Birthdays

1855: Bread riots broke out in Liverpool.

1878: Thomas Edison patented the phonograph.

1906: In America, William Kellogg formed the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company to make the breakfast cereal he developed as a health food for mental patients.

1942: The Japanese bombed the Australian city of Darwin.

1957: Emergency Ward 10, the first continuous TV series began on ITV – it was shown twiceweekly for 10 years.

1976: Iceland broke off diplomatic relations with Britain after the two countries failed to agree on limits in the Cod War fishing dispute.

1985: Eastenders began on BBC TV.

Gwen Taylor, actress, 81; Smokey Robinson, singer, 80; Jeff Daniels, actor, 65; Hana Mandlikova, former tennis player, 58; Seal (Seal Henry Samuel), singer, 57; Benicio del Toro, pictured, actor, 53; Beth Ditto, rock singer (Gossip), 39.

Quotes of the day

“The UK would be well advised to take note that EU finance ministers put a British overseas territory on the blacklist of tax havens. This sends a clear signal that the idea of turning the UK into a tax haven will not be acceptable to the EU” – German MEP Markus Ferber after the EU added the Cayman Islands to its tax havens blacklist.

“Following the decision by the Duke of York to step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, there is no longer a requirement for UK Government buildings to fly the Union flag on Wednesday February 19” – A Government spokesman on why there will be no public celebration of Andrew’s 60th birthday.

“Skyfall is a relatively modern Bond, so Adele has done exceedingly well to beat the likes of iconic songs such as Live And Let Die, Goldfinger and A Licence To Kill” – David Arnold of Ginger Research after the 2012 hit was voted the greatest James Bond theme ever written.