25 Years Since Kirsty MacColl Was Killed.

English singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl died in a tragic accident, 25 years ago today on 18 December 2000, while on holiday in Cozumel, Mexico.

She, her partner, and her two teenage sons were diving at the Chankanaab reef, which was off-limits to boats.

A powerboat entered the restricted zone at high speed as the group surfaced from a dive, and Kirsty saved her son from harm by pushing him aside.

Tragically, she was then struck by the boat itself, suffering severe chest and head injuries, and died instantly, at the age of 41.

Her body was later returned to the UK and cremated following a service at Mortlake Crematorium in Kew.

The accident resulted in a culpable homicide conviction for local deckhand José Cen Yam, but under Mexican law, he was allowed to avoid prison by paying a fine and damages.

However, he was seen as a scapegoat by MacColl's family, who believed the boat's wealthy owner (Carlos González Nova) was actually driving and should have been held responsible.

Kirsty MacColl is fondly remembered for her distinctive voice and songwriting, and particularly at this time of year for her vocal performance on The Pogues’ Christmas classic “Fairytale of New York.”

The Death of Venezuelan Dictator Juan Vicente Gómez.

Juan Vicente Gómez, the long-time dictator of Venezuela, died 90 years ago today, on December 17, 1935, in Maracay, Venezuela.

Gómez, who ruled for 27 years, died aged 78, of natural causes after a prolonged illness.

His death marked the end of a 27-year authoritarian regime and opened the way for cautious political reforms under his successor, Eleazar López Contreras. Gómez’s rule was characterized by political repression, but also by state consolidation and the early development of Venezuela’s oil economy.

After the 1914 Lake Maracaibo oil discovery, President Gómez cut Venezuela's huge debt by giving foreign oil companies concessions. Consequently, he gained backing from the US, Europe, and financial stability.

Jane Austen - 250 Years On.

Today is the 250th anniversary of the birth of British novelist Jane Austen.

Famous for writing Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey & Persuasion, she was born on 16th December 1775 in the village of Steventon, close to Basingstoke, Hampshire. England.

Austen wrote about marriage, money, class, and morality, often with irony and subtle humour. She was a major figure in the shift from 1700s literature to today's novels, and she wrote about bright women dealing with societal limits.

She passed away at the young age of 41 in Winchester, Hampshire, on 18th July 1817.

Her work remains widely read, adapted into films and series, and influential in literature and popular culture.