THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2010

Today is Thursday, January 21, the 21st day of 2010. There are 344 days left in the year.

1077 _ German King Heinrich IV petitions Pope Gregory VII for forgiveness

1189 _ Philip II, Henry II and Richard Lion-Hearted initiate third Crusade

1793 _ Prussia and Russia sign partition treaty (Poland divided)

1799 _ Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination is introduced

1903 _ ``Wizard of Oz" premieres in New York City

1903 _ Harry Houdini escapes police station Halvemaansteeg in Amsterdam

1977 _ President Jimmy Carter pardons almost all Vietnam War draft evaders

1977 _ Italy legalizes abortion

1978 _ Bee Gees' ``Saturday Night Fever" album goes No. 1 for 24 weeks

1990 _ John McEnroe becomes the first ever expelled from the Australian Open for throwing a tantrum and swearing at an official