The spiritual leader of Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, was killed in Gaza City.

A court in Britain, acknowledges the right, of a woman who was paralyzed from the neck down, to have her life support equipment be turned off.

Russian cosmonaut, Valeri Polyakov, returns to the earth after staying 438 days in the Mir space station.

The Intel Corporation released the first Pentium type microchip. The first Pentium run at 60 MHz clock speed.

A law allowing non-religious marriages was enacted in Greece.

American actress, Reese Witherspoon, was born in New Orleans, USA.

The Beatles released their first album (Please Please Me) in Great Britain.

American actor, Matthew Modine, was born in California.

British composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, was born in London. He is probably the most popular theatre composer of the late 20th century, having produced musicals such as Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Evita.

The Arab League was founded in Cairo, Egypt.

Canadian actor, William Shatner, was born in Montreal, Canada. He became famous for his starring role as Captain James T. Kirk in the television show Star Trek.

The worlds most famous mime, Marcel Marceau, was born in Southern California.

American author, Louis L'Amour, was born in Jamestown, North Dakota. He was one of the best selling novelists of the 20th century, he wrote over 100 books.

Polygamy was outlawed in the United States.

American physicist and Nobel Prize winner, Robert Millikan, was born in Illinois.

Painter, Anthony van Dyck, was born in Antwerp, Belgium.