Summary of the Day ✨ 18 April (18/04)
The United States released a redacted version of the Mueller report to Congress and the public while simultaneously launching Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf, marking the largest naval battle since World War II. In a day of international tension, Israeli forces committed the Qana massacre in Lebanon, killing 106 civilians sheltering in a UN compound, while King Mswati III announced Swaziland would be renamed Eswatini and anti-government protests began in Nicaragua.
Historical Events 📜
- 2019: A redacted version of the Mueller report is released to the United States Congress and the public.
- 2018: King Mswati III of Swaziland announces that his country’s name will change to Eswatini.
- 2018: Anti-government protests start in Nicaragua.
- 1996: The Israeli military commits the Qana massacre in a deliberate shelling of a United Nations compound near the village of Qana in southern Lebanon, killing 106 Lebanese civilians who were taking shelter there and wounding over 100 more.
- 1988: The United States launches Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the largest naval battle since World War II.
- 1988: In Israel John Demjanjuk is sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II, although the verdict is later overturned.
- 1980: The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country’s first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency.
- 1980: The town of Elmore City, Oklahoma holds its first dance in the town’s history.
- 1972: East African Airways Flight 720 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 43.
- 1955: Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference.
- 1954: Gamal Abdel Nasser seizes power in Egypt.
- 1949: The Republic of Ireland Act comes into force, declaring Éire to be a republic and severing Ireland’s “association” with the Commonwealth of Nations.
- 1947: The Operation Big Bang, the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion to that time, destroys bunkers and military installations on the North Sea island of Heligoland, Germany.
- 1946: The International Court of Justice holds its inaugural meeting in The Hague, Netherlands.
- 1946: Jackie Robinson makes his regular season debut for the Montreal Royals of the International League, to make them the first integrated modern professional baseball team.
Famous Births 👶
- 1996: Ski Mask the Slump God, American rapper
- 1995: Divock Origi, Belgian footballer
- 1994: Aminé, American singer-songwriter
- 1993: Mika Zibanejad, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1992: Chloe Bennet, American actress
- 1990: Wojciech Szczęsny, Polish footballer
- 1989: Alia Shawkat, American actress
- 1988: Vanessa Kirby, English actress
- 1986: Tina Bru, Norwegian politician
- 1985: Łukasz Fabiański, Polish footballer
- 1984: America Ferrera, American actress
- 1983: Miguel Cabrera, Venezuelan baseball player
- 1981: Audrey Tang, Taiwanese Minister of Digital Affairs and programmer
- 1979: Matt Cooper, Australian rugby league player
- 1979: Kourtney Kardashian, American television personality
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2024: Dickey Betts, American guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer (born 1943)
- 2024: Mandisa, American gospel singer (born 1976)
- 2022: Harrison Birtwistle, British composer (born 1934)
- 2019: Lyra McKee, Irish journalist (born 1990)
- 2014: Guru Dhanapal, Indian director and producer (born 1959)
- 2014: Sanford Jay Frank, American screenwriter and producer (born 1954)
- 2014: Brian Priestman, English conductor and academic (born 1927)
- 2013: Goran Švob, Croatian philosopher and author (born 1947)
- 2013: Anne Williams, English activist (born 1951)
- 2012: Dick Clark, American television host and producer, founded Dick Clark Productions (born 1929)
- 2012: René Lépine, Canadian businessman and philanthropist (born 1929)
- 2012: Robert O. Ragland, American musician (born 1931)
- 2012: K. D. Wentworth, American author (born 1951)
- 2008: Germaine Tillion, French ethnologist and anthropologist (born 1907)
- 2004: Kamisese Mara, Fijian politician, 2nd President of Fiji (born 1920)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Anthusa of Constantinople - Christian feast day:
Cyril VI of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church) - Christian feast day:
Eleutherius and Antia - Christian feast day:
Galdino della Sala - Christian feast day:
Blessed Marie of the Incarnation - Christian feast day:
Molaise of Leighlin - Christian feast day:
Perfectus - Christian feast day:
Blessed Savina Petrilli - Christian feast day:
April 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Army Day (Iran)
- Coma Patients’ Day (Poland)
- Friend’s Day (Brazil)
- Independence Day (Zimbabwe)
- International Day For Monuments and Sites
- Invention Day (Japan)