This Day in History: Earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck the western Indian killing 18,000 people

The following are some of the major events to have occurred on January 26:

1905 – The world’s largest diamond, the Cullinan weighing 3,106 carats, was discovered near Pretoria.

1926 – John Logie Baird demonstrates first working TV system.

1939 – In the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalist forces of General Francisco Franco captured Barcelona.

1994 – Gunman fires start pistol rounds at Britain’s Prince Charles during an event in Sydney, Australia.

1997 – Twins born record 92 days apart at Rockford Memorial Hospital in U.S.

1998 – U.S. President Bill Clinton denies “sexual relations” with intern.

2001 – An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck the western Indian state of Gujarat, killing 18,000 people.

2003 – U.S. tennis star Martina Navratilova became the oldest player to win a Grand Slam when, at 46, she took the Australian Open mixed doubles title with partner Leander Paes.

2006 – The Islamist group Hamas won 74 seats in the 132-member Palestinian parliament, defeating President Mahmoud Abbas’s long-dominant Fatah which had 45 seats.

2009 – Iceland’s ruling coalition collapsed under pressure from sometimes violent demonstrations, the first government to fall as a direct result of the global economic crisis.

2015 – Greek F-16 crashes in Spain.

(Reuters)