August 12, 2013

690 years ago
1323

Diplomacy
The Treaty of Nöteborg between Sweden and Novgorod (Russia) was signed, regulating the border between the two countries for the first time.

220 years ago
1793

Politics and government
The Rhône and Loire départments in France were created when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two.

130 years ago
1883

Abominations
The last quagga--a subspecies of zebra--died at the Artis Magistra zoo in Amsterdam after being hunted to extinction.

70 years ago
1943

War
U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived at Hyde Park, New York for strategy conferences with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. German troops fled Sicily across the Messina Strait to the Italian mainland. The Soviet Red Army moved to within 5 miles of Kharkov and captured the German stronghold at Chuguyev.

Politics and government
U.S. President Roosevelt promised that the Republic of the Philippines would be established the moment the Japanese forces were destroyed.

The Argentine Interior Ministry instructed provincial governors and army and navy officials to stamp out Communism.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor executive council rejected the Congress of Industrial Organizations' proposal for joint political action in the coming elections, affirming its policy of "nonpartisanship."

60 years ago
1953

On the radio
I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews
Tonight’s episode: Very Private Funeral

Defense
The U.S.S.R.'s atomic bomb project continued with the secret detonation of Joe 4, the first Soviet hydrogen bomb.

Disasters
The islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia in Greece were severely damaged by an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale.

50 years ago
1963

Married on this date
Broadway singers Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence were married.

Football
CFL
Calgary (2-0) 24 @ Winnipeg (0-2) 8
Edmonton (0-2) 12 @ British Columbia (2-0) 31

Lovell Coleman rushed a record 36 times for 153 yards and a touchdown to lead the Stampeders to their second straight win over the defending Grey Cup champion Blue Bombers before 19,000 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.

Willie Fleming scored 2 touchdowns as the Lions built a 28-0 halftime lead and coasted to victory over the Eskimos before 27,639 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Quarterback Don Getty and halfback Sammie Harris scored touchdowns for the Eskimos in the 4th quarter. For Mr. Harris, it was his only CFL touchdown.

40 years ago
1973

Died on this date
Walter Rudolf Hess, 92. Swiss physiologist. Dr. Hess shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949 with Egas Moiz for mapping the areas of the brain involved in the control of internal organs.

Karl Ziegler, 74. German chemist. Dr. Ziegler shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963 with Giulio Natta for "excellent work on organometallic compounds [which]...led to new polymerization reactions and ... paved the way for new and highly useful industrial processes."

Disasters
At least 31 people were killed when an oil-laden freight train overturned and crashed into a row of houses 100 miles from Seoul, South Korea.

Golf
Jack Nicklaus won the PGA Championship in Cleveland. First prize money was $45,000.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Codo--DÖF (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
The New York Times published a letter ostensibly written by 16-year-old Andrei Berezhkov, son of a Soviet diplomat stationed in Washington, in which he stated "I hate my country" and that he wanted to stay in the United States. It was known that he had left his home on August 10 and had driven around Washington. The Soviet embassy claimed the letter was a forgery, while the U.S. State Department said it would not let young Mr. Berezhkov leave the country without being interviewed.

Environment
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration used helicopters to spray marijuana plants in White County, Georgia with the herbicide Paraquat, which had caused more than 1,000 deaths since the 1960s.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that prices paid by producers for finished goods had risen 0.1% in July.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (4-1) 43 @ Edmonton (3-2) 13

The Lions took advantage of turnovers as they handed the defending Grey Cup champion Eskimos their worst home defeat since moving into Commonwealth Stadium in 1978. Edmonton quarterback Warren Moon threw 5 interceptions, and backup Matt Dunigan threw another. Four of the interceptions off Mr. Moon came in the 1st half, when the Lions scored 29 points in the 2nd quarter and built a 36-3 halftime lead. B.C. defensive tackle Nick Hebeler suffered a season-ending knee injury. The game marked a successful return to Edmonton for B.C. head coach Don Matthews, who had been an assistant coach with the Eskimos from 1977-1982.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): The Twist--The Fat Boys with Stupid Def Vocals by Chubby Checker

Died on this date
Jean-Michel Basquiat, 27. U.S. artist. Mr. Basquiat, a New York City graffiti painter who went on to acclaim as a Neo-Expressionist/Primitivist painter, died of a heroin overdose.

Politics and government
U Sein Lwin resigned as President of Burma after just 16 days in office.

The day after being approved by the United States Senate, Dick Thornburgh was sworn in as U.S. Attorney General. Outgoing Attorney General Edwin Meese announced that he had signed an order providing for the appointment of independent prosecutors to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by members of Congress. Mr. Meese, who himself had been the target of such investigation by independent prosecutors, said the action would mean tht Congress would be subject to the same kind of investigations that applied to the executive branch of the U.S. government.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the prices charged by producers for finished goods had risen 0.5% in July.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (3-2) 14 @ Hamilton (3-2) 22

The Tiger-Cats made 5 interceptions off Edmonton quarterback Tracy Ham as they beat the defending Grey Cup champion Eskimos at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Despite Mr. Ham's poor performance, Edmonton head coach Joe Faragalli refused to take him out of the game.



20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Life--Haddaway (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
Pope John Paul II continued his North American tour in Denver, where he met U.S. President Bill Clinton face-to-face for the first time, and expressed his opposition to Mr. Clinton's support for abortion. The pope challendged Americans to revive their "high moral vision."

Environment
The Federal Court of Canada rejected demands for a full environmental assessment of the effects of the proposed bridge across the Northumberland Strait, clearing the way for contract talks for the $840-million project to connect New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Labour
U.S. President Bill Clinton cancelled the 12-year-old ban on the rehiring of federal air traffic controllers. They had all been fired by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 after going on strike illegally and refusing to return to work when ordered.

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-6) 38 @ British Columbia (5-2) 55

B.C. quarterback Danny Barrett set a league record for a single game with 601 yards passing as the Lions outscored the Argonauts 24-0 in the 4th quarter before 24,691 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. Mr. Barrett passed for 5 touchdowns and rushed for another himself. Toronto quarterback Tracy Ham rushed for 3 touchdowns.

10 years ago
2003

Terrorism
Police in Thailand arrested Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin, believed to be an architect of the October 2002 bombing of a nightclub in Bali, Indonesia. He was also thought to have been involved with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.A. and other incidents.

Scandal
British Broadcasting Corporation reporter Andrew Gilligan, testifying at the inquiry into the July 18 death of former United Nations weapons inspector David Kelly, admitted that his language "wasn't perfect" in reporting that the British government had "sexed up" its weapons dossier on Iraq.

Environment
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien unveiled a $1.3-billion plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 2002 Kyoto Protocol. The new measures included a $100-million subsidy for ethanol fuel and a $1,000 inducement to homeowners to make houses more energy-efficient.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (3-6) 29 @ Winnipeg (6-3) 34