Today in history
1500 - French army, aided by Swiss mercenaries, conquers Milan in Italy.
1759 - British forces take Madras, India.
1873 - Julius Vogel becomes premier of New Zealand. He was the country’s dominant political figure in the 1870s and served as treasurer or premier on several occasions.
1902 - Russia and China reach agreement for evacuation of Manchuria.
1906 - The Algerias act is signed, giving France and Spain chief control in Morocco.
1913 - First parliament of Chinese Republic opens.
1919 - Russian communist army enters the Crimea.
1939 - Albania’s King Zog flees as Italian troops invade his country.
1946 - The League of Nations assembles in Geneva for the last time.
1964 - India releases Sheik Abdullah, former premier of Kashmir.
1990 - Fire breaks out on Danish ferry Scandinavian Star in the North Sea, killing more than 150 people.
1991 - European Community approves more than $180 million in food, clothing and other aid to Kurdish refugees in Iraq.
1995 - Russian forces bombard the town of Samashky in western Chechnya with warplanes and artillery, and claim to have cleared it of rebel fighters.
1997 - Zaire’s President Mobutu Sese Seko declares a nationwide state of emergency in response to rebel advances.
2001 - The Dalai Lama wraps up a 10-day visit to Taiwan during which he stresses that Taiwan’s future should be decided by the Taiwanese people. He avoids directly addressing Taiwanese and Tibetan independence.
2007 - Suspected Islamist militants open fire on a military patrol in northwestern Algeria, starting a gunbattle that leaves nine soldiers and six attackers dead.
2009 - The American crew of a hijacked ship takes control of the vessel from Somali pirates, but the captain is still held hostage in a lifeboat.
2011 - Mass protests calling for sweeping changes in Syria’s authoritarian regime turn deadly, with the government and protesters both claiming heavy casualties as the country’s three- week uprising enters a dangerous new phase.
2013 - A suicide bomber strikes in the financial heart of Syria’s capital, killing at least 15.
Today’s Birthdays: Phineas Fletcher, English poet (1582-1650); Sonja Henie, Norwegian skater (1912-1969); Franco Corelli, Italian tenor (1923-2003); Jacques Brel, Belgian singer (1929-1978); Julian Lennon, English pop singer (1963-); Robin Wright Penn, US actress (1966-). Patricia Arquette, actress (1968-)