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John Spencer (1935–2006) was an English snooker player. He reached the final of the English Amateur Championship three years in a row, winning on his third attempt in 1966. After turning professional in 1967, he won the World Snooker Championship as a debutant in 1969. He won his second world title in the 1971 event. His third, in 1977, made him the first player to win at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre where the event has been staged annually ever since. His other notable victories include the 1975 Masters, where he defeated Ray Reardon on a re-spotted black in the deciding frame of the final, the 1978 Irish Masters, and three editions of the BBC's Pot Black series. He was a snooker commentator for the BBC from 1978 to 1998, and served on the board of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for 25 years, the last 7 of those as chair. He retired from professional play in 1992 because of ill health, but continued to perform in exhibition matches. The trophy for the Seniors Masters tournament was named in his memory in 2018. (Full article...)

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In the news

Alexei Navalny

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (pictured) dies in a penal colony near Kharp, at the age of 47.
In American football, the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl.
In association football, the Africa Cup of Nations concludes with Ivory Coast defeating Nigeria in the final.
Alexander Stubb is elected President of Finland.
Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies in a car crash at the age of 24.

On this day

February 18

Protesters during the Revolution of Dignity

3102 BCE – According to Hindu scriptures, Kali Yuga, the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas, began.
1814 – War of the Sixth Coalition: French troops led by Napoleon forced the Army of Bohemia to retreat after it advanced dangerously close to Paris.
1977 – The Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm fire started during Chinese New Year when a firecracker ignited the wreaths of late Mao Zedong, killing 694 personnel.
2014 – A series of violent events (pictured) involving protesters, riot police, and unknown shooters began in Kyiv that culminated in the ousting of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych five days later.

Angilbert (d. 814)
Per Brahe the Younger (b. 1602)
Ōyama Sutematsu (d. 1919)
J. Robert Oppenheimer (d. 1967)

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Today's featured picture

Echinaster sepositus, also known as the Mediterranean red sea star, is a species of starfish in the Echinasteridae family. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the French side of the English Channel, at depths of up to 250 m (820 ft). It has a wide range of habitats including rocky, sandy and muddy bottoms, and sea-grass meadows formed of Posidonia oceanica and Zostera. E. sepositus has five relatively slender arms, with a diameter of up to 20 cm, or occasionally as much as 30 cm. It is a bright orange-red in colour with a soapy surface texture and a surface dotted with evenly spaced pits from which the animal can extend its deep red gills (papula). This E. sepositus individual was photographed in the Atlantic Ocean in Arrábida Natural Park, Portugal.

Photograph credit: Diego Delso

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