World Events Today
- The Encyclopedia Britannica, Latin for “British Encyclopedia”, went on sale for the first time today in 1768
- Edward VIII signed a declaration of abdication today in 1936, giving up the British throne to his brother King George VI, so he could marry his lover Wallis Simpson
- The Argentine lawyer and politician Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, became the first female elected president of Argentina today in 2007, she succeeded her husband Néstor Kirchner
Entertainment Events Today
- Superman The Movie, starring Christopher Reeve, premiered today in 1978 in Washington, it went on general release in the following week
- The Swedish tennis ace Björn Borg, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the BBC today in 2006, it was presented by former tennis ace Boris Becker
- The American singer-songwriter and author Bob Dylan, won the Nobel Prize for Literature today in 2016, he failed to show up to the ceremony
Family Events Today
- The British actor, director, film producer and screenwriter Kenneth Branagh, noted for his William Shakespeare productions, was born today in 1960 in Belfast
- The American singer-songwriter Otis Reading, most famous for “Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay”, died today in 1967 aged just 26
- American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Richard Pryor, died today in 2005 aged 65
Main Event Today
- The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time today in 1901, to Frédéric Passy, main organizer of the Universal Peace Congress, and Henry Dunant, a founder of the Red Cross
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Lager Day