February 4 - the day in history

On this day in 1945, the Yalta Conference was held.

Today is Thursday, February 4, the thirty fifth day of 2005.
There are 330 days left in the year.

Highlights in history on this date:

1783 - Britain declares a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies - the United States of America.
1789 - George Washington is elected president of the United States.

1887 - The Interstate Commerce Commission is established to regulate the transport of passengers and goods across state lines by land and water.
1899 - Filipinos stage revolt against United States because independence is not granted.
1922 - Japan agrees to restore Shantung to China. 1938 - Adolf Hitler assumes office of German war minister and names Joachim von Ribbentrop foreign minister.
1945 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin begin a wartime conference at Yalta.
1948 - Ceylon - now Sri Lanka - becomes self-governing dominion in British Commonwealth.
1969 - China's representative in the Netherlands, Liao Ho-Shu, arrives in United States and requests political asylum.
1970 - U.S. President Richard Nixon orders all federal agencies to stop polluting the air and water.
1972 - Britain and nine other nations recognize East Pakistan as independent nation of Bangladesh.
1990 - Terrorists ambush bus carrying Israeli tourists in Egypt, killing nine people and wounding 20.
1995 - Chechen rebels shoot down first Russian jet fighter of the war, downing an Su-25 with anti-aircraft guns not far from Grozny.
1997 - In Israel's worst-ever military air accident, 73 soldiers die when two CH-53 Sikorsky transport helicopters ferrying elite troops to Lebanon collide in heavy fog and rain.
1999 - A Russian project to reflect a beam of sunlight from orbit onto dark cities on Earth is foiled when the mirror fails to unfurl properly.

2000 - Despite international opposition, Austria's president swears in new government that includes right wingers loyal to Joerg Haider - a man known for praising aspects of the Nazi era.
2001 - Israel's powerful ultra-Orthodox religious bloc throws support behind hard-liner Ariel Sharon, giving another boost to the front-runner in election for prime minister.


Today's Birthdays:
Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Polish and American independence fighter (1746-1817) Friedrich Ebert, German president (1871-1925)
Fernand Leger, French painter (1881-1955)
Charles A Lindbergh, US aviation pioneer (1902-1974)
Isabel Peron, Argentine president (1931--)
Dan Quayle, US vice president (1947--)
Alice Cooper, US rock singer (1948--)
Clint Black, US country singer (1962--)
Urmila Matondkar, actress
Natalie Imbruglia, Australian singer (1975--)

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