2015 Event The Vatican ends a five-year investigation into a key organization of U.S. nuns two years ahead of schedule and recommends no major changes; the group was under scrutiny for practices considered out of line with Catholic Church teaching 2014 Event The E.U. extends sanctions against Russia by banning oil and gas exploration, cruise ship activity, and investment in Russian-annexed Crimea, the annexation is considered illegitimate by E.U. member nations 2014 Event Six men being detained in the U.S. Guantanamo Bay facility have been released to Uruguay; the men are considered refugees and will not have restrictions on their travel 2014 Event Germany beats Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semifinals; the defeat is considered a possible explanation for ensuing incidents of bus burning around Sao Paulo 2014 Event Costa Rica shocks World Cup fans by beating Uruguay 3-1; The Uruguay team is considered one of the strongest and the Costa Rica team one of the weakest in the competition 2014 Event A second dwarf planet is discovered between the Oort cloud and the Kuiper belt, an area previously considered a no-man's land; the planet, 2012 VP-113, measures about 280 miles across; the first, Sedna, about 600 miles across, was discovered in 2003 2013 Event The 150th Anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's 'Gettysburg Address' considered one of the greatest political speeches, is commemorated in the U.S. on the battlefield and by the Library of Congress 2013 Event In a poll, only 30 percent of people in Brazil considered President Dilma Rousseff's administration 'great' or 'good' 2013 Event In England, a man is arrested for charges related to the attack on 'The Hay Wain' painting, completed by artist John Constable in 1821; the work is considered one of England's greatest and most popular paintings 2011 Event According to the U.S. Census, 1 in 2 people are considered low-income or poor 2010 Event An area in Alaska, twice the size of the United Kingdom, is protected by the U.S. Government; the area is considered a critical habitat for polar bears 2007 Death Mstislav Rostropovich, cellist, conductor, commissioned new works, enlarged cello repertoire more than any cellist, considered greatest cellist of 20th century, died of intestinal cancer 1995 Death Lovelace Watkins, born in New Jersey, nicknamed, 'The Black Sinatra', singer, considered the greatest male soul singer of his time, dies of leukemia at 57 1995 Death Bobby Stokes, athlete, English footballer, scored the winning goal in 1976, Southampton F.C. vs. Manchester United, FA Cup Final, in the 83rd-minute, considered biggest upset in FA Cup Final history, dies at 44 1985 Birthday Michael Phelps, born in Baltimore, Maryland, professional swimmer, winner, 14 Olympic gold medals, considered greatest Olympian of all time, broke 37 world records 1979 Birthday Jonny Wilkinson, born in Frimley, England, professional rugby union player, member of the England national team, considered one of the world's best rugby players 1973 Birthday David Blaine, born in Brooklyn, New York, illusionist, endurance artist, considered a modern-day Houdini, first television special titled, 'David Blaine; Street Magic' 1971 Event All Things Considered premieres on 112 National Public Radio stations 1971 Birthday Jari Litmanen, born in Hollola, Finland, professional soccer player, attacking midfielder, second striker, played for Lahti, considered Finland's greatest player ever 1970 Birthday Ani Difranco, born in Buffalo, New York, singer, musician, guitarist, songwriter, considered a feminist icon, released over twenty albums 1970 Death Ralph W. Sockman, Protestant pastor, author, successful radio show, National Radio Pulpit, considered by Time magazine as the best Protestant preacher in the U.S., dies at age 80 1966 Birthday Irene Jacob, born in Suresnes, France, actress, famous for lead role in film 'The Double Life of Veronique', 'Three Colores: Red', considered one of the preeminent French actresses of her generation 1962 Birthday Michelle Yeoh, born in Ipoh, Malaysia, actress, films include, 'Tomorrow Never Dies', 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', considered greatest action heroine ever 1960 Death Ernest Holmes, author, teacher, spiritualist, founded Religious Science movement, considered 'Science of Mind', part of New Thought movement, wrote metaphysical books, including 'The Science of Mind', founded 'Science of Mind' magazine, dies 1957 Birthday Stephen Jones, born in Wirral Peninsula, England, British milliner, considered the most radical, prolific milliner of the late 20th-early 21st-century 1956 Birthday Sebastian Coe, born in Chiswick, England, politician, Conservative party, former athlete, Olympic gold medalist 1980 and 1984, considered greatest middle distance