Today in History: October 25

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On October 25th 1971, the United Nations General Assembly voted to admit China to the United Nations and to expel Taiwan.

The communist China therefore assumed Taiwan’s place in the General Assembly, as well as its place as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations.

The Republic of China had been a member of the UN from the organization’s formation in 1945, at which time it still governed all of China, until 1949.

In 1983, the United States Military, under President Ronald Reagan, invaded the tiny island country of Grenada.

The U.S. invasion of Grenada began at dawn on October 25, that year. The U.S. and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded Grenada, 100 miles north of Venezuela.

Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. Military, it resulted in military occupation within a few days.

The American government defended its invasion as an action to protect American citizens living on the island, including medical students.

1955 saw the first domestic microwave ovens go on sale.

Developed by Tappan in conjunction with Raytheon, the Rl-1 was the first microwave oven designed for home use.

The microwave oven at the time had a retail price of $1,295 and only 34 units were manufactured in 1955, the first year of production.

The company sold a total of 1,396 units before production ended in 1964.

In 2004, the veteran British disc jockey John Peel, who championed new music trends such as punk, reggae and hip-hop on mainstream radio, died aged 65.

Peel died in Peru while on holiday in an ancient city of Cuzco.

Peel is seen posing for a photograph taken to mark the 25th anniversary of the Glastonbury Music Festival in southwest England in June 1995.