American producer and director, Robert Wise, died at the age of 91. He had directed such blockbuster films as 'West Side Story', 'The Andromeda Strain' and the original 'Star Trek' movie.

After a referendum Sweden rejected adopting the euro as its currency.

Greek popular singer, Stelios Kazantzidis, died at the age of 70. He was one of the most celebrated popular music singers in Greece. Despite his success and acceptance he died in poverty.

Retired United States Air Force pilot, Joe Kittinger, became the first person to solo fly a hot air balloon across the Atlantic Ocean.

American actress and princess Monaco, Grace Kelly, died at the age of 52 in an automobile accident. She was one of the most famous actress of her time that later became 'Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco' after her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco. Officially it is said that Princess Grace suffered a stroke while driving, which resulted in the fatal accident. Her daughter, Princess Stephanie, was also in the car but suffered only minor injuries. It has been alleged that Princess Stephanie was the actual driver, though this has never been proven.

Greek politician, Konstantinos Alexandrou Karamanlis, was born in Athens, Greece. In 2004 he was head of the New Democracy party that won the general elections in Greece, effectively becoming prime minister of Greece. He is the youngest ever Greek Prime Minister.

New Zealand actor, Sam Neill, was born in Omagh, Northern Ireland. His father was serving in the British army in Ireland at the time of his birth. The Neil family were the owners the largest liquor retailer in New Zealand.

President of the United States William McKinley died after being fatally shot while attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. The assassin was the anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, whose motives were based on his anarchistic ideologies.

French military commander, Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, died at the age of 47. He was the commander of the French forces in North America during the Seven Years War. Parts of his exploits, especially the military victory of the capturing of Fort William Henry, were immortalized in James Fenimore Cooper's novel, The Last of the Mohicans. The Seven Years War though resulted in the French loosing almost all their interests in the American continent and furthermore the native Indians of North America were decimated, their cultures destroyed.

American clergyman, John Harvard, died of tuberculosis at the age of 31. Upon his death he donated his estate and library to the New College that had been established only one year earlier in nearby Cambridge. The college adopted his name the next year and is now the world known Harvard University.

Italian author, Dante Alighieri, died at the age of 56. He is considered as one of the greatest literary figures in history. His greatest work, 'la Divina Commedia' (The Divine Comedy), is considered as the greatest piece of literary work produced in Europe during the Middle Ages.