^B{^#!16!27 December^N! Feast day of St John the Evangelist, St Fabiola, Saints Theodore and Theophanes Graptoi, and St Nicarete.
^B{1703^B} The Methuen Treaty was signed between Portugal and England, giving preference to the import of Portuguese wines into England. ^B{1831^B} Charles Darwin set sail in the ^I{Beagle^I} on his voyage of scientific discovery. ^B{1904^B} James Barrie's ^I{Peter Pan^I} premiered in London, UK. ^B{1927^B} Defeated in his struggle for power against Stalin, Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party. ^B{1945^B} The IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank were established. ^B{1965^B} The BP oil rig Sea Gem capsized in the North Sea, with the loss of 13 lives. ^B{1978^B} With the adoption of a new constitution, Spain became a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.
^B{^I{^#!14!Born ^N}Johannes Kepler, German astronomer, ^B{1571^B}; George Cayley, British aviation pioneer, ^B{1773^B}; Louis Pasteur, French chemist and microbiologist, ^B{1822^B}; Sydney Greenstreet, English film actor, ^B{1878^B}; Marlene Dietrich, German singer and actress, ^B{1901^B}; Gerard Depardieu, French film actor, ^B{1948^B}.
^B{^I{^#!14!Died ^N}Charles Lamb, English essayist and critic, ^B{1834^B}; Max Beckmann, German painter, ^B{1950^B}; Lester Pearson, Canadian statesman, ^B{1972^B}; Houari BoumΘdienne, Algerian politician, ^B{1978^B}; Hoagy Carmichael, US composer, singer, and pianist, ^B{1981^B}; HervΘ Guibert, French novelist and photographer, ^B{1992^B}.
