Today’s Highlights

On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges.

On this date

1844: A 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded as the ship was sailing on the Potomac River, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur.

1953: Francis H.C. Crick announced that he and fellow scientist James D. Watson had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.

1975: 43 people were killed in London’s Underground when a train failed to stop at Moorgate station, smashing into the end of a tunnel.

1983: The final episode of the television series “M*A*S*H” aired; nearly 106 million viewers saw the finale.

1986: Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated while walking on a Stockholm street with his wife.

2013: Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign, ending an eight-year pontificate.

2014: Delivering a blunt warning to Moscow, President Barack Obama expressed deep concern over reported military activity inside Ukraine by Russia.

Today’s birthdays

Architect Frank Gehry is 96. Rock singer Sam the Sham is 88. Actor-director-choreographer Tommy Tune is 86. Hall of Fame auto racer Mario Andretti is 85.