* The International Francophonia Day (marked in 47 countries).
* The International Astrology Day.
* Hungarian national hero, lawyer, orator and journalist Lajos KOSSUTH (1802-1894) died 110 years ago. He led the Hungarian independence uprising in 1848.
* Canadian statesman and Prime Minister (1984-1993), chairman of the Progressive Conservative Party (1983-1993) Brian MULRONEY (born in 1939) turns 65 today.
* The European Space Research Organization (ESRO) was formed in 1964, 40 years ago. In 1975 it was transformed into the European Space Agency.
* Religious sect Aum Shinri Kyo organized a poison gas attack on Tokyo's subway nine years ago, in 1995.
IN RUSSIA:
* Russian statesman and writer, Admiral Alexander SHISHKOV (1754-1841), President of the Russian Academy and People's Education Minister, was born 250 years ago. He was one of the first fighters against the foreign words' domination of the Russian language. Shishkov published "The Trilingual Naval Dictionary", Russia's first dictionary of Russian and foreign naval terms.
* The first meeting of the Green Lamp Russian literary-political group was held in 1819, 185 years ago. The group existed for two years. It was headed by Decembrists, members of the Prosperity Union, who came out for the constitutional monarchy and serfdom abolition in Russia. Poets Alexander Pushkin, Anton Delwig and Nikolai Gnedich were members of in the group.
* The complete edition of Alexander Pushkin's novel in verse "Eugene Onegin" was published 171 years ago, in 1833.
* Russian painter and graphic artist Ivan SHISHKIN (1832-1898) died 108 years ago. He praised the plain beauty of Russian nature ("Rye", "Morning in a Pine Forest", etc.) * The outstanding pianist of the 20th century, Svyatoslav RICHTER (1915-1997) was born 89 years ago.
* The Central All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) took a decision on the construction of the Moscow subway 71 years ago, in 1933.
* The then world's largest radio broadcasting station named after the Communist International was put into commission 71 years ago, in 1933.
* The outstanding Soviet footballer Lev YASHIN (1929-1990), one of the world's best goalkeepers, died 14 years ago. He was named the Keeper of the Century.
