1492

Christopher Columbus sets sail on his second voyage to the Americas. AI analysis

Columbus’ second voyage aimed to explore further the lands he had discovered in the Caribbean. This expedition contributed to the opening of the Americas to European colonization, shaping the future of the New World. --AI Explanation

1791

The United States Bill of Rights is ratified. AI analysis

The ratification of the Bill of Rights was a landmark moment in U.S. history, ensuring fundamental freedoms like speech, assembly, and religion. It strengthened the Constitution and set the foundation for civil liberties in the nation. --AI Explanation

1809

The Battle of Wagram occurs during the Napoleonic Wars. AI analysis

The Battle of Wagram was one of Napoleon's decisive victories against the Austrian Empire. It further solidified his dominance in Europe, but the cost of the battle showed the increasing strain on French military resources. --AI Explanation

1835

The Texas Revolution begins with the Siege of Bexar. AI analysis

The Siege of Bexar marked the beginning of the Texas Revolution as Texan settlers and the Mexican government clashed. This confrontation set the stage for the eventual independence of Texas from Mexico. --AI Explanation

1864

The Battle of Nashville takes place during the American Civil War. AI analysis

The Battle of Nashville was a decisive Union victory, breaking the Confederate forces in Tennessee. It significantly weakened the Confederate Army in the Western Theater, contributing to the eventual Union victory in the Civil War. --AI Explanation

1890

The Wounded Knee Massacre occurs in South Dakota. AI analysis

The massacre at Wounded Knee marked the brutal end of the Indian resistance to U.S. expansion. The killing of hundreds of Lakota Sioux soldiers and civilians by the U.S. Army symbolized the violent suppression of Native American tribes. --AI Explanation

1916

The Battle of Verdun, one of the longest and bloodiest battles of World War I, ends. AI analysis

The Battle of Verdun ended in a French victory, but both sides suffered heavy losses. The battle exemplified the brutal trench warfare of World War I, with no decisive strategic gain but a significant morale boost for the Allies. --AI Explanation

1923

The first successful kidney transplant is performed in Boston, USA. AI analysis

The first successful kidney transplant represented a major milestone in medical history, showcasing the potential for organ transplants to save lives and pushing forward future developments in the field of transplant surgery. --AI Explanation

1941

The United States declares war on Germany and Italy, joining World War II. AI analysis

Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. declaration of war on Germany and Italy expanded the conflict into a global war. This signaled the U.S.’s formal entry into World War II, contributing to the defeat of the Axis powers. --AI Explanation

1950

The United Nations establishes the Republic of Korea as a member. AI analysis

The inclusion of South Korea into the United Nations was a significant step in the post-World War II order, bolstering its status as a sovereign state while highlighting Cold War tensions in East Asia, particularly with North Korea. --AI Explanation

1961

The Soviet Union and the United States hold talks on a potential nuclear test ban treaty. AI analysis

The nuclear test ban treaty talks marked an important moment in Cold War diplomacy. Both superpowers began seeking ways to limit the dangers of nuclear weapons, reflecting the growing concerns over nuclear proliferation. --AI Explanation

1973

The Paris Peace Accords are signed, marking the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. AI analysis

The Paris Peace Accords officially ended U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, though the war continued between North and South Vietnam. The agreement reflected the difficulty of achieving a lasting peace in the region. --AI Explanation

1982

The Soviet Union launches the space station Cosmos 1402. AI analysis

Cosmos 1402 was part of the Soviet Union’s broader space program. The mission was part of an ongoing effort to develop and maintain a space station capable of long-term research in orbit, advancing the Soviet space race. --AI Explanation

1995

The Dayton Agreement is signed, ending the Bosnian War. AI analysis

The Dayton Agreement brought an end to the devastating Bosnian War, establishing a peace process that restructured Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political system and allowed for international reconstruction efforts. --AI Explanation

1998

The United Nations General Assembly votes to impeach U.S. President Bill Clinton. AI analysis

The impeachment vote in the U.S. House of Representatives was a historic moment in American politics, stemming from charges related to perjury and obstruction of justice. Clinton was acquitted in the Senate but became the second U.S. president to face impeachment. --AI Explanation

2001

The United States announces the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in response to 9/11. AI analysis

The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was a direct response to the September 11 attacks. It aimed to improve U.S. security, addressing vulnerabilities and coordinating the fight against terrorism. --AI Explanation

