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Today's featured article

"Chitty Bang Bang 1", a model for the car in the book

Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car is a children's story written by Ian Fleming and illustrated by John Burningham. It was initially published in three volumes, the first of which was released on 22 October 1964, before being published as one book. The story concerns the exploits of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, a car with hidden powers and abilities, and its owners, the Pott family. Fleming, better known as the creator of James Bond, took his inspiration for the subject from a series of aero-engined racing cars called "Chitty Bang Bang" (example pictured), built by Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s. Fleming wrote the book while convalescing after having had a major heart attack; he had created the story as a bedtime story for his son, Caspar. Fleming did not live to see Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang published; he died of a heart attack on 11 August 1964. The story was loosely adapted as the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which in turn was later adapted as a stage musical. (Full article...)

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Selected anniversaries

December 21: December solstice (09:20 UTC, 2024)

Crew of Apollo 8

1620 – The Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower landed at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, to establish the Plymouth Colony.
1963 – An attempt by Greek Cypriot police to search certain Turkish Cypriot women in Nicosia escalated into island-wide violence, leading to 538 deaths and the displacement of nearly 27,000 people.
1968 – Apollo 8 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a trajectory to the Moon; its crew (pictured) became the first humans to visit another celestial body.
1988 – A bomb on board Pan Am Flight 103 detonated over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people.
2018 – Operatives of the British Special Boat Service boarded the container ship Grande Tema in the Thames Estuary to detain four stowaways who had threatened the crew.

Sun Sheng (d. 956)
Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-Walid (d. 1215)
Luang Por Dattajivo (b. 1940)
Hu Jintao (b. 1942)

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In the news

Gisèle Pelicot

In France, Dominique Pelicot and 49 other men are convicted of the mass rape of his ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot (portrait shown).
A 7.3-magnitude earthquake hits Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, leaving at least 16 people dead.
Cyclone Chido leaves at least 123 people dead in southern Africa.
President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol is impeached following his declaration of martial law.

Did you know...

Bush speaking at the Islamic Center of Washington

... that George W. Bush quoted from the Quran in a speech he delivered (pictured) six days after the September 11 attacks?
... that Luo Shiwen led a secret cell of the Chinese Communist Party that negotiated better conditions for inmates at their concentration camp?
... that the Museiliha inscription hints at a border dispute between ancient Caesarea ad Libanum and Gigarta?
... that the fortune left by Zhu Baosan was believed to have been greatly diminished by his philanthropic activities?
... that less than a day after his dad died, Brett Favre played in "one of the greatest games of his fabulous career"?
... that a museum of tomato processing in Greece uses holographic mechanical fans to display images of workers?
... that Shelley Luther was elected to the Texas House of Representatives four years after being imprisoned?
... that the main cemetery of Mainz was established in 1803 and became the model for the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris?
... that David Green published more than 200 research papers before his 18th birthday?

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