Today in History

ing 114 millimetres in diameter — almost three times the size of a golf ball — fell at Cedoux, Sask.

In 1973, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that native women marrying nonIndians would lose Indian status. Once removed from the government roll of registered Indians, the women would not be able to occupy land on Indian reserves, share in band funds or be eligible for special federal benefits such as housing and welfare. A bill reversing this loss of status was given royal assent in June 1985.

In 1975, Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia’s 3,000-year-old monarchy, died in Addis Ababa at 83. He was overthrown in a military coup the previous year.

In 1979, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, former chief of Britain’s defence staff and an architect of India and Pakistan’s independence in 1947, was assassinated when his boat was blown up on Donegal Bay. He was 79. He was also an uncle of Prince Philip. Thomas Mcmahon, a member of the Irish Republican Army fighting to end British rule in Northern Ireland, was sentenced to life for the crime.

In 1980, the Ottawa Journal and Winnipeg Tribune were shut down with a loss of 745 jobs, as Canada’s two largest newspaper groups, Southam Inc. and Thomson Newspapers Ltd., took measures to cut financial losses. The simultaneous closings prompted the federal government to launch a royal commission on newspaper ownership, which was completed the following year.

In 1989, the first U.S. commercial satellite rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. — a Delta booster carrying a British communications satellite, the “Marcopolo 1.”

In 1991, the southern Soviet republic of Moldavia declared independence from the Soviet Union.

In 1992, the Supreme Court of Canada quashed Ernst Zundel’s conviction for spreading false news about the deaths of six million Jews in the Holocaust. In a 4-3 decision, the court declared the law unconstitutional because it violated the guarantee of freedom of expression contained in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In 2000, a spectacular fire broke out in Moscow’s Ostankino Tower, the world’s second-tallest free-standing structure, paralyzing Moscow television and radio stations. President Vladimir Putin said the Ostankino blaze was a symbol of Russia’s disintegrating infrastructure.

In 2000, Abdiqassim Salad Hassan was sworn in as the first president of Somalia since 1991, but the ceremony was held in neighbouring Djibouti because of continued instability in his own country.

In 2001, Eastern Canadian premiers and New England governors adopted a historic resolution aimed at reducing greenhouse gases in the region to 1990 levels within 10 years. The self-monitoring agreement called on state and provincial governments to document emission levels in their regions, use more environmentally friendly fuel sources and reduce energy consumption.

In 2002, struggling Nortel Networks said it would slash 7,000 more jobs.

In 2003, Perdita Felicien won gold at the women’s 100-metre hurdles at the world athletic championships near Paris, setting a national record of 12.53 seconds and becoming the first Canadian woman to take home a medal from the championships since the event was first held in Helsinki in 1983.

In 2006, a Canadian-built commuter plane crashed on take off at Lexington, Ky., airport, killing 49 people, including two Canadians. The co-pilot was the sole survivor.

In 2006, Toronto-bred Kiefer Sutherland and his action series “24” walked off with top honours at the Emmy Awards. Sutherland was named best actor in a drama and “24” won as best drama series.

In 2008, history was made in Denver as Illinois senator Barack Obama officially became the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. president. The 47-year-old Obama became the first black nominee of a major party in American history.

In 2009, Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick played in his first NFL game in 32 months following his 23-month sentence for his role in running a dogfighting ring.

In 2009, Gary Doer announced he would step down as Manitoba’s 20th premier. The next day he was appointed Canada’s next ambassador to the United States.

In 2009, Jaycee Lee Dugard, kidnapped when she was 11, was reunited with her mother — 18 years after her abduction in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.

In 2011, hurricane Irene moved into the eastern U.S. from the Caribbean — causing major flooding as it raked the Carolinas to Maine. Irene caused 47 deaths in 13 states, destroying homes, washing out roads, pounding beachfront communities and flooding towns in Vermont and upstate New York. At one point, 9.6 million homes and businesses were without electricity. Damage was estimated at $10-$15 billion.

In 2018, Canadian actor-comedian Shaun Majumder announced on social media that after 15 years with the CBC-TV comedy series “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” he would not be returning for the new season in the fall. The Burlington, N.L., native said the decision wasn’t his and was due to creative differences.

In 2018, A U.S. judge in Seattle blocked the Trump administration from allowing a Texas company to post online plans for making untraceable 3D guns, agreeing with 19 states and the District of Columbia that such access to the plastic guns would pose a security risk.

(The Canadian Press)