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Newcastle Herald

Tuesday September 23, 2008

GR

Today's fact

Some 18th-century wigs contained birdcages.

Today's word

Weanling: A newly weaned animal.

It happened today

From our files 1964: Plans for combined expenditure of #9,200,000 by Conzinc Riotinto of Australia and the State Government for the establishment of the first major industry on the Hunter River estuary islands reclamation scheme were announced yesterday by the Premier, Mr Renshaw.

Today in history

1817: Spain signs treaty with Britain to end slave trade.

1846: The planet Neptune is discovered by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle.

1893: Australia's first completely electric tramway begins its service in Hobart.

1965: Roma Mitchell is appointed to the South Australian Supreme Court: the first female judge in Australia.

1990: Saddam Hussein says he will destroy Israel and launch an all-out war before allowing the UN embargo to "strangle" Iraq.

1997: At Northern Ireland peace talks, Unionists have their first face-to-face meeting with Sinn Fein in 75 years.

Born today

Augustus Caesar, first Roman emperor (63BC-14AD); Raymond Chandler, US writer (1888-1959); Mickey Rooney, US actor-entertainer (1920-); Ray Charles, US singer-composer (1930-2004); Julio Iglesias, Spanish singer (1943-); Bruce Springsteen, US rock singer (1949-); Jason Alexander, US actor (1959-); Lote Tuqiri, pictured, Australian rugby player (1979-).

Odd Spot

The 86 wives of 84-year-old Muhammadu Bello Masaba, the most married man in Nigeria, stormed the state justice ministry accompanied by 20 of their 170 children and called for the immediate release of their husband, describing his detention for unlawful marriages and contempt of Islamic religious laws as illegal.

Today's text

Jesus said, "whoever believes in the Son is not judged but whoever does not believe has already been judged". John 3:18

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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