Worldcrunch
Updated on Nov. 27, 2023 at 12:50 p.m. Helen Clark became the first elected female Prime Minister of New Zealand on this day in 1999. Who is Helen Clark? On Nov. 27, 1999, Helen Clark became the 37th prime minister of New Zealand, and the first woman to ever be elected to that office. She […]
Two days after being arrested for assassinating John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald is shot dead at point blank range. Who was Jack Ruby? Lee Harvey Oswald was in police custody for the murder of U.S President John F. Kennedy when a man emerged from a crowd of reporters and shot him in the abdomen. […]
Following a long series of voting, and two decades after its founding, the People’s Republic of China finally gains recognition and joins the United Nations. When did the People’s Republic of China join the UN? The Republic of China joined the UN when it was founded in 1945, along with all of the other Allied […]
Updated Nov. 22, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. An entire generation of Americans would ask: “Where were you when JFK was killed?” It was exactly 60 years ago, on November 22, 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade rolled through Dallas, Texas. How was John F. Kennedy assassinated? John F. Kennedy was […]
Updated Nov. 20, 2023 at 12:10 p.m. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip tied the knot in a royal wedding in 1947 that sealed the couple together for more than 70 years, including Queen Elizabeth’s record-setting reign. When did Elizabeth and Phillip marry? On Nov. 20, 1947, the bells of Westminster Abbey could be heard ringing […]
Updated Nov. 18, 2023 at 4:10 p.m. During a time filled with a myriad of cults, the People’s Temple massacre became the largest cult mass killing as Jim Jones led 918 people to death by cyanide poisoning. What was Jonestown? Jim Jones established Jonestown in 1974 and began a mass exodus of his cult, the […]
Updated Nov. 17, 2023 at 12:10 p.m. In the push for an end to the Communist regime, Prague’s international students took to the streets to have their demands heard on November 17, 1989. It was the beginning of what would come to be known as the Velvet Revolution. How did the Velvet Revolution begin? On […]
Updated Nov. 16, 2023 at 12:30 p.m. It was 35 years ago today when voters elected Benazir Bhutto to be the youngest ever and first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. Who was Benazir Bhutto? Bhutto was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a former Pakistani prime minister who was executed by his political rivals after […]
Updated Nov. 15, 2023 at 11:50 a.m. On this day in 2012, Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, on his way to becoming the most powerful leader in China since Mao Zedong. How has Xi Jinping led China? Since taking office, Xi Jinping has removed political opponents from China’s government […]
Updated Nov. 14, 2023 at 11:30 Ruby Bridges walked into the first desegrated school on this day 63 years ago. Her story later became the subject of a famous Norman Rockwell painting, titled “The Problem We All Live With”. Who was Ruby Bridges? Ruby Bridges became a hero of the U.S. Civil Rights movement on […]
In the deadliest attack on France since World War II, 131 people were killed in a series of shootings and suicide bombings across Paris by Islamist terrorists. Who was responsible for the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris? Nine members of the Islamic State (ISIS), based mostly in Brussels, carried out the coordinated attacks at the […]
Updated Nov 12, 2023 at 12 p.m Romania’s Nadia Comăneci is credited with popularizing the sport of gymnastics worldwide, getting her successful start at a very young age. Who is Nadia Comăneci? Born November 12, 1961, the Romanian gymnast became a household name after a successful career, winning five Olympic gold medals all in individual […]
Updated Nov. 10, 2023 at 12:25p.m. On this day, Microsoft founder Bill Gates (then just 28 years old!) unveiled the original Windows operating system, a piece of software whose name and window-pane logo have become synonymous with modern computing. How did Windows come to be? In the early 1980s, the competition was ripe in the […]
Updated Nov. 9, 2023 at 12:45 The beginning of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, which allowed East Germans to cross into the West, marked a new epoch in world history. Amid revolutions that led to the collapse of the Soviet-led communist bloc, the tearing down the wall on Nov. 9, 1989, is considered the […]
Updated Nov. 8, 2023 at 12 p.m. One of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, Typhoon Haiyan devastated parts of southeast Asia in 2013 and mainly landed in the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people. Why was Haiyan so devastating? It is the second deadliest typhoon– after 1881’s Haiphong claimed around 20,000 lives – […]
Updated Nov. 7, 2023 at 2 p.m. He may be the most well-known DJ of our time: David Guetta’s songs have garnered over 10 billion online streams. His music has become culturally universal and is played on the radio and at parties and clubs around the world, but most know little about the man behind […]
At the height of the Syrian Civil War, a group of forces came together to reclaim the northern region of Raqqa from the Islamic State. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who were largely comprised of Kurdish fighters, led the offensive. What was the Northern Raqqa Offensive? On November 6, the SDF captured six small villages: […]
Updated Nov. 5, 2023 at 12:35 p.m. It was 55 years ago today. Some say this was the day the 1960s ended (or really began…)? The man who would eventually bring shame on the White House, resigning after the Watergate scandal, was already dividing opinion when he ran for President for the second time in […]
Twenty years ago today this image of shame was taken. The prisoners at Abu Graib, many of whom were civilians, were subject to torture, rape, sodomy, and other forms of physical and mental abuse at the hands of members of the U.S. Army and the CIA. The world may have never known if photographs, taken […]
Updated Nov. 3, 2023 at 12:45 p.m. Happy Birthday to the editor-in-chief of Vogue. Anna Wintour now acts as Global Chief Content Officer for the magazine’s parent company Condé Nast. Wintour has made her name as arguably the most influential person of her generation in fashion and glossy publishing. Where is Anna Wintour from? Anna […]
Do you know the man who fought Mussolini and is still an icon for rastafari around the world?
Updated Nov. 1, 2023 at 12:50 p.m. Starting in 1954, the Algerian War was fought between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front, and ultimately led to Algeria winning its independence in 1962, ending more than a century of French colonial rule. What caused the Algerian war? The French invasion of Algiers in 1830 would […]
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidency in Brazil on this day in 2002. Who is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva? Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly known as Lula, is a Brazilian politician who first served as the 35th President of Brazil. He served two terms, from 2003 to 2010, and he was […]
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi crowned himself Emperor of Iran on this day in 1967. Who was Mohammed Reza Pahlavi? Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, also known as Mohammad Reza Shah, was the last Shah (monarch) of Iran. He ruled from 1941 until the Iranian Revolution in 1979. He was the second and last monarch of the Pahlavi dynasty. […]
The Sydney Opera House opened on this day in 1973. Who designed the Sydney Opera House? The Sydney Opera House was designed by the renowned Danish architect Jørn Utzon. Its innovative and iconic design is internationally recognized and admired for its distinctive shell-like structures. It is considered one of the most iconic and significant architectural […]
The Battle of Pyongyang ended in a U.S.-led United Nations victory on this day in 1950. Hours later, the Chinese Army began crossing the border into Korea. What was the battle of Pyongyang? The Battle of Pyongyang was a significant military engagement during the Korean War. It took place from October 14 to October 19, […]
On this day in 2010, the Copiapó mining accident in Chile comes to a happy end as all 33 miners arrive at the surface after surviving a record 69 days underground. What was the 2010 Copiapó mining accident? The 2010 Copiapó mining accident, also known as the “Chilean mining accident,” was a mining disaster that […]
The Bali nightclub bombings happened on this day in 2002. What were the Bali nightclub bombings? The Bali nightclub bombings were a series of terrorist attacks that targeted popular nightclubs in the resort area of Kuta and resulted in a significant loss of life and extensive damage. There were two main bombs involved in the […]
Updated October 7, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The October Revolution, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a pivotal event in Russian and world history that started on this day in 1917. What was the October Revolution? The October Revolution was a revolution of the Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir Lenin, which took place in […]
The assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat on this day in 1981 was a shocking and pivotal event in the history of Egypt and the Middle East. Who was Anwar Sadat? Anwar Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 1970 until his assassination. He succeeded Gamal Abdel Nasser and pursued a different foreign […]
The referendum in Chile took place on this day in 1988, when citizens voted against extending General Augusto Pinochet’s regime. Who was General Augosto Pinochet, and what was his regime like? General Augusto Pinochet was a military officer who came to power in Chile through a coup in 1973, overthrowing the democratically elected government of […]
On this day in 2020, the worldwide death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic reached one million. What was the initial global response to the COVID-19 pandemic? In the early stages of the pandemic, countries implemented various measures such as travel restrictions, quarantine protocols, and public health campaigns to raise awareness about the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. WHO facilitated information sharing, provided guidelines, and coordinated efforts to ensure equitable access to medical supplies and vaccines. Initiatives like COVAX were launched to ensure fair distribution of vaccines to lower-income countries. Were […]
Lehman Brothers, a global financial services firm, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on this day in 2008. This event was significant in the 2008 financial crisis and had far-reaching implications for the global economy and financial markets. What is Chapter 11 bankruptcy? Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a legal process in the United States that allows […]
The IBM RAMAC 305, introduced on this day in 1956, was the world’s first computer to use a magnetic hard disk drive for data storage. It stood for “Random Access Method of Accounting and Control” and was designed primarily for business data processing. What was the significance of the RAMAC 305 The RAMAC 305 marked […]
The Beslan school hostage crisis began on this day in 2004. What was the Beslan school hostage crisis? The Beslan school hostage crisis was a violent terrorist attack that occurred in September 2004, in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia. Armed militants took over School Number One, holding hostage more than one thousand people, […]
Princess Diana died on this day in 1997. Who was Princess Diana? Princess Diana, born Diana Frances Spencer on July 1, 1961, was a member of the British royal family. She became widely known after marrying King (then Prince) Charles, the heir to the British throne, in 1981. Princess Diana was known for her humanitarian […]
A massive blast in the port of Beirut took place on this day in 2020 — an explosion so powerful that it physically shook the whole country of Lebanon. What were the causes of the explosions in Beirut? The primary cause of the explosions was the improper storage of approximately 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate […]
The Korean War armistice agreement at Panmunjom was signed on this day in 1953, ending three years of fighting. What led to the signing of the Korean War Armistice in Panmunjom? The armistice was the result of negotiations between the United Nations Command, representing the forces supporting South Korea, and the Korean People’s Army and […]
The Hong Kong security bill protests were a series of mass demonstrations and civil unrest in Hong Kong. The protests began on this day in 2019 and were sparked by a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China for trial. Why did the Hong Kong security bill […]