Today in History for 17th December 2022

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1819 - Congress of Angostura establishes Colombia's independence from Spain
1961 - India seizes Goa and 2 other Portuguese colonies
1963 - West and East Berlin sign accord about travel rules
1971 - Cease fire between India and Pakistan in Kashmir
2012 - 10 girls collecting firewood are killed by a mine blast in east Afghanistan
2013 - Angela Merkel is elected Chancellor of Germany for a third term

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Famous Birthdays

1900 - Mary Cartwright, English mathematician, born in Aynho, United Kingdom (d. 1998)
1933 - Stefan Florenski, Polish soccer defender (11 caps; Górnik Zabrze), born in Gleiwitz, Poland (d. 2020)
1944 - Jack L[aurence] Chalker, American sci-fi author (Saga of Well World)
1969 - Chuck Liddell, American mixed martial artist
1971 - Antoine Rigaudeau, French basketball player
1974 - Jeffrey "Duff" Goldman, American cake designer, TV personality (Ace of Cakes) and chef, born in Detroit, Michigan

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Famous Deaths

1891 - Msiri, ruler of the Garanganze Kingdom, Congo (Katanga), dies in battle against Belgian funded expedition
1990 - Don Draper, American actor (Pepper Agent 00X), dies of AIDS at 61
1996 - Irving Caesar, American lyricist and theater composer (Tea for Two; Just A Gigilo; Sometimes I'm Happy; Animal Crackers In My Soup), dies at 101
2010 - Captain Beefheart [Don Van Vliet], American rock musician, complications from multiple sclerosis at 69
2013 - Leland Smith, American composer, bassoonist and computer coder who led music publishing into the digital age (SCORE), dies at 88
2020 - Stanley Cowell American jazz pianist (Heath Brothers), record label co-founder (Strata-East), and educator, dies from hypovolemic shock at 79

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