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TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Wednesday, Feb. 6, the 37th day of 2013. There are 328 days left in the year.
Today's highlight:
On Feb. 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
On this date:
In 1778, the United States won official recognition from France with the signing of a Treaty of Alliance in Paris.
In 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, was born in Tampico, Ill.
In 1933, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the so-called "lame duck" amendment, was proclaimed in effect by Secretary of State Henry Stimson.
In 1952, Britain's King George VI died at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England; he was succeeded as monarch by his daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II.
In 1959, the United States successfully test-fired for the first time a Titan intercontinental ballistic missile from Cape Canaveral.
Ten years ago: Edging closer to war, President George W. Bush declared "the game is over" for Saddam Hussein and urged skeptical allies to join in disarming Iraq.
Five years ago: At least 57 deaths were reported after two days of tornadoes that plowed across Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. The White House defended the use of the interrogation technique known as waterboarding, saying it was legal -- not torture as critics argued -- and had saved American lives.
One year ago: The U.S. closed its embassy in Syria and Britain recalled its ambassador to Damascus in a new Western push to get President Bashar Assad to leave power and halt the murderous grind in Syria.
Today's birthdays: Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is 96. Actor Patrick Macnee is 91. Actor Rip Torn is 82. Actress Mamie Van Doren is 82. Actor Mike Farrell is 74. Former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is 73. Singer Fabian is 70. Actress Gayle Hunnicutt is 70. Actor Michael Tucker is 69. Singer Natalie Cole is 63. Actress Kathy Najimy is 56. Rock musician Simon Phillips (Toto) is 56. Actor-director Robert Townsend is 56. Actress Megan Gallagher is 53. Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) is 51. Country singer Richie McDonald is 51. Singer Rick Astley is 47. Rock musician Tim Brown (Boo Radleys) is 44. Actor Brandon Hammond is 29. Actress Alice Greczyn is 27.
Thought for today: "Work is much more fun than fun." -- Sir Noel Coward, British actor, dramatist and songwriter (1899-1973)
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