This Day In History

1953 - Malenkov becomes chairman of the USSR 1957 - Ghana (formerly Gold Coast) declares independence from UK

1957 - Centenary of Dred Scott slavery court decision marked by rediscovery of Scott's grave 1959 - Farthest radio signal heard (Pioneer IV, 400,000 miles)

1960 - President Sukarno disbands Indonesia's parliament

1964 - Constantine succeeds Paul I as king of Greece

1975 - Algiers Accord: Iran and Iraq announce a settlement of their border dispute.

1981 - France performs nuclear test at Mururoa atoll

1981 - Soyuz 39 returns to Earth

1984 - Twelve-month-long strike in British coal industry begins.

1987 - 6.8 earthquake hits Ecuador, kills 100 1991 - Following Iraq's capitulation in the Persian Gulf conflict, US President George H. W. Bush told Congress that "aggression is defeated. The war is over"

1994 - United Arab Emirates beat Kenya by 2 wickets to win ICC Trophy

1994 - Referendum in Moldova results in the electorate voting against possible reunification with Romania.

1998 - First time the British Union Flag is flown over Buckingham Palace (following the controversy after Princess Dian's death; formerly the only flag flown was the Sovereign's standard indicating the monarch's presence.)

2012 - 9,000 residents are evacuated from Wagga Wagga, Australia, as the Murrimbidgee River threatens to overflow

2013 - Syrian rebels capture Ar-Raqqah, their first major city

2013 - Microsoft is fined €561 by the Euro Commission for not providing alternative web browsers

2013 - 9 people die after a plane crashes after being ensnared in power lines in Peru