Today in History
In 1940, the radio play "The Adventures of Superman" debuted with Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel.
In 1959, the redesigned Lincoln penny — with an image of the Lincoln Memorial replacing two ears of wheat on the reverse side — went into circulation.
In 1963, a Northwest Orient Airlines Boeing 720 broke up during severe turbulence and crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing all 43 people aboard.
In 1973, Operation Homecoming began as the first release of American prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict took place.
In 2000, Charles M. Schulz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip, died in Santa Rosa, California, at age 77.
Hall-of-Fame football coach Tom Landry, who'd led the Dallas Cowboys to five Super Bowls, died in Irving, Texas, at age 75.
Figure skater Michelle Kwan effectively retired from competition as she withdrew from the Turin Olympics due to injury (she was replaced on the U.S. team by Emily Hughes).
Snowboarder Shaun White beat American teammate Danny Kass to win the Olympic gold medal.
Thousands of Algerians defied government warnings and dodged barricades in their capital, demanding democratic reforms; demonstrations continued in Yemen as well.
European leaders agreed on a truce to halt fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels.