Mark Latham is an Australian politician and was leader of the federal parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition in Australia from December 2003 to January 2005. He succeeded Simon Crean as leader in December 2003, defeating former leader Kim Beazley in a close vote. Latham captured national attention with his innovative policies and approaches, but also attracted controversy regarding his interesting past. In the October 2004 federal election, Latham and his party were soundly defeated by the incumbent Prime Minister John Howard. Ill-health and deteriorating relations with his own party forced him to step down as Leader on 18 January 2005.
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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1488: Bartholomeu Diaz of Portugal sailed around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa and landed in Mossel Bay.
1867: Crown Prince Mutsuhito ascended to the Japanese throne, beginning the Meiji Era.
1959: Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash on "The Day The Music Died".
1966: The Soviet spacecraft Luna 9 became the first probe to land on the Moon and transmit pictures from the lunar surface to Earth.
1969: Yasser Arafat became the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:
"Anything different is good." -- Bill Murray as "Phil" in Groundhog Day (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day_%28movie%29)