2007

The Treaty of Lisbon is signed by the European Union, aiming to enhance institutional efficiency. AI analysis

The Treaty of Lisbon aimed to reform the EU’s structure, providing more decision-making power to the European Parliament and enhancing the efficiency of the Union in addressing global and regional issues. --AI Explanation

2010

WikiLeaks begins publishing a significant number of classified U.S. diplomatic cables. AI analysis

The WikiLeaks publication of U.S. diplomatic cables led to a global controversy. It raised concerns over national security and diplomatic relations but also sparked debates on transparency, whistleblowing, and the freedom of information. --AI Explanation

2012

The United Nations votes to make Palestine a non-member observer state. AI analysis

The UN’s vote to make Palestine a non-member observer state was a symbolic step toward Palestinian recognition in the international community, though it did not grant full membership or resolve the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. --AI Explanation

2016

The United Nations adopts a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. AI analysis

The UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories marked a contentious moment in Middle Eastern diplomacy. It reflected global concerns about the expansion of settlements and their impact on peace efforts. --AI Explanation

December 15 Birthdays

AD 37

Nero

Roman emperor

(d. 68)

130

Lucius Verus

Roman emperor

(d. 169)

1242

Prince Munetaka

Japanese shōgun

(d. 1274)

1447

Albert IV

Duke of Bavaria

(d. 1508)

1567

Christoph Demantius

German composer, poet, and theorist

(d. 1643)

1610

David Teniers the Younger

Flemish painter

(d. 1690)

1657

Michel Richard Delalande

French organist and composer

(d. 1726)

1686

Jean-Joseph Fiocco

Flemish violinist and composer

(d. 1746)

1710

Francesco Zahra

Maltese painter

(d. 1773)

1789

Carlos Soublette

Venezuelan general and politician, 11th President of Venezuela

(d. 1870)

1832

Gustave Eiffel

French architect and engineer, co-designed the Eiffel Tower

(d. 1923)

1837

E. W. Bullinger

English minister, scholar, and theologian

(d. 1913)

1852

Henri Becquerel

French physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 1908)

1859

L. L. Zamenhof

Polish linguist and ophthalmologist, created Esperanto

(d. 1917)

1860

Niels Ryberg Finsen

Faroese-Danish physician and educator, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 1904)

1860

Abner Powell

American baseball player and manager

(d. 1953)

1861

Charles Duryea

American engineer and businessman, co-founded the Duryea Motor Wagon Company

(d. 1938)

1861

Pehr Evind Svinhufvud

Finnish lawyer, judge, and politician, 3rd President of Finland

(d. 1944)

1863

Arthur Dehon Little

American chemist and engineer

(d. 1935)

1869

Leon Marchlewski

Polish chemist and academic

(d. 1946)

1875

Emilio Jacinto

Filipino journalist and activist

(d. 1899)

1878

Hans Carossa

German author and poet

(d. 1956)

1885

Leonid Pitamic

Slovenian lawyer, philosopher, and academic

(d. 1971)

1886

Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz

Polish politician and resistance fighter

(d. 1968)

1886

Florence Jepperson Madsen

American contralto singer and professor of music

(d. 1977)

1888

Maxwell Anderson

American journalist and playwright

(d. 1959)

1890

Harry Babcock

American pole vaulter

(d. 1965)

1891

A.P. Carter

American country singer-songwriter and musician

(d. 1960)

1892

J. Paul Getty

American-English businessman and art collector, founded Getty Oil

(d. 1976)

1894

Vibert Douglas

Canadian astrophysicist and astronomer

(d. 1988)

1894

Josef Imbach

Swiss sprinter

(d. 1964)

1896

Betty Smith

American author and playwright

(d. 1972)

1899

Harold Abrahams

English sprinter, lawyer, and journalist

(d. 1978)

1902

Robert F. Bradford

American lawyer and politician, 57th Governor of Massachusetts

(d. 1983)

1903

Tamanishiki San'emon

Japanese sumo wrestler, the 32nd Yokozuna

(d. 1938)

1907

Gordon Douglas

American actor, director, and screenwriter

(d. 1993)

1907

Oscar Niemeyer

Brazilian architect, designed the United Nations Headquarters and the Cathedral of Brasília

(d. 2012)

1908

Swami Ranganathananda

Indian monk, scholar, and author

(d. 2005)

