Today in History for April 18:
In 1506, the cornerstone was set during festivities led by Pope Julius II to initiate the building of the new St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
In 1521, during the Diet of Worms, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V denounced Martin Luther, following his excommunication by Pope Leo X from the previous year. Despite the significant consequences he faced, Luther, a resolute individual, steadfastly declined to recant.
In 1775, Paul Revere embarked on his renowned journey from Charlestown to Lexington, Massachusetts, alerting American colonists about the approaching British forces.
In 1793, the inaugural newspaper of Upper Canada -- the "Upper Canada Gazette" -- made its debut.
In 1874, the remains of British missionary-explorer David Livingstone were buried in Westminster Abbey in London.
In 1906, San Francisco was hit by a powerful earthquake with an approximate magnitude of 8.3 on the Richter scale. This disaster, along with the subsequent fires, resulted in about 4,000 fatalities and led to roughly $500 million worth of damages.
In 1923, the inaugural match took place at New York’s Yankee Stadium. During this game, Babe Ruth hit a homerun, leading the Yankees to beat the Boston Red Sox with a score of 4-1. This venue later earned the nickname “The House That Ruth Built.” In 2009, the team introduced a newer version of Yankee Stadium, which came with a price tag of $1.5 billion USD. Prior to their turn at batting in the bottom half of the first inning, the Yankees positioned Ruth's bat over home plate as a tribute.
In 1932, the Ford Model B, which was the final model from the initial lineup featuring four cylinders, was introduced.
In 1934, the inaugural self-service laundromat was launched in Fort Worth, Texas. Known as a washateria, this establishment featured four electric washing machines that could be leased by the hour.
In 1942, the Toronto Maple Leafs accomplished the most remarkable comeback in Stanley Cup finals history. After trailing the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 in the series, they won the NHL championship with a score of 3-1 in game seven.
In 1945, Canadian troops finished liberating northeastern Holland from Nazi control.
In 1946, Jackie Robinson started his professional baseball career with the Montreal Royals during an International League match in Jersey City, New Jersey. In this game, he secured four hits, one of which was a home run, contributing to a decisive 14-1 win for Montreal. By crossing the color line in the International League, Robinson paved the way for further integration, culminating in him breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier the following year when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers.
In 1949, Ireland was declared a republic.
In 1954, Gamal Abdel Nasser assumed the position of prime minister in Egypt.
In 1955, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein passed away at the age of 76 in Princeton, New Jersey.
In 1956, actress Grace Kelly tied the knot with Prince Rainier of Monaco through a civil ceremony held in Monte Carlo. The following day saw their religious marriage take place in a church.
In 1968, London Bridge was purchased from Britain for £1 million by U.S. entrepreneur Robert McCulloch, who then relocated it to Arizona.
In 1978, the U.S. Senate ratified the "Panama Canal Treaty," which stipulated that full authority over the canal would be transferred to Panama by December 31, 1999.
In 1980, Zimbabwe Rhodesia achieved independence as the country of Zimbabwe. A ceremony took place in Salisbury, which is now known as Harare, where the British flag was ceremonially lowered.
In 1983, a car bomb destroyed the U.S. embassy in Beirut, resulting in 63 fatalities.
In 1988, an Israeli court found retired American auto worker John Demjanjuk guilty of Nazi war crimes. Eyewitnesses recognized him as Ivan Marchenko, known for his brutality at the Treblinka extermination camp dubbed "Ivan the Terrible." However, his conviction along with the imposed death penalty was annulled in 1993, allowing him to go back to Ohio. Subsequently, U.S. immigration authorities mandated his expulsion to Germany where he faced analogous accusations. (Notably, in May 2011, he received a verdict of guilt and was handed a five-year jail term. Although set free during the appeals process, he passed away on March 17, 2012.)
In 1993, Pope John Paul II beatified a fellow Pole, Blessed Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy. He canonized her seven years later on April 28.
In 1994, Audrey McLaughlin stated she would step down as the federal NDP leader.
In 1999, Wayne Gretzzy concluded his 20-year hockey journey with one last match. During this finale, he suited up for the New York Rangers. Known as an unparalleled force in the sport, Gretzzy either owns or co-owns 61 National Hockey League (NHL) records. Additionally, his accomplishments have earned him a place marked by his name four times on the prestigious Stanley Cup. Throughout his illustrious tenure, he scored 894 goals, provided 1,963 assists, and amassed 2,857 total points—records that stand tall within the NHL annals. Given the enormity of his impact, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman declared that the league would honor Gretzzy’s unmatched legacy by retiring jersey number 99 across all teams.
