Saturday, June 21, 1997
Today's events
The Protestant Orange Order kicks off Northern Ireland's sectarian marching season with its "Tour of the North" parade in Belfast.
Philippine President Fidel Ramos visits Oman.
A dragon boat competition is held in Beijing.
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On the horizon
On Sunday, June 22, the Nome River Raft Race takes place on a 1-2 mile stretch of Alaska's Nome River; the winner earns a one-year stewardship of the race's fur-lined Honey Bucket.
On Monday, June 23, EU economic and finance ministers meet in
Luxembourg.
On Tuesday, June 24, the three-day World Food Conference opens in Jakarta, Indonesia.
On Wednesday, June 25, ballgowns and evening dresses belonging to Britain's Princess Diana are to be auctioned in New York for the benefit of selected cancer and AIDS charities; the 80 gowns are expected to raise more than $6 million.
On Thursday, June 26, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visits Vietnam.
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On this day
In 1788, New Hampshire was admitted to the Union as the ninth
state of the United States.
In 1791, in the early hours of the morning, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette attempted an escape from Paris but got only as far as Varennes, where they were discovered and arrested.
In 1813, Napoleon's brother Joseph, King of Spain, fled Madrid and was defeated by Wellington at the battle of Vitoria. This virtually ended the French presence in Spain.
In 1868, Richard Wagner's immense opera, "Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg," was first performed in Munich.
In 1887, Queen Victoria celebrated her golden jubilee marking her 50 years on the British throne.
In 1919, the captured German fleet, based at Scapa Flow in
Scotland scuttled itself to the surprise of the British who were guarding it. Over 70 vessels were sunk on the orders of Admiral von Reuter.
In 1942, Tobruk fell to the German army under Rommel with 25,000 prisoners taken.
In 1948, Columbia Records introduced the first successful long-playing records made of Vinylite plastic.
In 1960, Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United
States agreed to provide for the creation of a Caribbean organizaton for economic cooperation.
In 1963, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini was elected pope
after the death of Pope John XXIII. He became Pope Paul VI.
In 1981, French socialists under Francois Mitterrand
gained a landslide victory in the second ballot of the general election.
In 1982, John Hinckley was found not guilty of the attempted
murder of U.S. President Reagan in 1981 by reason of insanity.
In 1990, Hungary officially re-launched its stock exchange 42 years after its closure by the Communist Party. The Budapest stock exchange was the first Western-style securities exchange in any Warsaw Pact country.
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Newslink
n 1887, Britain's Queen Victoria celebrated 50 years on the throne. Today, very few people even cast an eye back to her memorable reign. But scattered throughout Britain's once-great empire are various lasting tributes to Victoria. The in Tasmania, Australia, is one such momento.
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Holidays and more
Sweden celebrates Midsummer Day.
Togo celebrates Martyrs Day.
Actress Meredith Baxter is 50.
Pakistani political figure Benazir Bhutto is 44.
Basketball player Derrick Coleman is 30.
Actress Sammi Davis-Voss is 33.
Writer Joe Flaherty is 57.
Actor Michael Gross is 50.
Actress Mariette Hartley is 56.
Actor Bernie Kopell is 64.
Musician Nils Lofgren is 46.
Actor Monte Markham is 59.
Actress Jane Russell is 76.
Actress Maureen Stapleton is 72.
Britain's Prince William is 15.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1997, J.P. Morgan
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