Today in History

Historical Events

2013

The trial against whistleblower Bradley Manning begins. The American soldier, a trans woman now called Chelsea Manning, was responsible for leaking classified videos documenting U.S. war atrocities during the Iraq War. She was sentenced to 35 years confinement.

1998

101 people die in the Eschede train disaster. Traveling at 200 km/h (120 mph), a high-speed ICE train derailed and crashed into a bridge. The accident was caused by a fatigue crack in one of the train's wheels. It was the deadliest high-speed train disaster in history.

1982

The Israeli ambassador to the U.K. is shot. Shlomo Argov survived the assassination attempt by a Palestinian terrorist group, but he was permanently paralyzed. The event triggered the 1982 Lebanon War.

1973

The world's first supersonic airliner crashes. The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144, sometimes referred to as Concordski, disintegrated in mid-air during the 1973 Paris Air Show. 14 people died.

1492

Martin Behaim presents the world's first globe. The German geographer called his terrestrial globe Erdapfel, or Earth Apple. It is kept in a darkened room at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, Germany.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

1986

Spanish tennis player

Raúl Castro

Raúl Castro

1931

Cuban politician, 17th Prime Minister of Cuba

Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg

1926

American poet

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Davis

1808

American colonel, politician, President of the Confederate States of America

Manuel Belgrano

Manuel Belgrano

1770

Argentinian economist, lawyer, politician

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

2016

American boxer

Anthony Quinn

Anthony Quinn

2001

Mexican/American actor, producer

Ruhollah Khomeini

Ruhollah Khomeini

1989

Iranian religious leader, politician, 1st Supreme Leader of Iran

Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka

1924

Czech/German writer

Georges Bizet

Georges Bizet

1875

French composer