On this day
Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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New Jersey, ten years after passing mandatory recycling law, has reached its goal of recycling 60 percent of all solid waste and plans to improve its recycling rate by 5 percent before year 2000 (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)
Peru's Agriculture Min Rodolfo Munante Sanguinetti says moments after explosion signaled beginning of military raid to rescue 72 hostages in Japanese Ambassador's residence, young guerrilla appeared ready to carry out plan to kill hostages if government troops attacked; Munante says guerrilla changed his mind; says soon after, he and 13 other Tupac Amaru guerrillas were dead; raid that freed 71 hostages was triumph of military planning and preparation; several hostages say that its success also stemmed from weakening of rebels' determination and unity over four months of siege; photos (M)
Energy Dept says refrigerators sold in 2001 will have to use 30 percent less electricity than those now on market; rule is meant to cut electric bills by over $1 billion a year by 2010 and reduce air pollution from power plants; it will add about $80 to cost of standard refrigerator-freezer but will lower its annual operating cost by about $20; with over 8.5 million refrigerators sold annually, power saved will eventually be equivalent to production of eight large power plants; change, which updates rule that took effect in 1993, has been delayed for years by opposition from manufacturers and one-year moratorium ordered by Congress (M)
Doctors say woman 63 years and 9 months old recently gave birth to healthy baby girl in feat that has raised questions about uses of medical science; say she is oldest woman ever to give birth; say woman was well past menopause, but she became pregnant by using donated egg from younger woman; doctors refuse to identify woman, but say she lives in Los Angeles area and that her baby was delivered by Caesarean section late last year; say she lied about her age because fertility center that assisted her bars women over 55; woman's successful pregnancy and births to other women over age 60 raise questions about whether there should be age limit for pregnancy and, if so, who should decide that woman is too old to bear child (M)
Three Republican legislators urge New Jersey State Legislature to restore $700,000 from $22.2 million bus and van program serving elderly and disabled, cutting service throughout state (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)
Music on My Birthday
The Top 50 albums for the chart week of April 23, 1997, covering April 24, 1997.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Spice Girls
Soundtrack
Celine Dion
The Wallflowers
1997Lydia Ko, New Zealand golfer[†]
Dame Lydia Ko is a New Zealand professional golfer, member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, and the reigning Olympic champion. She first reached number one in the Women's World Golf Rankings on 2 February 2015 at 17 years, 9 months and 9 days of age, making her the youngest player of either gender to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf.
1997Veronika Kudermetova, Russian tennis player[†]
Veronika Eduardovna Kudermetova is a Russian professional tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 9, achieved on 24 October 2022, and a best WTA doubles ranking of No. 2, reached on 6 June 2022. In doubles, she has won eight WTA Tour titles including three WTA 1000, and the 2022 WTA Finals with Elise Mertens. In addition, she reached the doubles final of Wimbledon in 2021, with Elena Vesnina. She has also won two WTA singles titles.
1997Allan Francovich, American director and producer (born 1941)[†]
Allan James Francovich was an American film maker. He is best known for creating a number of films critical of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), linking them to terrorist attacks during the Cold War in Africa, South America and Europe. The most notable of these are the Gladio (1992) series about Operation Gladio which featured on BBC's Timewatch and The Maltese Double Cross – Lockerbie (1994) about Pan Am Flight 103.
1997Pat Paulsen, American comedian and activist (born 1927)[†]
Patrick Layton Paulsen was an American comedian and satirist notable for his roles on several of the Smothers Brothers television shows, and for his satirical campaigns for President of the United States between 1968 and 1996.
1997Eugene Stoner, American engineer, designed the AR-15 rifle (born 1922)[†]
Eugene Morrison Stoner was an American machinist and firearms designer who is most associated with the development of the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle that was redesigned and modified by Colt's Patent Firearm Company for the United States military as the M16 rifle.
In 1997, the world population was approximately 5,924,787,816 people[†]