TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Tuesday, February 5, the 36th day of 2013. There are 329 days left in the year. Highlights: 1679 - The Peace of Nijmegen is declared between Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and France’s King Louis XIV. 1811 - The British Regency Act is passed, whereby the Prince of Wales becomes Prince Regent during King George III’s temporary insanity. 1867 - The 27-kilometre Invercargill-Bluff railway line opens, New Zealand’s third public railway. 1911 - Pioneering aviator Vivian Walsh makes the first controlled powered flight in New Zealand, travelling in a British-designed biplane for 350 metres at a height of 20m, watched by a small group of spectators in South Auckland. 1962 - France’s President Charles de Gaulle calls for independence for Algeria on basis of friendly co-operation with France. 1971 - US Apollo 14 astronauts land on the Moon. 1976 - An earthquake in Guatemala kills almost 23,000. 1997 - Three Swiss banking giants announce they will contribute US$71 million to open a humanitarian fund for Holocaust victims. 2012 - The United States proposes an international coalition to support Syria’s opposition after Russia and China blocked a United Nations attempt to end nearly 11 months of bloodshed, raising fears violence will escalate. Birthdays: Sir Robert Peel, English statesman after whom British police are called ‘‘Bobbies’’ (1788-1850); Andreas Papandreou, Greek prime minister (1919-1996); Sir Michael Cullen, New Zealand politician (1945-); Laura Linney, US actress (1964-).