On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students invade the US embassy in Tehran and take 90 people hostage for 444 days. Also on November 4, the former president of Romania Traian Băsescu was born.
PHOTO: Mediafax
1862 – American inventor Richard Gatling patents the machine gun
American inventor Richard Gatling patented the machine gun (Gatling gun) in 1862. This multiple-barreled gun, manually operated by a crank, was designed by Gatling in 1861
1872: Barbu Ştirbey, Romanian politician, was born
Prince Barbu Alexandru Ştirbey (b. November 4, 1872, Buftea – d. March 24, 1946, Bucharest) was a politician from Romania, president of the Council of Ministers, minister of the interior and ad-interim of Finance and Foreign Affairs, honorary member of the Romanian Academy. On June 4, 1927, he accepted King Ferdinand's request to form a government of “national union”managing to form a cabinet, which included the representatives of the two major parties involved in a fierce political dispute, PNL and PNT.
The Știrbey government lasted only two weeks, after which the reins of power were taken over by the liberal Ion. IC Bratianu. When Carol II was proclaimed king, on June 7, 1930, Barbu was forced to go into exile in Paris, where he stayed for 10 years. In Paris, Prince Știrbey was the victim of an assassination attempt from which he recovered with difficulty.
Returned from exile, after the removal of Charles II in 1940, Barbu Știrbey was sent on a diplomatic mission to Cairo and Moscow, in an attempt to negotiate with the Allies. In 1945, the historical parties and King Mihai wanted the alternative of forming a government under his leadership, while the country was in transition from Radescu's government, but on March 2, 1945, Petru Groza was imposed by Moscow.
Prince Știrbey had an unexpected and suspicious death in 1946, after attending a dinner at the Soviet Embassy in Bucharest, being diagnosed with liver cancer. The “white prince” of Romanian politics was buried, alongside his grandfather, ruler Barbu Stirbei, at the Chapel in the park of the Palace in Buftea.
1922: The tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered
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On November 4, 1922, a team of archaeologists led by Howard Carter discovered a clue to the entrance to King Tutankhamun's tomb.
When the tomb itself was discovered, after more than 3,000 years of being unopened many believed that the pharaoh had unleashed a powerful curse on all who dared to disturb his eternal sleep.
Tutankhamun was pharaoh of Egypt from the 18th dynasty (1332-1323 AD), and his tomb was discovered intact in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter and Lord Georghe Herbert of Carnarvon, along with a fabulous treasure. The tomb was looted in antiquity, but only unimportant objects were taken, later it was restored and since then no one could enter.
The pharaoh's popularity grew after the myth of the curse that would have killed various personalities who came into contact with the tomb and touched the pharaoh's objects, which were supposed to accompany him in the afterlife, spread.
Lord Carnarvon, for example, died shortly after the great discovery from an insect sting.
1951: Traian Băsescu, former president of Romania, was born
Traian Băsescu PHOTO Inquam / George Călin
Born on November 4, 1951, in Murfatlar (Basarabi), in Constanţa county, Traian Băsescu, son of Dumitru and Elena, graduated at the age of 25 from the Mircea cel Bătrân Civil Navy Institute in Constanța, Faculty of Navigation, Commercial section.
He is a Romanian politician, former president of Romania between 2004 and 2014. Previously, from June 2000 to December 2004, he was general mayor of the municipality of Bucharest, elected by the PD.
Traian Băsescu was in the communist regime a collaborator with the Securitate as Political Police under the code name Petrov, a fact proven at the High Court of Justice of Romania, which admitted the request of CNSAS to ascertain the quality of collaborator for the former president of Romania.
In 2001, he won the presidency of the Democratic Party during the internal elections, replacing Petre Roman. He was co-president of the Alliance Dreptate si Adevăr, formed by PNL and PD in 2003. Following the withdrawal of Theodor Stolojan (PNL) from the race, Traian Băsescu (PD) became the candidate of the DA Alliance for the presidency of Romania.
In the 2009 presidential elections, he was re-elected president of Romania for a 5-year term, defeating Mircea Geoană (PSD).
On January 1, 2007, during his term as president, Romania joined the European Union.
