TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1649, England's King Charles I was executed. In 1943, German troops surrendered in Stalingrad, ending World War II's bloodiest battle. In 2005, Iraqi citizens voted in the first free elections in a half century despite surrounding violence.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945), U.S. president; Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989), historian; Ernie Banks (1931- ), baseball player, is 77; Gene Hackman (1930- ), actor, is 78; Tammy Grimes (1934- ), actress/singer, is 74; Dick Cheney (1941- ), U.S. vice president, is 67; Jalen Rose (1973- ), basketball player, is 35.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2002, Karl Malone became the second NBA player (after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to score 34,000 career points.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "In our personal ambitions we are individualists. But in our seeking for economic and political progress as a nation, we all go up--or else all go down--as one people." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
TODAY'S FACT: In 1660, after the restoration of the monarchy, the body of Oliver Cromwell, who had ruled England for 9 years following the execution of Charles I, was disinterred and hanged.
TODAY'S NUMBER: 5,171 - number of polling centers in Iraq that opened for free elections in 2005 (out of the 5,232 centers that were expected).
TODAY'S MOON: Last quarter (January 30).
