Today is Wednesday, Jan. 26, the 26th day of 2011. There are 339 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On Jan. 26, 1861, Louisiana passed an Ordinance of Secession, 113-17, at the state capitol in Baton Rouge, becoming the sixth state to break free from the United States.

On this date

In 1788, the first European settlers in Australia, led by Capt. Arthur Phillip, landed in present-day Sydney.

In 1837, Michigan became the 26th state.

In 1841, Britain formally occupied Hong Kong, which the Chinese had ceded to the British.

In 1870, Virginia rejoined the Union.

In 1942, the first American expeditionary force to go to Europe during World War II went ashore in Northern Ireland.

In 1950, India officially proclaimed itself a republic as Rajendra Prasad took the oath of office as president.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Dr. Janet Travell to be his personal physician; she was the first woman to hold the job.

In 1996, first lady Hillary Clinton testified before a grand jury connected to the Whitewater probe.

Ten years ago

Lacrosse coach Diane Whipple, 33, was attacked and killed by two huge dogs belonging to neighbors outside her apartment in San Francisco. (One of the dogs’ owners, Marjorie Knoller, is serving 15 years to life in prison for second-degree murder; her husband, Robert Noel, served just over two years for involuntary manslaughter.)

Five years ago

Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Denmark to protest caricatures of the prophet Muhammad published in a Danish newspaper. (Protests spread across the Muslim world for weeks, and dozens of people were killed.)

One year ago

Toyota suspended U.S. sales of several popular vehicle models to fix sticking accelerator pedals; the suspension was on top of a recall of 23 million vehicles. Louis Auchincloss, 92, a prolific author of fiction and nonfiction, died in New York.

Today’s Birthdays

Actress Anne Jeffreys is 88. Actress Joan Leslie is 86. Cartoonist Jules Feiffer is 82. Sportscaster-actor Bob Uecker is 76. Actor Scott Glenn is 72. Singer Jean Knight is 68. Activist Angela Davis is 67. Actor David Strathairn is 62. Alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is 58. Rock singer-musician Eddie Van Halen is 56. Actress-comedian-talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is 53. Hockey Hall-of-Famer Wayne Gretzky is 50. Musician Andrew Ridgeley is 48. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jazzie B. (Soul II Soul) is 48. Actor Paul Johansson is 47. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 41. Actress Jennifer Crystal is 38. Rock musician Chris Hesse (Hoobastank) is 37. Actor Gilles Marini is 35. NBA player Vince Carter is 34.

Thought for Today

“My experience of the world is that things left to themselves don’t get right.”

— T.H. Huxley,

English biologist and author (1825-1895)