Osun Defender History Corner: January 18 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashback and recall some events that marked this day.

January 18, 532

Nika riots break out in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), resulting in widespread destruction.

January 18, 1778

English explorer Captain James Cook discovers the Hawaiian Islands, naming them the “Sandwich Islands.”

January 18, 1788

The first fleet of British ships arrives in Australia, marking the beginning of European colonization.

January 18, 1911

Eugene B. Ely lands his Curtiss pusher airplane on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania, the first successful aircraft landing on a ship.

January 18, 1919

The Paris Peace Conference opens, leading to the establishment of the League of Nations.

January 18, 1943

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising: Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto resist deportation by the Nazis.

January 18, 1967

Albert DeSalvo, the “Boston Strangler,” is convicted of numerous crimes, including 13 murders.

January 18, 1977

Australia experiences its worst-ever aviation disaster when a plane crashes near Sydney, killing 83 people.

January 18, 1990

Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry is arrested for drug possession.

January 18, 1993

Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is observed in all 50 states for the first time.

January 18, 1996

Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson.

January 18, 2000

The Tagish Lake meteorite explodes over northern British Columbia, Canada.

January 18, 2005

The Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial jet, makes its first flight from Toulouse, France.

January 18, 2007

The strongest storm in the United Kingdom in 17 years causes widespread power outages and transportation disruptions.

January 18, 2012

Protesters around the world participate in a “Day of Action” against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).

January 18, 2015

Boko Haram militants attack the Nigerian town of Baga, resulting in possibly the deadliest incident in the group’s history.

January 18, 2016

The World Health Organization declares the end of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

January 18, 2017

The “doomsday clock” is moved 30 seconds closer to midnight, reflecting increased global concerns about nuclear weapons and climate change.

January 18, 2019

Zimbabwe experiences nationwide protests over fuel price increases.

January 18, 2020

The World Health Organization confirms human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on January 18. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.