer is 67. Magazine editor Michael Kinsley is 65. TV newscaster Faith Daniels is 59. Actress Linda Fiorentino is 58. Actor Tom Amandes is 57. Actor-director Lonny Price is 57. Country musician Rusty Hendrix (Confederate Railroad) is 56. Actress Juliette Binoche is 52. Rock musician Robert Sledge (Ben Folds Five) is 48. Rock musician Shannon Leto (30 Seconds to Mars) is 46. Rapper C-Murder (AKA C-Miller) is 45. Actor Emmanuel Lewis is 45. Actress Jean Louisa Kelly is 44. Actor Kerr Smith is 44. Actor Oscar Isaac (Film: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens") is 37. Rapper Chingy is 36. Actor Matthew Gray Gubler is 36. Rock musician Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) is 35. Roots rock musician Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes) is 33. Actress Brittany Snow is 30. Rapper Bow Wow is 29. Rapper YG is 26. Actor Luis Armand Garcia is 24. Actress Cierra Ramirez is 21.

Thought for Today: "Anybody who wants the presidency so much that he'll spend two years organizing and campaigning for it is not to be trusted with the office." -- David Broder (1929-2011).