runner ever 1955 Birthday Mary Landrieu, born in Arlington, Virginia, politician, Democrat, U.S. Senator from the State of Louisiana, considered among most conservative Democrats in the Senate 1952 Birthday Susan Collins, born in Caribou, Maine, politician, Republican, U.S. Senator from Maine, considered a bipartisan, moderate Republican 1951 Birthday Alphonso Johnson, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, bassist, jazz, jazz fusion genres, considered one of the world's best bassists, played on Weather Report album Mysterious Traveller 1951 Birthday Bobby Stokes, born in Portsmouth, England, athlete, English footballer, scored the winning goal in 1976, Southampton F.C. vs. Manchester United, FA Cup Final, in the 83rd-minute, considered biggest upset in FA Cup Final history 1947 Birthday Ian Gomm, born in Chiswick, West London, songwriter, singer, guitarist, considered 'Best Rhythm Guitarist' by New Musical Express Magagine, 1971 1944 Death Roy Agnew, born in Sydney, Australia, composer, pianist, considered best composer of early 20th century Australia, dies at 51 1944 Birthday Chris Spedding, born in Staveley, Derbyshire, England, born Peter Robinson, rocker, jazz guitarist, rock and roll, considered the most versatile session guitarist in the U.K. 1939 Birthday O. V. Wright, born in Leno, Tennessee, singer, sang gospel, considered southern soul artist, first pop recording, 'That's How Strong My Love Is' 1939 Birthday Clem Cattini, born in Stoke Newton, North London, England, musician, drummer, played with The Tornados in the 1960's, appeared for diverse array of artists, featured on 45 different UK number one singles, considered most beloved early British rock n' roll figure 1938 Birthday Lovelace Watkins, born in New Jersey, nicknamed, 'The Black Sinatra', singer, considered the greatest male soul singer of his time 1933 Birthday Julian Bream, born in London, England, guitarist, plays baroque guitar, lute, considered the 20th century's most distinguished classical guitarists 1931 Birthday Billy Casper, born in San Diego, California, William Earl Billy Casper, Jr., professional golfer, golf course designer, won the PGA Tour 27 times, named 15th greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest in 2000, considered best putter of his era 1931 Birthday David Shepherd, born in Britain, painter, artist, considered world's most famous conservationists, famous for paintings of wildlife 1927 Event Earliest date for a film to be considered for the Academy Awards 1927 Birthday Mstislav Rostropovich, born in Russia, Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, nickname "Slava", cellist, conductor, commissioned new works, enlarged cello repertoire more than any cellist, considered greatest cellist of 20th century 1927 Birthday Cecil Bodker, born in Fredericia, Denmark, writer, won Mildred L. Batchelder Award for her book titled, The Leopard, considered the most outstanding book originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, then published in the United States 1922 Birthday Paul Scofield, born in England, stage and screen actor, considered one of the best British actors of the 20th century 1913 Birthday Tillie Olsen, born in Nebraska, writer, considered the first generation of American feminists 1912 Death Georg Heym, poet, writer, wrote, 'Der ewige Tag', poetry considered early Expressionist style, dies at 24 from falling through the ice, trying to save a friend 1906 Birthday Henry Roth, born in Galicia, Austro-Hungary, writer, short story writer, novelist, Call It Sleep considered masterpiece of Jewish American literature 1891 Birthday Roy Agnew, born in Sydney, Australia, composer, pianist, considered best composer of early 20th century Australia 1889 Birthday Ralph W. Sockman, born in New York, New York, Protestant pastor, author, successful radio show, National Radio Pulpit, considered by Time magazine as the best Protestant preacher in the U.S. 1887 Birthday Georg Heym, born in Hirschberg, Germany, poet, writer, wrote, 'Der ewige Tag', poetry considered early Expressionist style 1887 Birthday Ernest Holmes, born in Lincoln, Maine, author, teacher, spiritualist, founded Religious Science movement, considered 'Science of Mind', part of New Thought movement, wrote metaphysical books, including 'The Science of Mind', founded 'Science of Mind' magazine 1747 Death Luc de Clapiers, born in Aix-en-Provence, France, writer, essayist, moralist, considered a modern Stoic, believed mankind is noble, employed epigrammic language to express observations of human conduct and motives, dies in Paris 1715 Birthday Luc de Clapiers, born in Aix-en-Provence, France, writer, essayist, moralist, considered a modern Stoic, believed mankind is noble, employed epigrammic language to express observations of human conduct and motives