In 2008, Benoit Corbeil, who served as the director of the federal Liberals' Quebec wing from 1999 to 2001, was apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police due to allegations of fraud connected with the sponsorship scandal. By June 2009, he had admitted guilt to accusations of fraud and influence trafficking. Following this admission, he received a sentence requiring him to spend 15 months in custody at a facility in Quebec. Additionally, he faced financial penalties including a fine of $20,000 and an order to repay $117,000 obtained illicitly from the Liberal party.
In 2008, the Canadian federal government deemed bisphenol A—a contentious chemical—as hazardous. This classification enabled Health Canada to initiate measures aimed at prohibiting the usage of BPA in infant feeding bottles. Consequently, Canada emerged as the global pioneer in restricting human exposure to this disputed compound.
In 2011, the conservative Sun News Network, often referred to as "Fox News North" by detractors, made its debut in Canada with claims of offering a distinctively "provocatively Canadian" perspective. (The network ceased operations on November 13, 2015, following failed attempts to sell the struggling TV station.)
In 2012, Dick Clark, the perpetually youthful TV personality and indefatigable businessman who played a key role in popularizing rock 'n' roll through his show "American Bandstand," passed away due to a severe heart attack. He was 82 years old.
In 2014, an avalanche cascaded down a climbing path on Mount Everest, claiming the lives of 16 Sherpa guides, marking it as the most devastating incident ever recorded on the planet’s tallest mountain.
In 2015, over 800 individuals perished when a vessel carrying immigrants heading towards Europe capsized close to the Italian island of Lampedusa. This tragic event marked the deadliest maritime accident recorded in the Mediterranean up until then.
In 2018, legendary wrestler Bruno Sammartino, known as the quintessential hero and one of the promotion's most enduring titleholders, passed away at the age of 82.
In 2019, a censored edition of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 U.S. presidential elections was handed over to Congress. The document indicated that the investigative team found President Donald Trump’s written replies unsatisfactory. Prosecutors involved labeled these responses as “incomplete.” There were considerations about serving Trump with a subpoena; however, this idea was dismissed due to anticipated prolonged litigation. Shortly before releasing his summary, Attorney General William Barr highlighted key points from the report and echoed Trump's preferred term, stating "no collusion." Immediately following Barr's conclusion remarks, Trump took to Twitter, sharing an image reminiscent of HBO’s series "Game of Thrones," declaring to Democrats—“Game Over.”
In 2019, a man from Montreal who was found guilty of terrorism after almost murdering an airport police officer in Michigan received a sentence of life imprisonment. According to U.S. prosecutors, Amor Ftouhi traveled approximately 1,600 kilometers from Montreal to the Flint airport in Michigan. On June 21, 2017, upon arriving at the location, he shouted “Allahu Akbar” in Arabic before stabbing Lieutenant Jeff Neville multiple times.
In 2019, Parks Canada announced that three climbers were believed to have perished following an avalanche in Alberta’s Banff National Park. According to the federal agency, these individuals had been trying to ascend the east face of Howse Peak along the Icefields Parkway.
In 2020, Allan Gotlieb, a dedicated civil servant who served as Canada’s ambassador to the United States under the Reagan administration, passed away at the age of 92. According to an obituary, Gotlieb succumbed to cancer and Parkinson's disease at his residence in Toronto.
In 2022, Switzerland aligned with the global community in enforcing stringent sanctions on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. However, President Ignazio Cassis stated this did not signify an abandonment of their customary policy of neutrality. Cassis emphasized that Switzerland firmly condemns warfare and called upon Russia to cease its military operations instantly.
In 2024, Speaker Ted Arnott’s prohibition against wearing kaffiyehs within the Ontario legislature remained unchallenged. A New Democratic Party proposal aimed at permitting these headscarves—which have become symbols of support for Palestinians—did not pass as it lacked unanimous approval. Despite Premier Doug Ford and opposition leaders calling for Arnott to overturn this ruling, he maintained that the kaffiyeh fits into the category of attire intended to convey explicit political messages.
In 2024, the Arizona Coyotes were set to relocate to Salt Lake City. The NHL Board of Governors ratified a $1.2 billion transaction from Alex Meruelo to Ryan Smith, who owns the Utah Jazz, paving the path for the team’s shift to Utah for the subsequent season. This agreement featured a clause allowing Arizona to secure an expansion franchise provided they construct a new stadium within half a decade.
In 2024, the U.S. cast a veto against a broadly supported UN resolution aiming to grant full United Nations membership to Palestine. The tally within the 15-member Security Council stood at 12 votes in favor, with one country opposing it—the United States—and two others abstaining. This marked Palestine’s second bid for complete membership status.
In 2024, Prince Harry officially announced his status as a U.S. resident. The travel business under his control submitted documents to British officials declaring that he has relocated and will be "usually resident" in the United States. This announcement occurred approximately four years following Harry and Meghan, who is known as the Duchess of Sussex, moving to a mansion in Southern California.
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The Canadian Press