Today in History for 13th February 2026

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Historical Events

1867 - Work begins on the covering of the Senne, burying Brussels's primary river and creating the modern central boulevards
1881 - The feminist newspaper La Citoyenne is first published in Paris by activist Hubertine Auclert
1934 - Soviet steamship SS Chelyuskin sinks in the Arctic Ocean after being crushed by ice packs near Kolyuchin Island in the Chukchi Sea
1979 - Formation of Guardian Angels crime fighters in New York City
1990 - 50 killed at Inkatha-UDF battle in Natal, South Africa

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Famous Birthdays

1879 - Sarojini Naidu, Indian freedom fighter and poet, born in Hyperbad, India (d. 1949)
1909 - M. Vasalis [Margaretha Droogleever Fortuyn-Leenmans], Dutch poet (Phoenix), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1998)
1910 - William Shockley, American physicist who helped invent the transistor (1956 Nobel), who was also known for his racist eugenics views, born in London, England (d. 1989)
1912 - Margaretta Scott, British actress (Crescendo, Where's Charley, Counterblast), born in Westminster, London (d. 2005)
1970 - Ruben Brown, American football guard (9 × Pro Bowl; Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears), born in Englewood, New Jersey

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Famous Deaths

1130 - Honorius II [Lamberto], Pope (1124-30), dies
1897 - Joseph O. Shelby, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 66
1958 - Dame Christabel Pankhurst, a leading suffragette (English) "Queen of the mob" (b.1880)
1991 - Ron Pickering, British athletics coach (GB 1964 Summer Olympics) and broadcaster (BBC), dies after a heart bypass operation at 60
2025 - Jim Guy Tucker, American attorney, businessman, and politician (Governor of Arkansas, 1992-96; US Representative form Arkansas, 1977-79), convicted of conspiracy and mail fraud in Whitewater Scandal (1996), dies of complications of colitis at 81

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