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18th October

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1860: Peking's Summer Palace destroyed


British troops occupying Peking, China, loot and then burn the Yuanmingyuan, the fabulous summer residence built by the Manchu emperors in the 18th century. China's Qing leadership surrendered to the Franco-British expeditionary force soon after, ending the Second Opium War and Chinese hopes of reversing the tide of foreign domination in its national affairs. In the 1870s, Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi began rebuilding the palace and its stunning gardens, renaming it Yiheyuan, or Garden of Good Health and Harmony. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the palace was burned again by Western troops, and it remained dilapidated until the Chinese communists rebuilt it in the 1950s.

1998

Richard Bacon, presenter of the BBC TV programme 'Blue Peter' is sacked for taking cocaine.

1995

Red Rum, three times winner of the Grand National at Aintree, dies at the age of 30 - an exceptional age for a horse.

1989

With the end of Communist rule, Hungary is proclaimed a free republic.

1989

An earthquake, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, kills more than 270 people in San Francisco.

1977

German terrorist leader Andrew Baader and two other members of the Baader/Meinhoff terrorist group, comit suicide.

1977

German anti-terrorist troops storm a high-jacked Lufthansa airliner at Mogadishu Airport in Somalia - killing 3 of the 4 Palestinian terrorists and freeing all the hostages.

1968

American athlete Bob Beaman sets a new world long jump record of more than 29 feet during the Olympic Games in Mexico.

1963

British prime minister Harold Macmillan resigns.

1910

The trial of English murderer Dr Crippen begins at the Old Bailey Criminal Court in London..

1887

Russia transfers Alaska to the United States of America for $7million.

1842

The world's first telegraph cable is laid by Samuel Morse - across New York harbour from Governor's Island. It lasts only 24 hours because a 200 foot stretch is wrecked when a ship weighs anchor.

1939

Lee Harvey Oswald alleged assassin of John F. Kennedy; killed by Jack Ruby before trial

1697

Italian artist Giovanni Canaletto is born in Venice - the son of a theatrical scene-painter. Becomes famous and commercially successful as a painter of city views - especially of London and Venice. Dies in 1768.