1909

Sattar Bahlulzade

Azerbaijani-Russian painter

(d. 1974)

1909

Eliza Atkins Gleason

American librarian

(d. 2009)

1910

John Hammond

American record producer and critic

(d. 1987)

1911

Nicholas P. Dallis

American psychiatrist and illustrator

(d. 1991)

1911

Stan Kenton

American pianist and composer

(d. 1979)

1913

Roger Gaudry

Canadian chemist and businessman

(d. 2001)

1913

Muriel Rukeyser

American poet, academic, and activist

(d. 1980)

1915

Eila Campbell

English geographer and cartographer

(d. 1994)

1916

Miguel Arraes

Brazilian lawyer and politician, Governor of Pernambuco

(d. 2005)

1916

Buddy Cole

American pianist and conductor

(d. 1964)

1916

Maurice Wilkins

New Zealand-English physicist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 2004)

1917

Shan-ul-Haq Haqqee

Indian-Pakistani linguist and lexicographer

(d. 2005)

1918

Jeff Chandler

American actor

(d. 1961)

1918

Chihiro Iwasaki

Japanese painter and illustrator

(d. 1974)

1919

Max Yasgur

American dairy farmer and host of the Woodstock Music & Art Fair

(d. 1973)

1920

Gamal al-Banna

Egyptian author and scholar

(d. 2013)

1920

Kurt Schaffenberger

German-American sergeant and illustrator

(d. 2002)

1921

Alan Freed

American radio host

(d. 1965)

1923

Pierre Cossette

American producer and manager

(d. 2009)

1923

Freeman Dyson

English-American physicist and mathematician

(d. 2020)

1923

Uziel Gal

German-Israeli engineer, designed the Uzi gun

(d. 2002)

1923

Valentin Varennikov

Russian general and politician

(d. 2009)

1924

Frank W. J. Olver

English-American mathematician and academic

(d. 2013)

1924

Ruhi Sarıalp

Turkish triple jumper and educator

(d. 2001)

1925

Kasey Rogers

American actress and author

(d. 2006)

1926

Bill Pitt

Australian race car driver

(d. 2017)

1928

Ernest Ashworth

American singer-songwriter

(d. 2009)

1928

Ida Haendel

Polish-English violinist and educator

(d. 2020)

1928

Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Austrian-New Zealand painter and architect

(d. 2000)

1930

Edna O'Brien

Irish novelist, playwright, poet and short story writer

(d. 2024)

1931

Klaus Rifbjerg

Danish author and poet

(d. 2015)

1932

Jesse Belvin

American singer-songwriter and pianist

(d. 1960)

1932

John Meurig Thomas

Welsh chemist and academi

c

1933

Bapu

Indian director and screenwriter

(d. 2014)

1933

Tim Conway

American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter

(d. 2019)

1933

Donald Woods

South African journalist and activist

(d. 2001)

1936

Joe D'Amato

Italian director and producer

(d. 1999)

1938

Michael Bogdanov

Welsh director and screenwriter

(d. 2017)

1938

Billy Shaw

American football player

(d. 2024)

1939

Cindy Birdsong

American singer-songwrite

r

1939

Dave Clark

English musician and songwrite

r

1940

Nick Buoniconti

American football player and sportscaster

(d. 2019)

1942

Kathleen Blanco

American educator and politician, 54th Governor of Louisiana

(d. 2019)

1943

Lucien den Arend

Dutch sculpto

r

1944

Jim Leyland

American baseball player and manage

r

1944

Chico Mendes

Brazilian trade union leader and activist

(d. 1988)

1945

Heather Booth

American civil rights activist, feminist, and political strategis

t

1945

Ivor Crewe

English political scientist and academi

c

1946

Carmine Appice

American drummer and songwrite

r

1946

Art Howe

American baseball player and manage

r

1946

Genny Lim

American write

r

1946

Comunardo Niccolai

Italian footballer

(Torres, Cagliari, national team) (d. 2024)

1948

Cassandra Harris

Australian actress

(d. 1991)

