TODAY IN HISTORY: Canada bans smoking on planes

In 1170, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered on the altar of Canterbury Cathedral by knights of King Henry II.

In 1813, the British burned Buffalo, N.Y., during the War of 1812.

In 1837, the American ship "Caroline," which had been supplying William Lyon Mackenzie's rebels, was set on fire by the British and sent over Niagara Falls. At least one American was killed and a difficult diplomatic impasse between Britain and the United States followed.

In 1877, employees of Canada's Grand Trunk Railroad went on strike, in support of members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers who had been fired. The strike was broken by the use of militia and non-union workers.

In 1890, the last battle in the American-Indian wars took place at Wounded Knee Creek, S.D. About 350 half-starved Sioux gathered on the Pine Ridge Reservation for a Ghost Dance, a religious ceremony in which the Indians believed their dead would rise again and lead them to good hunting grounds. When the Sioux refused to hand over their weapons to the 7th Cavalry, the troops opened fire. About 150 Indians, half of them women and children, and 25 soldiers, died in the battle.

In 1919, Sir William Osler, who's been called the most influential physician in history, died in Oxford, England at age 70. Known as "the father of clinical medicine," the Ontario native was a pioneer in emphasizing a patient's state of mind in achieving a cure. His 1892 medical text, "The Principles and Practice of Medicine," was considered authoritative for over three decades.

In 1921, William Lyon Mackenzie King succeeded Arthur Meighen as prime minister of Canada. King led the Liberal party for 25 years and was prime minister for more than 21 years. He resigned from office in 1948 at age 74. He died on July 22, 1950.

In 1940, German aircraft dropped thousands of incendiary bombs on central London during the Second World War, causing the worst fire damage in the British capital since the Great Fire of 1666. St. Paul's Cathedral survived, but eight other ancient churches were badly damaged.

In 1944, Canadian pilot Dick Audet shot down five enemy planes in 10 seconds during the Second World War.

In 1952, a six-kilogram kidney stone was removed from an 80-year old woman by a doctor in London, England. At the time, it was the largest recorded in medical history.

In 1967, Parliament abolished the death penalty, except for the killing of prison guards or police officers, for a five-year trial period. The legislation was renewed in 1973, before hanging was totally abolished in 1976. Canada's last executions were in 1962.

In 1969, European industries and services were paralyzed by a major influenza epidemic.

In 1975, 11 people were killed and 74 injured when a bomb exploded in a baggage claim area at the La Guardia airport in New York.

In 1989, Canada became the first country to ban smoking on domestic flights.

In 2008, Israel called an "all-out war" against Hamas as its air attacks killed more than 300 people in Gaza in three days, the bloodiest fighting between Israelis and Palestinians since the 1967 war.