Ley Juárez passed
Passed this day in 1855 in Mexico, the Ley Juárez abolished special courts for the clergy and military in an attempt by justice minister Benito Juárez to eliminate the remnants of colonialism in Mexico and promote equality. 1855.
Amid a popular uprising—part of a wave of pro-democracy protests known as the Arab Spring—Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh effectively ended his rule by signing an agreement that transferred power to the vice president; Saleh officially left office three months later. 2011.
British author Roald Dahl—who was best known for his irreverent children’s books, which included James and the Giant Peach (1961) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964)—died in Oxford, England. 1990.
The first episode of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who aired, and the show soon became a landmark of British popular culture. 1963.
At least 6,000 Vietnamese civilians were killed in a French naval bombardment of the port city of Haiphong, which led to the outbreak of the First Indochina War. 1946
The Battle of Chattanooga began during the American Civil War. Two days later, Union troops decisively defeated Confederate forces. 1863.
Nicolás Maduro (born November 23, 1962, Caracas, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan leader who won the special election held in April 2013 to choose a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term of Venezuelan Pres. Hugo Chávez, who had died in March. After serving as vice president (October 2012–March 2013), Maduro, a former labor leader, became the interim president following Chávez’s death.
