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Births on August 19

1956Aug, 19

José Rubén Zamora

José Rubén Zamora, Guatemalan journalist
José Rubén Zamora Marroquín (born August 19, 1956) is an industrial engineer, entrepreneur, and the founder of three Guatemalan newspapers: Siglo Veintiuno ("21st Century") in 1990, and El Periódico ("The Newspaper") in 1996, and Nuestro Diario ("Our Daily") in 1998. He has been threatened and attacked on several occasions for his work, including being held hostage in his home in 2003 and being kidnapped and beaten in 2008.

Zamora has received numerous international prizes and distinctions. He was awarded the Maria Moors Cabot Prize from Columbia University in 1994, he received an International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists in 1994, he was named one of 50 World Press Freedom Heroes of the 20th century by the International Press Institute in 2000, and in 2003 the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation awarded him its International Journalism Award.

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Events on 1956

  • 26Jul

    Suez Crisis

    Following the World Bank's refusal to fund building the Aswan Dam, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal, sparking international condemnation.
  • 17Oct

    Bobby Fischer

    Donald Byrne and Bobby Fischer play a famous chess game called The Game of the Century. Fischer beat Byrne and wins a Brilliancy prize.
  • 23Oct

    Hungarian Revolution of 1956

    Thousands of Hungarians protest against the government and Soviet occupation. (The Hungarian Revolution is crushed on November 4).
  • 4Nov

    Hungarian Revolution of 1956

    Soviet troops enter Hungary to end the Hungarian revolution against the Soviet Union, that started on October 23. Thousands are killed, more are wounded, and nearly a quarter million leave the country.
  • 12Nov

    Sudan

    Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia join the United Nations.