Today in History: Union of South Africa declares its independence from the United Kingdom

The following are some of the major events to have occurred on May 31:

1902 – The Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in Pretoria, ending the Boer War between settlers of British and Dutch origin in what later became South Africa.

1910 - Union of South Africa declares its independence from the United Kingdom.

1911 – The ocean liner Titanic was launched in Belfast. It sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912.

1935 - 7.7 magnitude earthquake destroys Quetta in Balochistan, British India (now Pakistan) killing an estimated 40,000 people.

1952 – Emil Zatopek sets new world record for 5000 metres.

1970 - 7.75 Ancash earthquake off coast of Peru kills 66-70,000 and sets off world's deadliest avalanche.

2002 – Asia’s first soccer World Cup starts with champions France playing first-timers Senegal.

2003 – Eric Robert Rudolph, the man suspected of bombing abortion clinics and a gay nightclub as well as setting off a bomb at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, was captured in Murphy, North Carolina.

2005 – The Washington Post revealed that “Deep Throat”, the legendary source who leaked Watergate scandal secrets to its reporters, was former FBI deputy director Mark Felt.

2006 – Surfers in Sydney attempt to break world record of multiple surfers riding the same wave.

2008 – Usain Bolt of Jamaica set a new world record in the men’s 100 metres race in New York.

2009 – British children attempt to hold the largest custard pie fight.

2010 – Israeli forces intercept flotilla bound for Gaza.

2017 – Car bomb blast outside German embassy in Kabul.

(Reuters)