2013 Benedict XVI Resigns as Pope

On February 28th, 2013, Benedict XVI became the first Pope in over six centuries to step down, citing declining health and his inability to fulfill the demands of the papacy. His resignation ended an eight-year tenure and marked a rare moment of voluntary abdication in the Catholic Church’s history.

🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on February 28:

1991 — The Persian Gulf War officially ended, following a swift coalition victory over Iraq after the US-led Operation Desert Storm.

1986 — Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated in Stockholm, a crime that remained unsolved for decades and shocked the Swedish public.

1947 — Widespread protests erupted against the ruling Kuomintang in Taiwan, fueled by dissatisfaction with economic conditions and political repression.

1942 — Japanese forces landed on Java, the largest Indonesian island, in a significant expansion of its in Southeast Asian control during World War II.

1922 — Egypt formally became an independent nation after the British granted full sovereignty, ending decades of colonial control.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On February 28, we’re singing to:

Linus Pauling (1901) — American scientist and one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century, known for his work on the nature of the chemical bond and his advocacy for peace, who won two Nobel Prizes.

Bugsy Siegel (1906) — Infamous American gangster and one of the key figures in the development of Las Vegas as a gambling capital.

 🪦Who Died Today?

On February 28, we’re saying goodbye to:

Cosimo II (1621) — Grand Duke of Tuscany known for his patronage of the arts and his contributions to the development of Florence during his reign.

Joseph Clement (1844) — British engineer renowned for his work on precision engineering and innovations in machinery.

Henry James (1916) — American-British writer known for his exploration of consciousness and his literary works, such as The Turn of the Screw and The Portrait of a Lady.

Freeman Dyson (2020) — British-American physicist, celebrated for his groundbreaking work in quantum mechanics and his contributions to space exploration and environmentalism.

How Am I Doing?