Today in History

1812 – The United States declares war on Britain because of restrictions imposed on shipping. 1815 – Napoleon Bonaparte defeated at Waterloo, in Belgium, by the Duke of Wellington, bringing an end to the Napoleonic Wars. 1895 – Southland woman Minnie Dean, right, goes on trial for baby murder, leading to her conviction and execution.

1940 – General Charles de Gaulle makes his famous BBC broadcast, declaring himself leader of the Free French and urging compatriots to resist Nazi occupation.

1948 – United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopts the International Declaration of Human Rights.

1972 – A Trident jetliner crashes after takeoff from Heathrow Airport in London, killing 118 people.

1995 – All Blacks wing Jonah Lomu lays waste to England at the Rugby World Cup.

1997 – Fugitive Cambodian Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot surrenders to his former comrades.

2001 – Nearly 14,000 New Zealand dairy farmers vote to merge the country’s main milk-processing and marketing companies into one, to be known as Fonterra.

2006 – Three-month-old twins Chris and Cru Kahui die of serious head injuries in Auckland’s Starship hospital, triggering a homicide inquiry centred on their family.

Birthdays

Edward Scripps, US newspaper publisher (1854-1926); Denny Hulme, New Zealand motor racing driver (1936-1992); Paul McCartney, British pop singer (1942-); Thabo Mbeki, South African president (1942-); Roger Ebert, film critic (1942-2013); Isabella Rosselini, Italian-born model-actress (1952-); Simon Dallow, New Zealand TV news presenter (1964-); Nigel Owens, Welsh rugby referee (1971-); Teresa Cormack, murdered New Zealand schoolgirl (1981-1987); Cameron Smith, Australian rugby league player (1983-).