1977 Egypt severs ties with Arab hardliners

President Anwar al-Sadat of Egypt has broken all relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria and South Yemen. He has ordered their diplomats to leave Egypt within 24

1961 Birth control pill ‘available to all’

Women who wish to have oral contraception will now be able to get it on the National Health Service. The Health Minister, Enoch Powell, made an

1989 Malta summit ends Cold War

The leaders of the two world superpowers, the USA and the USSR, have declared an end to the Cold War after two days of storm-lashed talks at

1954 US Senate condemns McCarthy

The United States Senate has censured Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy for conduct unbecoming to a senator. The vote was 67 to 22, with all the Democrats

1955 Black woman challenges race law

A black woman has been arrested by police in Montgomery, Alabama, after refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white person. Mrs

1994 Norway votes ‘no’ to Europe

Norway has voted to reject membership of the European Union in a referendum, for the second time in its history. With 92% of the referendum votes

1975 TV presenter Ross McWhirter shot dead

Guinness Book of Records co-founder and editor Ross McWhirter has been shot dead outside his North London home. Mr McWhirter was hit at close range in

1983: £25m gold heist at Heathrow

An armed gang has carried out Britain’s largest ever robbery at London’s Heathrow Airport. Over £25m worth of gold bullion bound for the Far East was

1973 Army deposes ‘hated’ Greek president

The Greek Government has been toppled by the country’s armed forces after weeks of unrest. There appears to have been little or no resistance when tanks

1963 Kennedy ‘assassin’ murdered

The man accused of assassinating the US President, John F Kennedy, has himself been shot dead in a Dallas police station. Lee Harvey Oswald, a 24-year-old

1979 Mob destroys US embassy in Pakistan

A mob in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, has burned the US Embassy to the ground, killing a US marine. The five-hour siege began as an organised

1951 British families leave Egypt’s Canal Zone

More than 1,000 families of British servicemen have begun moving out of the Suez Canal Zone town of Ismailia. The move was ordered yesterday following the

1977 Egyptian leader’s Israel trip makes history

The president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, has begun his trip to Israel - the first Arab leader ever to visit the Jewish state. President Sadat’s plane

1978 Mass suicide leaves 900 dead

The bodies of 914 people, including 276 children, have been found in Guyana in South America. Most of the dead - members of the People’s Temple Christian

1976 Bank robbers jailed for 100 years

Seven men who took part in an £8m bank robbery have received jail terms totalling nearly 100 years. The raid at the Bank of America in

2000 Fuel protesters rally for tax cut

Convoys of lorries and tractors have converged on the capitals of England and Scotland to mark the 60-day deadline for government action to cut fuel tax.

1979 Times returns after year-long dispute

The Times newspaper has been published for the first time in nearly a year. The paper’s disappearance from news stands followed a dispute between management and unions

1980 Saturn’s rings caught on film

The Voyager 1 space probe has reached the ringed planet, Saturn and sent back the first vivid photographs of the planet. Scientists have been delighted and

1987 Van Gogh fetches record price

A painting by Vincent Van Gogh has been sold for $49m (£27m) - a world record for a work of art. The final price was more

1995 Nigeria hangs human rights activists

The writer and human rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, has been executed in Nigeria despite worldwide pleas for clemency. The country’s military rulers ordered the execution of

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