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1963: First woman in space
On 16 June 1963, aboard Vostok 6, Russian Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman to fly in space. From her capsule, the 26-year-old cosmonaut reported that all was going well to a Soviet television audience. After 48 orbits and 71 hours, she returned to Earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts combined to that date. In November 1963, she captured the public’s heart by marrying another cosmonaut, Andrian Nikolayev. The world’s first space couple performed a number of goodwill visits to other nations in later years. The United States did not send a woman into space until twenty years later.
2000
The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, declares that Israel has fully complied with UN Security Council Resolution 425; the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.1998
Judges in America uphold the decision to convict British au pair Louise Woodward of manslaughter and the passing of a reduced sentence - the number of days already spent in custody awaiting trial for the killing of Matthew Eappen - the young boy left in her care in Massachussets.1992
Andrew Morton publishes a controversial book about Diana Princess of Wales, claiming she attempted suicide on several occasions.1989
Imre Nagy, Prime Minister of Hungary during the 1956 Uprising, is given a formal public funeral, 31 years after he was executed.1982
England international Bryan Robson scores a goal against France in Bilbao after just 27 seconds of the game - the quickest World Cup goal in history until this record was broken in the 2002 World Cup.1982
24,000 miners bring the South Wales coalfield to a standstill after striking in support of health service workers who are demanding a pay rise.1977
Leonid Brezhnev becomes President of the USSR.1976
Thousands of schoolchildren in the South African township of Soweto near Johannesburg begin a revolt against the Government instruction that teachers must teach Afrikaans in black schools. More than 1,000 people – including many children - are killed in the rioting.1972
In Hanover, West German police capture Ulrike Meinhof - co-founder of the Baader-Meinhof terrorist group.1963
Israeli Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, resigns.1961
Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defects to the West after landing at Paris Airport with other members of the Kirov Ballet.1958
Imre Nagy, Prime Minister of Hungary in 1956 when Russian tanks were used to quell a popular uprising, is hanged for treason.1955
Argentinian President Juan Peron survives an attempted coup led by naval officers.1746
War of the Austrian Succession: Austria and Sardinia defeat a Franco-Spanish army at the Battle of Piacenza.1487
The last major battle in the War of the Roses in England takes place between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians at the Battle of Stoke.