December 29, 1980: Nevada allows Muhammad Ali to surrender licence

1980 - The Nevada State Athletic Commission allowed former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali to surrender his Nevada boxing licence, ending the threat of his forced retirement in the state. The action by the five-member commission effectively prevents the three-time champion from ever fighting in the state again. But the Nevada action will have no effect on other states or other countries. “We saved ourselves a lot of time, a lot of court fights,” Ali said following the hearing. “According to my last performance I don’t blame them.” The commission had said Ali should be retired “for his own safety and for the integrity of boxing in Nevada”. It said his ability to perform was in question “as a result of his performance” in the title fight with Larry Holmes.

December 29

1721 - French occupy Mauritius and rename it Ile de France.

1845 - Texas is admitted as 28th US state.

1857 - British and French forces take Canton in China.

1921 - The US, Britain, France, Italy and Japan sign Washington five-power treaty to limit naval construction.

1922 - Dutch Constitution is proclaimed.

1933 - Romanian Premier Ion Duca is slain by Iron Guard and George Tartarescu succeeds him.

1934 - Japan renounces Washington naval treaty limiting naval armaments.

1937 - Ireland adopts a constitution.

1940 - Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London during the Second World War.

1965 - Independence is announced for Bechuanaland, which becomes Botswana.

1973 - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos ends his elected term and begins to rule on the  basis of a takeover decree.

1984 - Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi wins a landslide victory in the general elections.

1994 - A Turkish Airlines jet crashes in Turkey with 76 people aboard.

2001 - Fireworks explosions spark a massive fire in downtown Lima, Peru, killing 291 people.

2006 - Turkish Cypriots begin dismantling a bridge that blocked plans to relink war-divided Nicosia’s commercial centre.

2007 - Dubai explorer Adrian Hayes reaches the South Pole after 47 days of travelling on foot.

2012 - New Delhi gang-rape victim Jyoti Singh dies in Singapore.

2013 - Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher suffers a head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps.