Today in History

1771 – Russia completes its conquest of the Crimea.

1896 – Broadcasting by electromagnetic waves is first patented by Italian Guglielmo Marconi.

1897 – Mark Twain, 61, is quoted by the New York Journal as saying from London that ‘‘the report of my death was an exaggeration’’.

1917 – NZ steamer Wairuna is captured by German raider Wolf en route from Auckland to San Francisco. It was later sunk.

1924 – US Congress confirms citizenship of all American Indians.

1932 – NZ mining engineer Major Frank Holmes strikes oil for the first time in Bahrain.

1935 – Baseball player Babe Ruth retires.

1953 – The Queen is crowned at Westminster Abbey.

1964 – Palestine Liberation Organisation is formed.

1970 – NZ motor racing driver and designer Bruce McLaren, right, dies in a crash while testing his new McLaren M8D at Goodwood Circuit in England.

1997 – US soldier Timothy McVeigh found guilty of 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168. He is later sentenced to death and executed.

2000 – South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission grants amnesty to apartheid death squad commander Eugene de Kock and other former police in the killings of 14 people.

2008 – NSW Crime Commission investigator Mark Standen, 51, is arrested and charged over alleged involvement in an international drug syndicate. He is later convicted and sentenced to 22 years in jail.

2011– Europe’s worst recorded foodpoisoning outbreak is blamed on ‘‘super toxic’’ E coli bacteria.

2015 – Sepp Blatter says he will resign as president of Fifa.

Birthdays

Thomas Hardy, English writer (1840-1928); Johnny Weissmuller, US swimmer-actor (1904-1984); Pat Evison, NZ actress (1924-2010); Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones drummer (1941-); Mark and Steve Waugh, Australian cricketing twins (1965-); Steve Smith, Australian cricket captain (1989-).