Tag: This Day in History
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This Day in History | 1980 Michael Foot is new Labour leader
The Labour Party has chosen the outspoken left-wing MP Michael Foot as its new leader. In the second round of voting by party MPs Mr Foot ... -
This Day in History | 1960 Narrow victory for John F Kennedy
Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy has emerged as the new president of the United States beating Vice-President Richard Nixon by a slim margin. Senator Kennedy, aged 43, ... -
This Day in History | 1996 ‘Comeback Kid’ wins second term
Bill Clinton is basking in a resounding victory over Republican Bob Dole and the prospect of four more years in the White House. He is the ... -
This Day in History | 1991 Publisher Robert Maxwell dies at sea
The body of the millionaire newspaper publisher, Robert Maxwell, has been found in the sea off the coast of Tenerife. Mr Maxwell’s body was discovered at ... -
This Day in History | 1980 Reagan beats Carter in landslide
The former Hollywood actor and Republican governor of California Ronald Reagan is to be the next president of the United States. He has defeated Democrat Jimmy ... -
This Day in History | 1995 Ex-minister charged with apartheid murders
Former South African defence minister General Magnus Malan has been charged with murder. General Malan was arrested today with 10 other former senior military officers. They ... -
This Day in History | 1957 Lords to admit first women peers
The Government has unveiled plans to reform the House of Lords which include admitting women for the first time. Under the scheme, male and female life ... -
This Day in History | 1975 Franco’s 36-year reign ends
General Franco’s dictatorship has effectively ended with the announcement heir designate Prince Juan Carlos will take over as provisional head of state for Spain. The move ... -
This Day in History | 1979 Chairman Hua arrives in London
The first Chinese leader to visit Britain, Chairman Hua Kuo-Feng, has arrived in London at the start of a six-day visit. He was welcomed at Heathrow ... -
This Day in History | 1968 Police clash with anti-war protesters
Trouble has flared in Grosvenor Square, London, after an estimated 6,000 marchers faced up to police outside the United States Embassy. The protesters had broken away ... -
This Day in History | 1951 Churchill denies ‘warmonger’ claims
The Conservative leader, Winston Churchill, has wound up his election campaign with a hard-hitting speech in which he vigorously denied accusations of warmongering. The former prime ... -
This Day in History | 1966 Double-agent breaks out of jail
One of Britain’s most notorious double-agents, George Blake, has escaped from prison in London after a daring break-out believed to have been masterminded by the Soviet ... -
This Day in History | 2001 Anthrax claims third victim in US
A third person has been diagnosed in the US with the most serious form of anthrax. The unnamed Washington postal worker is being treated for inhalation ... -
This Day in History | 1988 New law could erode right to silence
The British Government has announced plans to change the law regarding a suspect’s right to remain silent so that remaining silent could incriminate rather than protect ... -
This day in history | 1977 Kidnapped German found dead
The body of kidnapped businessman Hanns-Martin Schleyer has been found in the boot of a car in the French town of Mulhouse. It is reported the ... -
This day in history | 1967 Soviets glimpse beneath clouds of Venus
The Soviet Union has successfully sent a space probe into the atmosphere of the planet Venus for the first time. After its four-month journey from Earth, ... -
This Day in History | 1996 Handguns to be banned in the UK
The British Government has announced plans to outlaw almost all handguns following the shocking massacre at Dunblane in Scotland. On 13 March Thomas Hamilton walked into ... -
This day in history | 1988 Government loses Spycatcher battle
The British Government has lost its long-running battle to stop the publication of the controversial book Spycatcher, written by a former secret service agent. Law Lords ... -
This Day in History |1986 Reykjavik summit ends in failure
US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev have failed to reach agreement at a disarmament summit in Reykjavik. The two men came close to ... -
This Day in History | 1967 Che Guevara ‘shot dead’
Marxist revolutionary Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara has reportedly been killed during a battle between army troops and guerillas in the Bolivian jungle. A statement issued by the ... -
This day in history | 2003 The Terminator takes on California
The film star Arnold Schwarzenegger has been elected governor of California, ousting the incumbent, Gray Davis, three years before his term was due to end. It ... -
This day in history | 1977 Invasion of Swedish identical twins
Ninety sets of Swedish identical twins have travelled to Felixstowe for a brief shopping trip. The twins are taking part in studies by researchers from the ... -
This Day in History | 2000 Milosevic quits, street celebrations continue
Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has resigned, following mounting pressure to quit over allegations of vote-rigging. The Yugoslav Constitutional Court, which only ... -
This Day in History | 1962 Mississippi race riots over first black student
Two people have been killed and at least 75 injured in rioting at the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford. Hundreds of extra troops have been ... -
This Day in History | 1955 James Dean killed in car smash
The Hollywood film star James Dean has been killed in a road accident in California, USA. The 24-year-old actor was behind the wheel of his German-made ... -
This Day in History | 1960 Khrushchev anger erupts at UN
The Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev has disrupted a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly with several angry outbursts. Twice he pounded his desk and twice ... -
This Day in History | 1964 Kennedy murder was ‘no conspiracy’
There was no conspiracy surrounding the death of President Kennedy but there were serious failures by those responsible for his protection, according to a government report. ... -
This day in history | 1950 Seoul in UN hands
United Nations forces have taken control of the South Korean capital Seoul, three months after it fell to North Korea, the US Army has announced. The ... -
This Day in History | 1980 Iraq bombs Iran as hostilities increase
Iraqi planes have bombed and set on fire Iran’s Kharg Island crude oil export terminal. Iranian officials have confirmed oil exports from the terminal, off the ... -
This Day in History | 1952 Charlie Chaplin comes home
World famous film actor and director Charlie Chaplin has returned to England for the first time in 21 years. He arrived with his wife Oona – ... -
This Day in History | 2001 Simpson smuggled into Afghanistan
The BBC’s world affairs editor has become the only television reporter to broadcast from Taleban-held Afghanistan as the country prepares for an American attack. John Simpson ... -
This Day in History | 1998 Clinton’s Grand Jury testimony released
Bill Clinton’s testimony about his relationship with a young female assistant has been released to the United States public. The video of the American president’s 17 ... -
This Day in History | 1970 Rock legend Hendrix dies after party
Guitarist Jimi Hendrix has died after collapsing at a party in London. Police say there was no question of foul play. A number of sleeping pills ... -
This Day in History | 1993 Shock as racist wins council seat
The British National Party has won its first council seat in a by-election in East London, provoking fear in the local Asian community. Unemployed lorry driver ... -
This Day in History | 1958: Historic Sheerness docks to close
The government has announced the closure of one of the oldest naval dockyards in the UK. All 2,500 jobs at Sheerness Docks on the Isle of ...
