Facts

1821: The Dredes – the Arvanites of Upper Messinia – rise up against the Turks, led by Giannakis Mellios.

1882: German doctor Robert Koch discovers the tuberculosis bacillus. For this important medical discovery, which saved and continues to save countless lives, March 24 is marked as World Tuberculosis Day.

1971: Panathinaikos draws 0-0 with Everton and, combined with Liverpool’s 1-1 draw, advances to the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup (now Champions League). The eleven of the triumph: Economopoulos, Tomaras, Athanasopoulos, Kapsis, Sourpis, Kamaras, Vlachos, Phylakouris, Domazos, Grammos, Antoniadis.

1973: Pink Floyd’s album ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ is released in Great Britain.

1999: NATO launches bombing raids against Yugoslavia because the latter refuses to sign the agreement on the future of Kosovo. The airstrikes would last for three months, until Yugoslav forces withdrew from the area. It is the first attack in the history of the Alliance against a sovereign state.

2015: A one-year prison sentence, with a three-year suspension, is imposed by the Special Court on the former Minister of Finance, Giorgos Papakonstantinou, whom he finds guilty of the crime of falsifying a public document regarding the “Lagarde List” case. The court changed his offense from a felony to a misdemeanor, while the former minister was acquitted of the offense of attempted infidelity.

Births

1874: Sidney Riley, Russian-Jewish adventurer and spy, Ian Fleming’s model for James Bond. (D. 6/11/1925)

1930:Steve McQueen, American actor. (“The Butterfly”) (D. 7/11/1980)

1961: Yanis Varoufakis, Greek economist and politician.

Deaths

1893: Theodoros Aretaios, Greek physician, Professor of Surgery (1864-1893), Rector (1879-1880) and great benefactor of the University of Athens (Aretaiio Hospital). (Born 2/8/1829)

1905:Julius Verne, French writer of science fiction novels. (“Around the World in 80 Days”, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”) (Born 8/2/1828)

1934: Theophilos, Greek folk painter. (Gen. ?)