In 1997 Princess Diana was accused of being a “loose cannon” by conservative Junior Defence Minister, Earl Howe, after she called for an international ban on landmines. The Princess was visiting victims of landmines in Angola, many of whom are civilians triggering abandoned landmines from previous wars. Mr Howe also said she was “ill-informed on the issue” while a Labour counterpart, Shadow Defence spokesman, David Clark, said “we should be applauding what she’s doing”. A little under two years after Diana’s death a new convention came into force banning the use of landmines but many countries refused to sign up including the United States, China and Russia.
In 1957 President Nixon orders American bombing of Vietnam to stop following peace talks in Paris. Dr Henry Kissinger, President Nixon’s assistant for National Security, met with Vietnamese representative for peace talks prompting the decision. Further peace talks on the 23rd of January led to a full ceasefire as of midnight on the 27th January 1957.
In 1929 Martin Luther King Junior was born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Martin Luther King was a civil rights leader who led demonstrations against inequality of black African-Americans. His demonstrations earned him many stays in prison and fines. But his efforts paid off gaining many more freedoms to African Americans and earning him the Nobel Peace Prize before his assassination in 1968.
In 1919 a giant tank of boiling hot molasses burst spewing onto the streets of Boston, USA, killing 21 people.
In 1759 The British Museum opened its doors for the first time in London, England. With approximately 8 million permanent works/artefacts from around the globe the British Museum is one of the largest collections in the world and is still free to the public.
In 1559 Queen Elizabeth I was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 15 January 1559 by Dr Oglethorpe, Bishop of Carlisle. Elizabeth I became Queen of England and Ireland on the 17th of November 1558 after the death of her half-sister Mary, but she was not crowned until this date.
In 1535 King Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church of England.
