Memory of the day: Birthday of Egypt's sweetheart Laila Elwi

CAIRO – 4 January 2020: On January 4, many important events occurred worldwide. Egyptian football player Mohamed Salah won the Best African Player Award in 2018, the day also marks the birth anniversary of Egyptian star Laila Elwi, and the death anniversary of the famous French writer Albert Camus.

Important events in world history:
 

1493 - The Italian explorer Christopher Columbus leaves the New World for Spain after completing his first expedition.

1959 - The Luna 1 spacecraft becomes the first spacecraft to reach the moon's surroundings.

1961 - The Casablanca conference is held between African magnates Gamal Abdel Nasser, Mohamed V, Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta.

1965 - Israel announces that 250,000 Falasha Jews have immigrated to it.

2006 - Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum takes control of the emirate of Dubai after the death of his brother Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

2018 - Egyptian player Mohamed Salah wins the Best African Player of the Year 2017 at the CAF Awards.

Born on this day:
 

1809 - Louis Braille, French teacher for the visually-impaired and inventor of Braille for the visually-impaired.

1940 - Gao Xingjian, a French writer of Chinese descent, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature.

1945 - Soheir Zaki, oriental dancer.

1962 - Laila Elwi, actress.

Died on this day:
 

1960 - Albert Camus, French writer, Nobel Prize winner in Literature 1957.

1978 - Dawlet White, actress.

2006 - Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.

2011 - Nihad Sharif, novelist.

Ali Reza Pahlavi, son of the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian who ignited the Tunisian revolution against the rule of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.