1948

Charlie Scott

American basketball playe

r

1949

Don Johnson

American acto

r

1949

Brian Roper

English economist and academi

c

1950

Melanie Chartoff

American actress and comedia

n

1950

Sylvester James Gates

American theoretical physicist and professo

r

1951

George Donikian

Australian journalis

t

1951

Joe Jordan

Scottish footballer and manage

r

1951

Tim Webster

Australian journalist and sportscaste

r

1952

Rudi Protrudi

American singer-songwriter and produce

r

1952

Allan Simonsen

Danish footballer and manage

r

1952

Julie Taymor

American director, producer, and screenwrite

r

1953

John R. Allen

American general and diploma

t

1953

J. M. DeMatteis

American autho

r

1953

Robert Charles Wilson

American-Canadian autho

r

1954

Alex Cox

English film director, screenwriter, actor, non-fiction author and broadcaste

r

1954

Oliver Heald

English lawyer and politician, Solicitor General for England and Wale

s

1954

Mark Warner

American businessman and politician, 69th Governor of Virgini

a

1955

Hector Sants

English banke

r

1955

Paul Simonon

English singer-songwriter and bass playe

r

1956

John Lee Hancock

American screenwriter, film director, and produce

r

1956

Tony Leon

South African lawyer and politicia

n

1957

Mario Marois

Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaste

r

1957

Mike McAlary

American journalist and author

(d. 1998)

1957

Tim Reynolds

German-American singer-songwriter and guitaris

t

1958

Carlo J. Caparas

Filipino director and produce

r

1958

Richard Kastle

American classical pianis

t

1959

Greg Matthews

Australian crickete

r

1959

Alan Whetton

New Zealand rugby playe

r

1959

Gary Whetton

New Zealand rugby playe

r

1960

Walter Werzowa

Austrian composer and produce

r

1961

Karin Resetarits

Austrian journalist and politicia

n

1962

Tim Gaines

American bass playe

r

1962

Simon Hodgkinson

English rugby player and coac

h

1963

Ellie Cornell

American actress and produce

r

1963

Norman J. Grossfeld

American screenwriter and produce

r

1963

Helen Slater

American actres

s

1963

David Wingate

American basketball playe

r

1964

Paul Kaye

English acto

r

1966

Carl Hooper

Guyanese cricketer and coac

h

1966

Molly Price

American actres

s

1967

David Howells

English footballer and coac

h

1967

Mo Vaughn

American baseball playe

r

1968

Garrett Wang

American acto

r

1969

Ralph Ineson

English acto

r

1969

Chantal Petitclerc

Canadian wheelchair racer and senato

r

1969

Adam Setliff

American discus thrower and lawye

r

1970

Frankie Dettori

Italian jocke

y

1970

Lawrence Funderburke

American basketball playe

r

1970

Michael Shanks

Canadian actor, screenwriter and directo

r

1971

Clint Lowery

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and produce

r

1972

Rodney Harrison

American football player and sportscaste

r

1972

Lee Jung-jae

South Korean acto

r

1972

Stuart Townsend

Irish acto

r

1972

Alexandra Tydings

American actress, director, writer and produce

r

1973

Surya Bonaly

French figure skate

r

1973

Ryoo Seung-wan

South Korean actor, director, and screenwrite

r

1974

Garath Archer

English rugby playe

r

1974

P. J. Byrne

American acto

r

1975

Samira Saraya

Palestinian actor, filmmaker, poet and rappe

r

1976

Baichung Bhutia

Indian footballer and manage

r

1976

Kim Eagles

Canadian sport shoote

r

1976

Aaron Miles

American baseball player and coac

h

1976

Todd Tichenor

American baseball player and umpir

e

1977

Mehmet Aurélio

Brazilian-Turkish footballer and manage

r

1977

Geoff Stults

American actor and produce

r

1978

Ned Brower

American drumme

r

1978

Mark Jansen

Dutch guitarist and songwrite

r

1978

Jerome McDougle

American football playe

r

1979

Adam Brody

American acto

r

1979

Eric Young

Canadian-American wrestle

r

1980

Élodie Gossuin

French beauty pageant titleholder and mode

l

1980

Sergio Pizzorno

English singer-songwriter and guitaris

t

1980

Manuel Wilhelm

German rugby playe

r

1981

Michelle Dockery

English actres

s

1981

Brendan Fletcher

Canadian actor and screenwrite

r

1981

Andy González

Puerto Rican-American baseball playe

r

1981

Thomas Herrion

American football player

(d. 2005)

