ON THIS DAY

1861:

First US transcontinental telegraph message sent from San Francisco to President Abraham Lincoln in Washington.

The United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York for the first time, at an auditorium in Flushing Meadow.

Egyptian and Israeli jet planes battle over Suez Canal in first such reported clash since 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin announces accord with US President Bill Clinton that Russian troops would help enforce peace in Bosnia.

Former NSW premier Bob Carr announces he’s quitting the Senate after 18 months in federal parliament.

Pele, Brazilian soccer star (1940-); Michael Crichton, US author (1942-2008); Weird Al Yankovic, US parodist (1959-); Archie Thompson, Australian soccer player (1978-).

1946: 1968: 1995: 2013: Birthdays: