1917: The British capture Gaza from the Turks. On the same day, Lenin and the Bolsheviks seize power in Russia, capture the Winter Palace and overthrow the Provisional Government.

1931: The Chinese People’s Republic proclaimed by Mao Zedong.

1940: Igor Stravinsky’s Symfonie in C premieres in Chicago.

1944: Franklin D Roosevelt is re-elected President of the United States for a record fourth term.

1951: Frank Sinatra married Ava Gardner.

1956: The Suez Crisis ends with a ceasefire as the United Nations Emergency Force is established.

1972: Richard Nixon is re-elected President of the US.

1980: Death of actor Steve McQueen aged 50 from pleural mesothelioma, a cancer associated with exposure to asbestos.

1990: Mary Robinson is elected as the first female president of Ireland.

1993: Williams driver Alain Prost wins his fourth Formula 1 World Drivers Championship.

2000: The US presidential election is inconclusive. The result is eventually awarded to George W Bush by the Supreme Court.

2004: The interim government of Iraq calls for a 60-day “state of emergency” as US forces storm the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.

2011: Death of heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier from liver cancer aged 67

2016: Death of songwriter Leonard Cohen aged 82.

2018: President Donald Trump fires Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

BIRTHDAYS: Joni Mitchell (Roberta Joan Anderson) singer/songwriter, 76; John Barnes, former footballer, 56; Sharleen Spiteri, musician (Texas),52; David Guetta, DJ, 52; Neil Hannon, musician (The Divine Comedy) 49; Rio Ferdinand, former footballer, 41; Tinie Tempah, (Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu), rapper, 31. Lorde (Ella Yelich O’Connor), singer/songwriter 23.