In 1993 fighting broke out in Huambo, Angola’s second largest city, between government forces and Unita rebels. The fighting comes after the garrison in the city has been cut off for weeks and parts of the city had been flattened by artillery shells. 350 people were reportedly killed on this day of fighting alone and more than 10,000 dead in the two month battle for the City. In 2002 Unita became a political party and signed a cease-fire agreement with the government. Unita later apologised for their part in the 27 year civil war which claimed over 500,000 lives.

In 1957 the people of Ghana celebrate the first day of their independence from British Colonial rule which started in 1874. In the days of British rule the country was known as the British Gold Coast but on this day it became known as Ghana (named after the medieval Ghana Empire; Ghana means ‘Warrior King’). Ghana was the first African country to gain independence from European colonial rule and on this day, the new country also became the newest member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Ghana’s first Prime Minister Dr Kwame Nkrumar was greeted by tens of thousands in the Capital city of Accra but he only took the title of Prime Minister for a few years.  In 1960 he proclaimed the country to be a republic and in ’64 he changed its constitution to proclaim himself President for life, banning any opposition parties. Within two years a military coup removed Dr Nkrumar from power and this was followed by many other coups creating instability in the region for a long period. In 1981 Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings seized power for a second time and began returning political stability to the country. In 1992 a referendum was held with the people of Ghana voting for a multiparty system once more.  Rawlings was re-elected and continued in power until 2000 when he retired.

In 1899 Aspirin was patented in Germany by pharmaceutical company Friedrich Bayer & Co. Aspirin is the brand name for acetylsalicylic acid which is found naturally in the bark of a willow tree. Salicin is the active ingredient derived from willow tree bark and has been used since the ancient Greeks for mild pain relief and to reduce fever. Felix Hoffman, an employee of Friedrich Bayer and Co. Isolated the acetylsalicylic acid in 1897 after it was discovered in 1763 by Edward Stone at Oxford University, England. It is now recommended by health experts that it should be taken daily (in small doses of 75-100mg) to reduce the risk of blood clots and heart disease. Aspirin inhibits the production of thromboxane which is used by the body to bind platelets for repairing holes in damaged blood vessels. The repairing of the blood vessels can form mounds of clotted platelets which grow too large and block the blood flow altogether. So using aspirin for its anti-platelet effect can allow more blood flow and reduce blood clots and pressure on the heart.