Today in History

1783 – The American Revolution officially comes to an end when representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Spain and France sign the Treaty of Paris.

1914 – Benedict XV is elected pope. An insistent voice for peace, he was ignored during World War I.

1930 – A hurricane in the Dominican Republic kills more than 8000 people.

1939 – Britain, France, New Zealand and Australia declare war on Germany.

1958 – The first open-heart surgery in New Zealand is carried out at Greenlane Hospital in Auckland. Surgeon Brian Barratt-Boyes, left, performed the surgery on an 11-year-old girl.

1971 – Qatar gains independence from Britain. 1991 – It’s a Wonderful Life director

Frank Capra dies, aged 94.

1996 – US President Bill Clinton unleashes cruise missiles at military targets in Iraq to punish Saddam Hussein for attacking Kurds in a designated safe zone.

2004 – A three-day hostage crisis at a Russian school ends in a gun battle between the hostage-takers and security forces. More than 300 people die, many of them children.

2015 – More than 1000 tractors move into Paris as farmers attempt to clog up the roads in protest against falling incomes.

Birthdays

Louis Sullivan, US architect (1856-1924); Ferdinand Porsche, German automotive engineer (1875-1951); Steve Rickard, New Zealand professional wrestler (1929-2015); Brian Lochore, NZ rugby player (1940-); Shane Jones, NZ politician (1959-); Malcolm Gladwell, Canadian journalist and author (1963-); Charlie Sheen, US actor (1965-); Gareth Southgate, English footballer and coach (1970-); Redfoo, US rapper (1975-); Ivan Vicelich, NZ footballer (1976-); Mel McLaughlin, Australian TV presenter (1979-); Shaun White, US snowboarder (1986-).