Historical Events
1934 – Coronation of King Leopold III of Belgium
1954 – Syrian army drives out president Adib el-Shishakli
1969 – Nayif Hawatimah forms Dem People’s Front for Liberation of Palestine
1991 – Military coup in Thailand, Premier Choonhaven arrested
1995 – Antoine Nduwayo appointed Premier of Burundi
1999 – British TV drama “Queer as Folk” written by Russell T. Davies, starring Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly and Charlie Hunnam premieres on Channel 4
Famous Birthdays
1792 – Istvan Ferenczi, Hungarian sculptor
1824 – Herman N van der Tuuk, Dutch philologist (Tobasch’ Grammar)
1876 – Wadih Sabra, Lebanese composer (Kulluna lil Watan), born in Beirut (d. 1952)
1880 – Edgar Istel, German composer, born in Mainz (d. 1948)
1975 – Robert Lopez, American composer, born in Manhattan, New York
1983 – Aziz Ansari, Indian-American comedian and actor (Parks and Recreation, Master of None), born in Columbia, South Carolina
Famous Deaths
155 – Polycarp, disciple of Apostle John, arrested and burned at stake
1792 – Joshua Reynolds, English portrait painter (Simplicity), dies at 68
1867 – George Thomas Smart, composer, dies at 90
1897 – Woldemar Bargiel, German composer, dies at 68
1992 – Jacquelyn Hyde, American actress (Dark, House of Terror), dies at 61
1994 – Stuart Berger, doctor (Immune Power Diet), dies from obesity at 40