Unix Timestamp: 978480000
Wednesday, January 3. 2001, 12:00:00 AM UTC

In another event not far way from the bird dieoff, scientists are investigating a fish kill of nearly 100,000 drum in the Arkansas River. //content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/01/disease-suspected-in-mass-kill-of-100k-fish-in-arkansas-river/1 (USA Today)

The United States and United Kingdom close their embassies in Yemen, citing threats from Al-Qaeda. //edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/01/03/yemen.us.embassy/ (CNN) //www.euronews.net/2010/01/03/us-and-uk-close-embassies-in-yemen/ (euronews)

The United States and the United Kingdom close their embassies in Yemen due to the ongoing security threat by Al Qaeda.

An Israeli airstrike on the mosque in the Gaza Strip village of Beit Lahia kills at least 13 people. //www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/03/israel.gaza/index.html (CNN)

Israel's Defense Forces launch a ground attack on the Gaza Strip. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7809959.stm (BBC News) //www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/world/middleeast/04mideast.html?_r=1hp ("New York Times")

Israel launches a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip as the Gaza War enters its second week.

A car bomb detonates, killing at least 4 and injuring 68, in Diyarbakır, Turkey. Police blame Kurdish rebels.

The People\'s Republic of China conducts a counter-terrorism raid in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

NASA's MER-A ("Spirit") lands on Mars at 04:35 UTC.

Mikhail Saakashvili wins the presidential elections in Georgia.

Flash Airlines Flight 604 crashes into the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, killing all 148 aboard.

College football: At the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, the Ohio State University Buckeyes defeated the University of Miami (Florida) Hurricanes, 31–24, to win the national chionship. Willis McGahee blows up his knee in his eventual final game as a Miami Hurricane and Maurice Clarett concludes his Buckeyes career as a National Bowl Chion before challenging the NFL on entering the 2003 NFL Draft.

In Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin met with political leaders of the Patriotic Movement of the Ivory Coast, who agreed to participate in negotiations to be held in Paris, France, the week of January 15, 2003. However, two independent rebel groups in the west of the country, assisted by fighters from Liberia, have seized villages and the cocoa crops inside those villages, forcing residents to flee to the port of San Pédro with no possessions. One-fifth of the world's cocoa crop passes through San Pédro. A French unit is guarding the port.

January 10 ndash Israel and Syria hold inconclusive peace talks.

Motorola introduces the Motorola StarTAC Wearable Cellular Telephone, the world's smallest and lightest mobile phone at that time.

The state of Washington executes Westley Allan Dodd by hanging (the first legalhanging in America since 1965).

In Moscow, George Bush and Boris Yeltsin sign the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

M/V \'\'Braer\'\', a Liberian oil tanker, runs aground off the Scottish island of Mainland, causing a massive oil spill.

US$7.4 million is stolen from Brink\'s Armored Car Depot in Rochester, New York in the 5th largest robbery in U.S. history. Four men, Samuel Millar, Father Patrick Moloney, former Rochester Police officer Thomas O'Connor, and Charles McCormick, all of whom have ties to the Provisional Irish Republican Army, are accused.

M/V "Braer", a Liberian oil tanker, runs aground off the Scottish island of Mainland, causing a massive oil spill.

US$7.4 million is stolen from Brink's Armored Car Depot in Rochester, New York in the 5th largest robbery in U.S. history. Four men, Samuel Millar, Father Patrick Moloney, former Rochester Police officer Thomas O'Connor, and Charles McCormick, all of whom have ties to the Provisional Irish Republican Army, are accused.

United States invasion of Panama: General Manuel Noriega, the deposed strongman of Panama, surrenders to American forces.

Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan meets with Navy Lieutenant Robert Goodman and the Reverend Jesse Jackson at the White House, following Lieutenant Goodman's release from Syrian captivity.

Kīlauea begins slowly erupting on the Big Island of Hawaii and is still flowing .

Apple Computer Inc. is incorporated.

BBC Open University begins in the United Kingdom.

A military coup occurs in Upper Volta (later Burkina Faso).

The first Acid Test is conducted at the Fillmore, San Francisco.

The French paper "L'Express" publishes a story of Georges Figon, who took part in the kidnapping of Mehdi Ben Barka.

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan meet in Moscow.

PakistanindashIndian peace negotiations end successfully in Tashkent.

A conference on Rhodesia begins in Lagos, Nigeria.

The French paper "L\'Express" publishes a story of Georges Figon, who took part in the kidnapping of Mehdi Ben Barka.

The first SR-71 Blackbird spy plane goes into service at Beale AFB.

A gas leak fire at the Feyzin oil refinery near Lyon, France kills 18 and injures 84.

Pope John XXIIIexcommunicatesFidel Castro.

Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third overland journey to the South Pole, and the first to use powered vehicles.

Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch.

By popular demand, "Peter Pan", starring Mary Martin, is restaged live by Producers' Showcase on NBC-TV.

By popular demand, "Peter Pan", starring Mary Martin, is restaged live by Producers' Showcase on NBC-TV.

José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama.

Proceedings of the U.S. Congress are televised for the first time.

A decree in Germany outlaws the use of Blackletter Gothic typefaces in favour of Antiqua.

The March of Dimes is established by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The first science fiction convention is held in Leeds, England.

The trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, accused of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr., begins in Flemington, New Jersey.

Albert Einstein begins doing research at the California Institute of Technology, along with astronomer Edwin Hubble.

Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece.

Benito Mussolini ("Il Duce") announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy.

The United States Census estimates the country's population to be about 70 million people.

The 91-centimeter telescope is first used at Lick Observatory.

Battle of Caspe (Third Carlist War): Caigning on the Ebro in Aragon for the Spanish Republican Government, Colonel Eulogio Despujol surprised a Carlist force under Manuel Marco de Bello at Caspe, northeast of Alcañiz. In a brilliant action the Carlists were routed, losing 200 prisoners and 80 horses, while Despujol was promoted to Brigadier and became Conde de Caspe.

Camille Saint-Saëns' composition "Danse Macabre" receives its première.

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria, marries Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, only daughter of Tsar Alexander III of Russia.

Construction of the Brooklyn Bridge begins.

The 15-year-old Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Japan, declares the Meiji Restoration, his own restoration to full power, under the influence of supporters from the Chōshū and Satsuma Domains and against the supporters of the Tokugawa Shogunate, triggering the Boshin War.

"Harper's Weekly" publishes Thomas Nast's first drawing of the modern Santa Claus (although Santa existed previously).

"Harper\'s Weekly" publishes Thomas Nast's first drawing of the modern Santa Claus (although Santa existed previously).

American Civil War: Delaware votes not to secede from the Union.

Charles Dickens commences writing the novel "Hard Times".

Joseph Jenkins Roberts is sworn in as the first president of the independent AfricanRepublic of Liberia.

One of the predecessor papers of the "Herald Sun" of Melbourne, Australia, "The Port Phillip Herald", is founded.

In the Empire of Brazil, the Additional Act provides:

February ndash Robert Owen organizes the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union in the United Kingdom.

Replacement of the Regency Trina

The government of Mexico imprisons Stephen F. Austin in Mexico City.

Establishment of thr Provincial Legislative Assembly

Introduction of a direct and secret ballot.

Extinction of the State Council

21:52 UTC) ndash Venus occults Jupiter. It is the last occultation of one planet by another before November 22, 2065.

Austria, Britain, and Bourbon-restored France form a secret defensive alliance treaty against Prussia and Russia.

Toussaint L\\'Ouverture triumphantly enters Santo Domingo, the capital of the former Spanish colony of Santo Domingo, which has become a colony of Napoleonic France.

Toussaint L'Ouverture triumphantly enters Santo Domingo, the capital of the former Spanish colony of Santo Domingo, which has become a colony of Napoleonic France.

The Treaty of Tripoli (a peace treaty between the United States and Tripoli) is signed at Algiers (see also 1796).

The Treaty of Hopewell is signed between the United States of America and the Choctaw Nation.

American Revolution ndash Battle of Princeton: American general George Washington defeats British general Charles Cornwallis.

Benning Wentworth issues the first of the New Hshire Grants, leading to the establishment of Vermont.

Treaty of Bakhchisarai One side Ottoman (Turkish) Empire and vassal Crimean Khanate , the other side Russian Empire.

The Long Parliament adopts the "Directory of Public Worship" in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, replacing the Book of Common Prayer (1559). Holy Days (other than Sundays) are not to be observed.

In the court of James I of England, the king's favorite George Villiers becomes Master of the Horse on April 24 he receives the Order of the Garter and on August 27 is created Viscount Villiers and Baron Waddon, receiving a grant of land valued at £80,000. In 1617, he is made Earl of Buckingham. After the Earl of Pembroke, he is the 2nd richest nobleman in England.

Battle of Kinsale: The battle happened on Thursday, 3 January 1602 according to the Gregorian Calendar used by the Irish and Spanish forces in the battle, although, for the English who were still using the old Julian Calendar, the date of the battle was Thursday, 24 December 1601.

Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull "Decet Romanum Pontificem".

Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine.

February ndash Pietro Bembo's "Petri Bembi de Aetna Angelum Chalabrilem liber" is published in Venice by Aldus Manutius, the first book printed in the old style serif or humanist typeface cut by Francesco Griffo and known from the 20th century as Bembo.

Pope Leo VII succeeds Pope John XI as the 126th pope.

K\'inich Ahkal Mo\' Naab III takes the throne of the Maya state of Palenque.

A combined Viking and Cornish army defeat an army of Wessex at the Battle of Hehil.

War breaks out between the Kingdoms of Wessex and Sussex.

718 or 722 ndash Battle of Covadonga, marking the start of the "Reconquista" by a Christian military force (under Pelagius of Asturias) of the Iberian Peninsula following the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711.

The Battle of Allen is fought close by the Hill of Allen between the Laigin, led by Murchad mac Brain Mut, and the forces of Fergal mac Máele Dúin.

Pope Felix III dies after a 9-year reign in which he has excommunicated Acasius of Constantinople. This dividing the Western Church and Eastern Church ("Acacian Schism"). He is succeeded by Gelasius I as the 49th pope.