1956 – Invasion of Hungary by Soviet tanks and installation of the counter-revolutionary government led by János Kádár
Soviet tanks invaded Hungary, which was in the midst of an anti-communist popular uprising (October 23, 1956 – November 11, 1956). The Soviet air force bombed a part of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, and Russian troops entered the city, after a massive offensive started at dawn. At least 1,000 Soviet tanks entered Budapest. The Soviet Union installed a counter-revolutionary puppet government led by János Kádár.
The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 against the Bolshevik dictatorship and Soviet occupation began on October 23. Fed up with Mátyás Rákosi's leadership, the students started a peaceful demonstration that turned into a violent revolution, ending in a massacre by Soviet troops on November 10–11, 1956. The loss of life was estimated at around 2,500 Hungarians and 700 Soviet soldiers; another approximately 200,000 inhabitants left Hungary, taking refuge in the West.
1969 – American rapper P. Diddy was born
PHOTO: AFP
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969) is a rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, executive, designer and actor. In October 2006, he changed his stage name to Diddy (adopted in August 2005). Prior to this change, he was known as Puff Daddy and later as P. Diddy (“Puff” and “Puffy” were just nicknames, but nothing official). He still goes by the name P. Diddy in New Zealand and the UK after being sued by another artist who already went by the name “Diddy”.
1969 – American actor Matthew McConaughey was born
Matthew David McConaughey (born November 4, 1969) is an American actor, best known for his role in the 1993 film The Great Hangover. This came after a series of small parts in productions that failed to attract the attention of audiences and critics. After this success, he appeared in films such as Time of Revenge, Contact, U-571, A Small Problem, Sahara or We Are Marshall, But Who Did I Marry?, How to Get Rid of a Guy in 10 Days, How to Get a 30-Year-Old Bachelor Out of the House, Ghosts of Ex-Girlfriends, “Fool's Gold” or “The Limousine Lawyer”.
1979: A group of Iranian students invade the US embassy in Tehran and take 90 people hostage for 444 days
In Tehran, on November 4, 1979, about 400 students of the Daneshjuyane Khate Emam group stormed and occupied the United States embassy.
90 people inside the embassy were declared prisoners to force the US to extradite the former King of Persia Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was in New York City undergoing treatment in a clinic. The United States refused extradition.
During the turmoil of the first few days, six Americans managed to escape and take refuge in the Canadian embassy. They were able to leave Iran later using fake passports. 13 hostages – women and African Americans – were released on November 19 on the order of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. 52 people still remained prisoners.
By March 1980, plans and exercises for possible limited military intervention were so advanced that the US military leadership was able to present military options to President Jimmy Carter.
On April 11, Carter decided to start the covert operation; the code name for the operation being “Eagle Claw”. The closest possible date was set as the date of execution, April 24, 1980. On April 16, the military leadership confirmed that Eagle Claw could take place.
Carter intervened on the plan, however, forbidding airstrikes by four AC-130H Specter (gunship) aircraft to reduce Iranian casualties and avoid a declaration of war by Iran.
The operation was planned as a complex action over two nights. Eight RH-53D Sea Stallion heavy transport helicopters were to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) which was in international waters in the Persian Gulf.
The operation, a failure
The helicopter commander ordered the helicopters to return to the aircraft carrier. But helicopter four still needed fuel, and to supply it, helicopter one had to be repositioned.
The helicopter started its engines, rose slightly starting to move away from the plane that had supplied it, but then a cloud of sand rose and the helicopter touched the wing of the rotor with the plane's wing, pitched, sparks flew and an explosion followed by flames. Some people could be saved with burns, eight people died.
Chaos was also created due to the fact that the machine gun ammunition on board the aircraft was starting to fire. Helicopters on the north side of the road were abandoned in panic, including classified material, some still with their turbines on.
2008: Barack Obama was elected president of the United States of America
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Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii) The 44th President of the United States was the first African American elected to the position, following the November 4, 2008 presidential election.
He was inaugurated on January 20, 2009 and replaced his predecessor George W. Bush. In 2012, he was re-elected, remaining in office for another 4 years.
He ended his term on January 20, 2017, being succeeded by Donald Trump.
On October 9, 2009, Barack Obama was announced as the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize“for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen cooperation between peoples”.
