Nicosia, Cyprus. The following are some of the major events to have occurred on March 30, spanning politics, conflict, culture, religion, sport and notable deaths.
1950
French statesman Leon Blum died. France’s first socialist premier, he presided over the Popular Front coalition government in 1936-37.
1979
An IRA car bomb killed Airey Neave, spokesman on Northern Ireland for Britain’s opposition Conservatives, in the car park of the House of Commons in London.
1979
The people of Iran voted overwhelmingly in a referendum in favour of establishing an Islamic Republic.
1981
President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by would-be assassin John Hinckley as he left a Washington hotel.
1986
U.S. screen actor James Cagney died. His films included “Public Enemy”, “Angels with Dirty Faces” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, for which he won an Oscar.
1995
Pope John Paul II signed his 11th encyclical calling for global non-violent opposition to abortion and euthanasia.
1996
World cross country champion Paul Tergat celebrated a new world half marathon record in Milan.
2001
British rower Jim Shekhdar became the first man to row unassisted across the Pacific Ocean. His boat was swamped just short of land and he had to swim ashore.
2002
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, died aged 101. The widow of King George VI and mother of the reigning British sovereign was born in 1900 when Queen Victoria still reigned.
Which March 30 event stands out most to you?