1981

Roman Pavlyuchenko

Russian footballe

r

1982

Charlie Cox

English acto

r

1982

Borja García

Spanish race car drive

r

1982

George O. Gore II

American actor and comedia

n

1982

Tatiana Perebiynis

Ukrainian tennis playe

r

1983

Delon Armitage

Trinidadian-English rugby playe

r

1983

René Duprée

Canadian professional wrestle

r

1983

Camilla Luddington

English actres

s

1983

Ronnie Radke

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and produce

r

1983

Sophia Young

Vincentian-American basketball playe

r

1984

Martyn Bernard

English high jumpe

r

1984

Martin Škrtel

Slovak footballe

r

1985

Diogo Fernandes

Brazilian footballe

r

1986

Kim Junsu

South Korean singer-songwriter and dance

r

1986

Iveta Mazáčová

Czech sprinte

r

1986

Keylor Navas

Costa Rican footballe

r

1986

Snejana Onopka

Ukrainian mode

l

1987

Josh Norman

American football playe

r

1988

Erik Gustafsson

Swedish ice hockey playe

r

1988

Emily Head

English actres

s

1988

Steven Nzonzi

French footballe

r

1989

Nichole Bloom

American actress and mode

l

1991

Conor Daly

American race car drive

r

1991

Yanni Gourde

Canadian ice hockey playe

r

1991

Alana Haim

American musician and actres

s

1992

Daiamami Genki

Japanese sumo wrestle

r

1992

Jesse Lingard

English footballe

r

1992

Alex Telles

Brazilian footballe

r

1993

Daniel Ochefu

American basketball playe

r

1995

Jahlil Okafor

American basketball playe

r

1996

Jenifer Brening

German singe

r

1996

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Ukrainian footballe

r

1997

Maude Apatow

American actres

s

1997

Zach Banks

American race car drive

r

1997

Magdalena Fręch

Polish tennis playe

r

1997

Stefania LaVie Owen

New Zealand-American actres

s

1998

Chandler Canterbury

American acto

r

2000

Kayvon Thibodeaux

American football playe

r

December 15 Deaths

933

Li Siyuan

Chinese emperor

(b. 867)

1025

Basil II

Byzantine emperor

(b. 958)

1072

Alp Arslan

Turkish sultan

(b. 1029)

1161

Wanyan Liang

Chinese emperor

(b. 1122)

1230

Ottokar I

duke of Bohemia

(b. 1155)

1283

Philip I

Latin emperor

(b. 1243)

1343

Hasan Kucek

Chopanid prince

(b. c. 1319)

1467

Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna

archbishop and regent of Sweden

(b. 1417)

1574

Selim II

Ottoman sultan

(b. 1524)

1598

Philips of Marnix

Lord of Saint-Aldegonde, Dutch nobleman

(b. 1540)

1621

Charles d'Albert

duc de Luynes, French courtier, Constable of France

(b. 1578)

1673

Margaret Cavendish

Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, English noblewoman

(b. 1623)

1675

Johannes Vermeer

Dutch painter and educator

(b. 1632)

1683

Izaak Walton

English author

(b. 1593)

1688

Gaspar Fagel

Dutch lawyer and politician

(b. 1634)

1698

Louis Victor de Rochechouart de Mortemart

French nobleman

(b. 1636)

1715

George Hickes

English minister and scholar

(b. 1642)

1753

Richard Boyle

3rd Earl of Burlington, English architect and politician, designed Chiswick House

(b. 1694)

1792

Joseph Martin Kraus

Swedish pianist, violinist, and composer

(b. 1756)

1812

Shneur Zalman

Russian rabbi, author and founder of Chabad

(b. 1745)

1817

Federigo Zuccari

astronomer, director of the Astronomical Observatory of Naples

(b. 1783)

1819

Daniel Rutherford

Scottish chemist and physician

(b. 1749)

1855

Jacques Charles François Sturm

French mathematician and academic

(b. 1803)

1878

Alfred Bird

English chemist and businessman, invented baking powder

(b. 1811)

1890

Sitting Bull

Hunkpapa Lakota tribal chief

(b. 1831)

1943

Fats Waller

American singer-songwriter and pianist

(b. 1904)

1944

Glenn Miller

American bandleader and composer

(b. 1904)

1947

Arthur Machen

Welsh journalist and author

(b. 1863)

1947

Crawford Vaughan

Australian politician, 27th Premier of South Australia

(b. 1874)

1950

Vallabhbhai Patel

Indian lawyer and politician, 1st Deputy Prime Minister of India

(b. 1875)

1958

Wolfgang Pauli

Austrian-Swiss physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1900)

