On this day

August 20, 2014

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

Historical Context for August 20, 2014

In 2014, the world population was approximately 7,381,616,244 people[†]

Notable Deaths

Anton Buslov

2014Anton Buslov, Russian astrophysicist and journalist (born 1983)[†]

Anton Sergeevich Buslov was an astrophysicist, top Russian blogger, columnist at The New Times magazine, and expert on transportation systems. He is also known as a founder of non-governmental organization "Voronezh Citizens for Trams Committee" and both co-chair and co-founder of inter-regional non-governmental organization "City and Transportation". Anton Buslov was highly involved in social activity and acted as a transport expert for urbanist organization "City 4 People".

2014Lois Mai Chan, Taiwanese-American librarian, author, and academic (born 1934)[†]

Lois Mai Chan was a Taiwanese-American library scientist, author, and professor at the University of Kentucky School of Library and Information Science until 2011. Her publications on cataloging, library classification, and subject indexing were recognized with various awards.

Boris Dubin

2014Boris Dubin, Russian sociologist and academic (born 1946)[†]

Boris Vladimirovich Dubin was a Russian sociologist, and a translator for English, French, Spanish, Latin American and Polish literature. Dubin was the head of department of sociopolitical researches at the Levada Center and the assistant to Lev Gudkov, editor-in-chief of the sociological journal Russian Public Opinion Herald published by the center. Additionally he was a lecturer of sociology of culture at the Russian State University for the Humanities and the Moscow higher school of social and economic sciences.

B. K. S. Iyengar

2014B. K. S. Iyengar, Indian yoga instructor and author, founded Iyengar Yoga (born 1918)[†]

Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar was an Indian teacher of yoga and author. He is the founder of the style of yoga as exercise, known as "Iyengar Yoga", and was considered one of the foremost yoga gurus in the world. He was the author of many books on yoga practice and philosophy including Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and Light on Life. Iyengar was one of the earliest students of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who is often referred to as "the father of modern yoga". He has been credited with popularizing yoga, first in India and then around the world.

2014Buddy MacMaster, Canadian singer-songwriter and fiddler (born 1924)[†]

Hugh Alan "Buddy" MacMaster was a Canadian fiddler. He performed and recorded both locally and internationally, and was regarded as an expert on the tradition and lore of Cape Breton fiddle music.

Sava Stojkov

2014Sava Stojkov, Serbian painter and educator (born 1925)[†]

Sava Stojkov was a Serbian naive art painter, known for his environment depictions, as well as for his pre-photorealistic tendencies.

Edmund Szoka

2014Edmund Szoka, American cardinal (born 1927)[†]

Edmund Casimir Szoka was an American Catholic prelate who served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State from 1997 to 2006. He previously served as Bishop of Gaylord from 1971 to 1981 and Archbishop of Detroit from 1981 to 1990. Szoka was elevated to the cardinalate in 1988.

Historical Events

Hiroshima Prefecture

2014Seventy-two people are killed in Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture by a series of landslides caused by a month's worth of rain that fell in one day.[†]

Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 and has a geographic area of 8,479 km². Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama Prefecture to the east, Tottori Prefecture to the northeast, Shimane Prefecture to the north, and Yamaguchi Prefecture to the southwest.

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Headlines from August 20, 2014

RadioShack in Need of Rewiring

By Elizabeth A. Harris

RadioShack’s ubiquitous stores flourished when consumers fixed their own gadgets. Now, the chain is trying out brighter, more inviting stores to lure shoppers.

Business1399 words

Shared Vision, Varying Styles

By Peter Baker and Matt Apuzzo

As African-Americans have praised Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.’s outspokenness on Ferguson, Mo., and lament President Obama’s restraint, the White House has denied any substantive distance between the two.

National1368 words

These Kids Today

By Dave Itzkoff

Eighteen years after it was first staged, “This Is Our Youth,” Kenneth Lonergan’s caustic study of dissolute young adults, reaches Broadway.

Arts&Leisure1856 words

It’s Di Mondo’s World

By Alexandra Jacobs

Rebranding yourself is as easy as acquiring eclectic style, a designer boyfriend and a new name. Just ask Edmundo Huerta, now known as Di Mondo.

Styles1580 words