Monthly Archives: October 2024

History

On this day October 18

Today in History

  • 2007 Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan

    The former Prime Minister of Pakistan and daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the 9th PM of Pakistan, Benazir returned to Pakistan after living 8 years in London and Dubai in a self-imposed exile. Two months later she was assassinated in a bombing while campaigning for the forthcoming elections.

  • 1998 Jesse Pipeline Explosion in Nigeria Kills Over 200

    The oil pipeline, which was owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was situated just outside the city of Lagos. Over 200 people died in the resulting fire that raged for 6 days before it could be put out.

  • 1967 First Space Probe to Enter the Atmosphere of Another Planet

    The Soviet Probe Venera 4 entered Venus’ atmosphere and sent back information to Earth for about 90 minutes before it lost contact. When Venera 7 landed on Venus a few years later, it became the first probe to land on another planet.

  • 1867 Alaska Becomes a Part of the United States

    US had purchased the large and sparsely populated territory of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The purchase was not seen as a positive acquirement by many American citizens who believed that adding Alaska to the US’s territory was a waste of taxpayers’ money. Many called the act, Seward’s folly after Secretary of State William H. Seward, who was responsible for making the purchase. Alaska was admitted to the Union as a state in 1959. October 18 is annually celebrated as Alaska Day in Alaska.

  • 1851 Moby Dick is Published for the First Time

    The epic written by American novelist, Herman Melville, is about a sailor’s obsession with tracking down and killing an elusive whale that took his leg in a previous encounter. The book was published as The Whale in London for the first time and then a month later as Moby Dick in the United States. It is thought to be one of the best works of fiction written in modern times.

Politics

Biden’s Bid for Legacy

Biden’s Bid for Legacy: How Israel Found and Eliminated Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar

In a significant moment for Middle Eastern geopolitics, Israel successfully located and eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the prominent Hamas leader responsible for orchestrating violent attacks on Israeli civilians. Sinwar, who was the face of Hamas in Gaza and a key architect of terror operations, was targeted by Israeli forces in an operation demonstrating their intelligence and military precision.

But amid this major breakthrough, U.S. President Joe Biden appears eager to claim a share of the credit. As the world watched the culmination of Israel’s mission, Biden’s administration has signaled that his behind-the-scenes diplomacy played a crucial role. Biden has long sought a peace legacy in the Middle East, and with this high-profile Hamas leader taken down, the president seems poised to highlight U.S. involvement as a part of his efforts to stabilize the region.

However, while Biden may want to wrap this into his legacy, the facts on the ground tell a different story. Israel’s intelligence services, the IDF, and Mossad have been relentlessly pursuing Hamas leadership for years, and Sinwar was no exception. The operation to find him was primarily the work of Israel’s meticulous intelligence network, with assistance from other nations largely remaining supportive at best. Yet, Biden’s administration seems eager to highlight their diplomatic engagement as a factor in Sinwar’s elimination.

For Biden, this is more than just a tactical victory—he’s looking for a legacy boost. As his presidency faces challenges on multiple fronts, from domestic issues to global conflicts, the elimination of Sinwar offers an opportunity to claim leadership on one of the world’s most volatile issues. But the question remains: is this really Biden’s victory to own, or is he just trying to ride on the success of Israel’s military achievements?

For now, it seems clear that while Israel did the heavy lifting, Biden is doing his best to leverage the moment for his own narrative. Only time will tell whether this attempt will stick as part of his legacy or if it will be seen as political opportunism.

History

On this day October 17

Today in History

  • 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake Rocks California

    Santa Cruz County was the most affected by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake. About 60 people died as a result of falling buildings and landslides. It was the first major earthquake on the San Andreas fault since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

  • 1973 OPEC Declares Oil Embargo

    The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC led by Arab countries declared an oil embargo on any country that supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War, which was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states. The embargo led to a massive oil shortage and had long-lasting economic effects in the United States and Europe. The embargo was lifted in March 1974.

  • 1956 Bobby Fischer Wins the Game of the Century

    The chess match between 13-year old Fischer and Donald Byrne took place at the Marshall Chess Club in New York City.

  • 1861 Cullin-la-Ringo Massacre

    In what is thought to be the largest massacre of white settlers by Australian aborigines, the killings occurred after a group of settlers from Victoria led by politician Horatio Wills, set up a camp at Cullin-la-Ringo, which is located in present-day Central Queensland. 19 people were killed during the massacre.

  • 1814 London Beer Flood

    Vats of beer at the Meux and Company Brewery burst, flooding city streets with 610,000 liters of beer. The almost 15 feet tall wave of porter killed 8 people, some of whom were gathered for a funeral.