Smail Hamdani (11 March 1930 – 6/7 February 2017) was an Algerian politician. He was Prime Minister of Algeria from 15 December 1998 to 23 December 1999.
Hamdani became a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN). In 1962 when Algeria gained independence, he was named as chief of staff of the provisional government led by Abderrahmane Farès. Under the presidency of Ahmed Ben Bella, Hamdani was appointed ambassador to Belgium.
Hamdani died in his sleep either on the night of 6 February or on morning of 7 February 2017 from a heart attack, aged 86.
Svend Asmussen
Svend Asmussen (28 February 1916 – 7 February 2017) was a jazz violinist from Denmark. He was known as "The Fiddling Viking". He played and recorded with many of the greats of Jazz, including Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Stephane Grappelli. He played publicly until 2010 when he had a blood clot, his career having spanned eight decades.
Asmussen died on 7 February 2017, aged 100.
Tzvetan Todorov
Tzvetan Todorov (; ; March 1, 1939 – February 7, 2017) was a Bulgarian-French historian, philosopher, structuralist literary critic, sociologist and essayist.
He was the author of many books and essays, which have had a significant influence in anthropology, sociology, semiotics, literary theory, thought history and culture theory.
Todorov died on February 7, 2017 in Paris, aged 77.
Richard Hatch
Richard Lawrence Hatch (May 21, 1945 – February 7, 2017) was an American actor, writer, and producer. He was best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original "Battlestar Galactica" television series, and also as Tom Zarek in the 2003 remake of "Battlestar Galactica".
Hatch was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role as Apollo. Early in his career, Hatch won an Obie Award for his role in the musical "PS Your Cat Is Dead".
Hatch was also known for his role as Philip Brent in "All My Children" and as Inspector Dan Robbins in "The Streets of San Francisco".
Hatch was born in Santa Monica, California. He worked in Chicago, Illinois during his early stage career. Hatch died on February 7, 2017 from pancreatic cancer under hospice care in Los Angeles, aged 71.
Sotsha Dlamini
Sotsha Ernest Dlamini (27 May 1940 – 7 February 2017) was a Swazi politician. He served as Prime Minister of Swaziland from 6 October 1986 to 12 July 1989.
He was born in Mankayane. He became prime minister after being appointed by Dzeliwe of Swaziland in 1986. He replaced Bhekimpi Dlamini, who resigned in 1986. Dlamini served as prime minister when tensions of apartheid was growing.
Dlamini died on 7 February 2017 from complications of a fall at a hospital in Mbabane, Swaziland, aged 76.
Richard Lyon (U.S. Admiral)
Richard "Dick" Lyon (July 14, 1923 – February 3, 2017) was an American politician and retired United States Navy admiral. He served as Mayor of Oceanside, California from 1992 through 2000. Lyon was the first admiral of Special Warfare ("SEAL").
Lyon was born in Pasadena, California. He was selected a member of the United States Olympic swim team for the 1940 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but the 1940 games were canceled due to the outbreak of World War II. Lyon graduated from Yale University in 1944.
Lyon died on February 3, 2017 in Oceanside, California, aged 93.
Steve Sumner
Steven Paul Sumner (2 April 1955 – 8 February 2017) was an English-born New Zealand football player. He was born in Blackpool, Lancashire. Sumner was captain of the national team during the country's first successful campaign to qualify for the World Cup in 1982.
In 1991 he was inducted into the New Zealand Soccer Media Association Hall of Fame and was then awarded FIFA's top award, the FIFA Order of Merit, before the opening of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, along with Johan Cruyff and former South African president Thabo Mbeki.
Sumner died on 8 February 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand from prostate cancer, aged 61.
Mark Rylance
Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (born 18 January 1960) is an English actor, theatre director and playwright. He was the first artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe in London, from 1995 to 2005.
His movie appearances include "Prospero's Books" (1991), "Angels and Insects" (1995), "Institute Benjamenta" (1996), and "Intimacy" (2001). Rylance won the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rudolf Abel in "Bridge of Spies" (2015). He played the title role in Steven Spielberg's "The BFG" (2016).
In 2016, he was named in the "Time" 100 list of the most influential people in the world.
Guillermo Lasso
Guillermo Alberto Santiago Lasso Mendoza (born 16 November 1955) is an Ecuadorian businessman and politician. Lasso is the 47th President of Ecuador since 24 May 2021. He was the presidential candidate for the 2013, 2017 and 2021 elections for the party Creating Opportunities.
He arrived in second place with 22.68% of valid votes, but as incumbent President Rafael Correa received 57.17% of votes, a round-off didn't take place. In early 2017, he launched his second presidential campaign against former Vice President Lenín Moreno and other candidates. In February 2017, both Lasso and Moreno made it to a run-off election on April 2, 2017. He lost the election with 49% of the vote.
In 2020, Lasso announced his candidacy for the presidency again in the 2021 election. He advanced to the second round of the election in February 2021, against Andrés Arauz. He defeated Arauz in the April 2021 run-off.
Lasso was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city. His parents were Enrique Lasso and Nora Mendoza. He studied Economics and graduated from the San José La Salle High School.
Lasso is, through a trust named with his initials, GLM, the largest share holder in Banco de Guayaquil. He has been executive president for more than 20 years.
Lasso served as Governor of the Guayas Province from 1998 through 1999. He was appointed by President Jamil Mahuad to serve as Superminister of Economy and Energy, a position he served from August through September 1999. In 2003, President Lucio Gutiérrez appointed Lasso to serve as Itinerant Ambassador, a position he served for only a few months in the same year.
In the 2013 presidential election, Lasso ran against the incumbent President Rafael Correa. He lost the general election in a landslide.
In early 2017, Lasso launched his second presidential campaign to succeed incumbent President Correa for Creating Opportunities in the 2017 presidential elections, as Correa had already served his two-term constitutionally defined limit. His campaign's theme is one of change and he has promised to create 1 million more jobs in Ecuador.
Lasso lost the election after winning 49% of the vote to Moreno's 51% of the vote.
In 2020, Lasso launched his third presidential campaign to replace his 2017 rival Lenin Moreno. He was at first seen as the front-runner but saw opposition against Rafael Correa-supporting candidate Andrés Arauz. In February 2021, Arauz won the majority of votes to advance to the second round. Lasso came in second place narrowly beating Yaku Pérez Guartambel. Lasso would go on to defeat Arauz in the run-off in April.
Lasso was inaugurated as Ecuador's 47th president on 24 May 2021. He became the country's first center-right president since Sixto Durán Ballén, who served from 1992 to 1996. His main focus for his first 100 days will be to increase the country's vaccination rate during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Lasso is married to María de Lourdes Alcívar Crespo. They have five children. Lasso and his family live in Guayaquil.
Neil Gehrels
Cornelis A. "Neil" Gehrels (October 3, 1952 – February 6, 2017) was an American astronomer. He worked in the field of Gamma ray astronomy. He was the Chief of the Astroparticle Physics Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center from 1995 until his death.
Gehrels was born in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. He grew up in Tucson, Arizona. His father, Tom (1925–2011), was also an astronomer.