🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on October 18:

2007 ─ Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's former Prime Minister, narrowly survived a bombing that targeted her motorcade upon her return to Karachi, in an example of the country's political turmoil. 

1988 ─ The sitcom Roseanne, portraying a blue-collar American family, premiered on ABC and became a cultural phenomenon. 

1961 ─ West Side Story, a musical film adaptation of the Broadway hit, debuted in US theatres to critical acclaim. 

1922 ─ The British Broadcasting Company, Ltd. was established, laying the foundation for public radio and television in the UK. 

1898 ─ Following the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States as part of the Treaty of Paris. 

1867 ─ The US approved the purchase of Alaska from Russia, expanding its territory significantly. 

1854 ─ US diplomats issued the Ostend Manifesto, which suggested the acquisition of Cuba from Spain by any means and stirred considerable controversy. 

1851 ─ Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, later a literary classic, was first published in London as The Whale.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On October 18, we’re singing to:

Zhu Xi (1130) ─ Chinese philosopher whose Neo-Confucian teachings profoundly shaped East Asian thought and education for centuries.

Thomas Love Peacock (1785) ─ English author and satirist known for his novels that blend humor, social criticism, and political commentary.

Chuck Berry (1926) ─ Pioneering musician and guitarist, often hailed as one of the founding fathers of rock and roll, whose songs set the tone for the genre.

Lee Harvey Oswald (1939) ─ American former Marine accused of assassinating President John F. Kennedy, a case that remains one of the most debated in US history.

 🪦Who Died Today?

On October 18, we’re saying goodbye to:

King John (1216) ─ King of England known for signing the Magna Carta, a crucial document in establishing the principle of rule of law.

Charles Babbage (1871) ─ British inventor and mathematician often credited as the "father of the computer" for his concept of the programmable analytical engine.

Thomas Edison (1931) ─ Renowned inventor who held over a thousand patents, with notable inventions including the phonograph and the practical electric light bulb.

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