1962

Charles Laughton

English-American actor, director, and producer

(b. 1899)

1965

M. Balasundaram

Sri Lankan journalist, lawyer, and politician

(b. 1903)

1966

Keith Arbuthnott

15th Viscount of Arbuthnott, Indian-Scottish general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire

(b. 1897)

1966

Walt Disney

American animator, director, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded The Walt Disney Company

(b. 1901)

1968

Antonio Barrette

Canadian politician, 18th Premier of Quebec

(b. 1899)

1968

Jess Willard

American boxer and actor

(b. 1881)

1969

Karl Theodor Bleek

German lawyer and politician, 12th Mayor of Marburg

(b. 1898)

1971

Paul Lévy

French mathematician and theorist

(b. 1886)

1974

Anatole Litvak

Russian-American director, producer, and screenwriter

(b. 1902)

1977

Wilfred Kitching

English 7th General of The Salvation Army

(b. 1893)

1978

Chill Wills

American actor

(b. 1903)

1980

Peter Gregg

American race car driver

(b. 1940)

1984

Jan Peerce

American tenor and actor

(b. 1904)

1985

Seewoosagur Ramgoolam

Mauritian physician and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Mauritius

(b. 1900)

1986

Serge Lifar

Russian-French ballet dancer and choreographer

(b. 1905)

1989

Edward Underdown

English actor and jockey

(b. 1908)

1991

Vasily Zaytsev

Russian captain

(b. 1915)

1993

William Dale Phillips

American chemist and engineer

(b. 1925)

2000

Haris Brkić

Bosnian-Serbian basketball player

(b. 1974)

2003

Vincent Apap

Maltese sculptor

(b. 1909)

2003

George Fisher

American cartoonist

(b. 1923)

2003

Keith Magnuson

Canadian ice hockey player and coach

(b. 1947)

2004

Vassal Gadoengin

Nauruan educator and politician, Speaker of the Nauru Parliament

(b. 1943)

2005

Heinrich Gross

Austrian physician and psychiatrist

(b. 1914)

2005

Stan Leonard

Canadian golfer

(b. 1915)

2005

William Proxmire

American soldier, journalist, and politician

(b. 1915)

2005

Darrell Russell

American football player

(b. 1976)

2006

Clay Regazzoni

Swiss race car driver

(b. 1939)

2006

Mary Stolz

American journalist and author

(b. 1920)

2007

Julia Carson

American lawyer and politician

(b. 1938)

2008

León Febres Cordero

Ecuadorian engineer and politician, 46th President of Ecuador

(b. 1931)

2009

Eliza Atkins Gleason

American librarian

(b. 1909)

2009

Oral Roberts

American evangelist, founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association

(b. 1918)

2010

Blake Edwards

American director, producer, and screenwriter

(b. 1922)

2010

Bob Feller

American baseball player and sportscaster

(b. 1918)

2010

Eugene Victor Wolfenstein

American psychoanalyst and theorist

(b. 1940)

2011

Bob Brookmeyer

American trombone player and composer

(b. 1929)

2011

Christopher Hitchens

English-American essayist, literary critic, and journalist

(b. 1949)

2012

Owoye Andrew Azazi

Nigerian general

(b. 1952)

2012

Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa

Nigerian politician, 18th Governor of Kaduna State

(b. 1948)

2012

Olga Zubarry

Argentinian actress

(b. 1929)

2013

Harold Camping

American evangelist, author, radio host

(b. 1921)

2013

Joan Fontaine

British-American actress

(b. 1917)

2013

Dyron Nix

American basketball player

(b. 1967)

2014

Donald Metcalf

Australian physiologist and immunologist

(b. 1929)

2014

Fausto Zapata

Mexican journalist, lawyer, and politician, Governor of San Luis Potosí

(b. 1940)

2015

Harry Zvi Tabor

English-Israeli physicist and engineer

(b. 1917)

2016

Craig Sager

American sports journalist

(b. 1951)

2017

Heinz Wolff

scientist and TV presenter

(b. 1928)

2017

Calestous Juma

academic

(b. 1953)

2018

Eryue He

Chinese historical fiction writer

(b.1945)

2018

Girma Wolde-Giorgis

President of Ethiopia

(b. 1924)

2020

Saufatu Sopoanga

Tuvaluan politician, 8th Prime Minister of Tuvalu

(b. 1952)