1998 - Helmut Kohl, having served 16 years and 16 days as Chancellor, took his bow, bending his bulky frame to receive the award of the Grand Cross with laurel leaves for “services to Germany and Europe”. The new German parliament met, formally relieving the Chancellor of his office. His successor, Gerhard Schroeder, is to be sworn in. It has been a Velvet Succession, with none of the jagged embarrassing edges associated with a change of power at Downing Street. Schroeder will allow his predecessor to use the bungalow on the sprawling grounds of the Bonn Chancellery for a peppercorn rent. The new Chancellor will be living at the Foreign Minister’s official residence on a hilly suburb of Bonn. He intends to stay there until the official move to Berlin.
Other major events on October 26
1863 The Football Association (FA) is founded in England.
1936 The first electric generator at Hoover Dam goes into full operation.
1942 US aircraft carrier Hornet is sunk after being hit by Japanese aircraft in the Solomon Islands battle.
1955 The Republic of South Vietnam is proclaimed under Ngo Dinh Diem.
1967 The Shah of Iran crowns himself Emperor of Iran.
1979 South Korea’s President Park Chung-hee is killed by his friend Kim Jae-kyu during an ‘accidental clash’.
1987 US President Ronald Reagan announces an embargo on all US imports from Iran.
1994 Jordan and Israel sign a peace treaty ending 46 years of conflict.
2001 US President George W. Bush signs a sweeping anti-terrorism bill into law.
2008 Emirates become the first Middle East carrier to launch a non-stop flight to Los Angeles.
2010 Iran announces it has begun loading fuel into the core of its first nuclear power plant.
2017 At least 23 people are killed in factory fire in Indonesia.
