Today in History

Today is Saturday, March 26, the 86th day of 2016. There are 280 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On March 26, 1979, a peace treaty was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and witnessed by President Jimmy Carter at the White House.

On this date:

In 1812, an earthquake devastated Caracas, Venezuela, causing an estimated 26,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

In 1827, composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna.

In 1874, poet Robert Frost was born in San Francisco.

In 1892, poet Walt Whitman died in Camden, New Jersey.

In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup as they defeated the Montreal Canadiens.

In 1945, during World War II, Iwo Jima was fully secured by U.S. forces following a final, desperate attack by Japanese soldiers. Former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, 82, died in Ty Newydd, Llanystumdwy, Wales.

In 1958, the U.S. Army launched America's third successful satellite, Explorer 3.

In 1964, the musical play "Funny Girl," starring Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice, opened on Broadway.

In 1971, East Pakistan proclaimed its independence, taking the name Bangladesh.

In 1982, groundbreaking ceremonies took place in Washington, D.C., for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

In 1996, former U.S. senator and secretary of state Edmund Muskie died in Washington, D.C., two days shy of his 82nd birthday.

In 1997, the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate techno-religious cult who'd committed suicide were found inside a rented mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Ten years ago: An Afghan court dismissed the case against a man facing possible execution for converting from Islam to Christianity. (Abdul Rahman was released and granted asylum by Italy.) Paul Dana, 30, died when he slammed into a stopped car during a warmup session of the Toyota Indy 300 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Five years ago: More than 250,000 people took to London's streets to protest the toughest spending cuts since World War II; riot police clashed with small breakaway groups and arrested more than 200 people. Former Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, the first female major party nominee for the office, died in Boston at 75. Harry Wesley Coover Jr., 94, known as the inventor of the popular adhesive Super Glue, died in Kingsport, Tennessee.

One year ago: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed a measure prohibiting state and local laws that "substantially burden" the ability of people to follow their religious beliefs; opponents charged the new law could legalize discrimination against gay people. In New York City, a gas explosion and fire destroyed three buildings in Manhattan's East Village, killing a restaurant worker and a diner (five people are accused of rigging an illegal gas delivery system blamed for the blast).

Today's Birthdays: Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is 86. Actor Alan Arkin is 82. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is 81. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is 76. Actor James Caan is 76. Author Erica Jong is 74. Journalist Bob Woodward is 73. Singer Diana Ross is 72. Actor Johnny Crawford is 70. Rock singer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) is 68. Singer and TV personality Vicki Lawrence is 67. Actor Ernest Thomas is 67. Comedian Martin Short is 66. Country singer Ronnie McDowell is 66. Movie composer Alan Silvestri is 66. Rock musician Monte Yoho is 64. Radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa is 62. Country singer Dean Dillon is 61. Country singer Charly McClain is 60. TV personality Leeza Gibbons is 59. Actress Ellia English is 57. Actress Jennifer Grey is 56. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen is 56. Actor Billy Warlock is 55. Actor Eric Allan Kramer is 54. Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton is 54. Actor Michael Imperioli is 50. Rock musician James Iha (EE'-hah) is 48. Country singer Kenny Chesney is 48. Actress Leslie Mann is 44. Actor T.R. Knight is 43. Rapper Juvenile is 41. Actress Amy Smart is 40. Actress Bianca Kajlich (KY'-lihk) is 39. Actress Keira Knightley is 31. Rapper J-Kwon is 30. Actress Carly Chaikin is 26.

Thought for Today: "Life's like a play; it's not the length but the excellence of the acting that matters." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman statesman and philosopher (3 B.C.-A.D. 65).