FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2009

Today is Friday, January 23, the 23rd day of 2009. There are 342 days left in the year.

638 _ Start of Islamic calendar

1265 _ First English Parliament formally convened (some authorities)

1556 _ Most deadly earthquake kills 830,000 in Shansi Province, China

1719 _ Principality of Liechtenstein created within Holy Roman Empire

1793 _ Second partition of Poland, between Prussia and Russia

1968 _ Spy ship USS Pueblo and 83-man crew seized in East Sea by N. Korea

1969 _ Cream releases their last album ``Goodbye"

1973 _ President Nixon announces an accord has been reached to end the Vietnam War

1987 _ Japan first exceeds military spending cap of 1 percent of GNP ($23 billion)

1994 _ Worldwide Day for peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina