Today is Sunday, Jan. 25, the 25th day of 2009. There are 340 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Jan. 25, 1759, Scottish poet Robert Burns was born in Alloway.

On this date:

In 1787, Shays's Rebellion suffered a setback when debt-ridden farmers led by Capt. Daniel Shays failed to capture an arsenal at Springfield, Mass.

In 1858, Britain's Princess Victoria, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, married Crown Prince Frederick WilliamKing of Prussia) at St. James's Palace. (the future German Emperor and

In 1890, the United Mine Workers of America was founded in Columbus, Ohio. Reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) of the New York World completed a round-the-world journey in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes.

In 1909, the opera "Elektra" by Richard Strauss premiered in Dresden, Germany.

In 1915, Alexander Graham Bell inaugurated U.S. transcontinental telephone service between New York and San Francisco.

In 1947, American gangster Al Capone died in Miami Beach, Fla., at age 48.

In 1959, American Airlines began jet flights between New York and Los Angeles on the Boeing 707.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy held the first presidential news conference carried live on radio and television.

In 1969, Vietnam War peace talks resumed in Paris, with the inclusion of representatives from South Vietnam and the Viet Cong.

In 1971, Charles Manson and three women followers were convicted in Los Angeles of murder and conspiracy in the 1969 slayings of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate.

Ten years ago: The Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that the 2000 census could not use statistical sampling to enhance its accuracy. In Louisville, Ky., a man who'd lost his left hand received the first hand transplant in the United States. A powerful earthquake rocked Colombia, killing more than 1,000 people.

Five years ago: NASA's Opportunity rover zipped its first pictures of Mars to Earth, showing a surface smooth and dark red in some places, and strewn with fragmented slabs of light bedrock in others. Outgoing U.S. weapons inspector David Kay told National Public Radio his inability to find illicit arms in Iraq raised serious questions about U.S. intelligence- gathering. Mikhail Saakashvili was inaugurated as Georgia's president. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" snared best dramatic film at the Golden Globes; HBO's six-hour adaptation of "Angels in America" won best miniseries or TV movie.

One year ago: President Bush urged Congress to quickly pass an economic stimulus package void of extraneous spending, saying only quick action would kickstart the sputtering economy. Democrat Dennis Kucinich abandoned his presidential bid to focus on a tough race for re-election to Congress.

Today's Birthdays: Journalist-author Edwin Newman is 90. Actor Gregg Palmer is 82. The former president of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze, is 81. Actor Dean Jones is 78. Country singer Claude Gray is 77. The former president of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino, is 76. Blues singer Etta James is 71. Movie director Tobe Hooper is 66. Actress Leigh Taylor-Young is 64. Actress Jenifer Lewis is 52. Actress Dinah Manoff is 51. Country musician Mike Burch (River Road) is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kina is 40. Actress China Kantner is 38. Actress Ana Ortiz is 38. Musician Matt Odmark (Jars of Clay) is 35. Actress Mia Kirshner is 34. Actress Christine Lakin is 30. Rhythm-and-blues singer Alicia Keys is 28.