1583

The first life insurance policy is taken out in London.

1812

The American Congress approves a declaration of war on Great Britain over trade restrictions.

1815

Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by a joint British, German and Dutch force, under the command of the Duke of Wellington and General Gebhard von Bluecher.

1922

The play Le Dragon de Bambou (Bamboo Dragon) by Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh), which lashes out at feudal traitors, is first performed in Paris, on the occasion of the visit to France of the collaborator king of Viet Nam, Khai Dinh.

1942

Birth of Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles. He became one of the most successful singer-songwriters of the 20th century.

1975

Viet Nam and the Maldives establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level.

1979

US President Carter and Soviet President Brezhnev sign the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty's second treaty (SALT 2) in Vienna.

1985

Death of Xuan Thuy, real name Nguyen Trong Nhan, Vietnamese revolutionary, statesman and poet, former foreign minister, head of the delegation of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam to the Paris Conference negotiating the peace accord to end the American war in Viet Nam, vice chairman and general secretary of the State Council.

1999

The Group of Seven (G-7) countries at a summit in Cologne, agree on an initiative to cancel US$70 billion of debts owed by poor countries.

2004

European Union leaders agree on a first-ever constitution for their newly reunited continent, overcoming disputes about power-sharing, national sovereignty and even whether God deserves a mention. — AP/REUTERS