Today is Wednesday, September 18, the 264th day of 2024. There are 102 days until the end ⁣of the year.

1502: Christopher Columbus ⁤Arrives in Costa Rica

Christopher Columbus, a Spanish navigator of Italian origin, arrived in Costa Rica on his fourth and final voyage ‍to ⁤the New World.

1709: Birth of Samuel Johnson

The English writer and⁣ lexicographer Samuel Johnson was born, whose “Dictionary of the English ⁤Language” from 1755 was considered the most authoritative in the English-speaking world for more⁢ than a century. Other works: the poem “The Vanity of Human Desires”, the tragedy “Irena”, the book of criticism “Lives of Poets”.

1739: The Peace of Belgrade

The Peace of Belgrade ended the war that began in 1737 between the Ottoman Empire and Austria, which was pushed out⁢ of the Balkans. Serbia again became⁢ part of the Ottoman ⁣Empire, and Austria was forced to return to the Turks Little Wallachia and the⁢ parts of Bosnia ‌it received in the Peace of Požarevac in 1718.

1759: The ‌French⁤ Surrender ⁣Quebec

After a military defeat, the ‍French had to surrender the province of Quebec in Canada to the British, and in the last battle the two commanders were killed – the British James Wolff and ‍the French Louis Montcalm.

1810:⁢ Rebellion in Chile

A rebellion begins in Chile against Spanish⁤ colonial rule under the ‌leadership of Bernardo O’Iggins, the last dictator of Chile from 1817 to 1823.

1819: Birth of Jean-Bernard Leon Foucault

French physicist Jean-Bernard Leon‌ Foucault, who measured the speed of light with Armand Hippolyte Louis Fizeau, was⁤ born. Using a pendulum ​experiment (Foucault’s experiment), he proved the rotation of the Earth, invented the gyroscope, perfected the ‍telescope,⁣ discovered eddy currents in metal masses (Foucault currents).

1851: First Issue of the New​ York Times

The first⁤ issue of the New York⁣ Times, a newspaper founded by Henry Jervis Raymond, is ‌published.

1905: Birth of Greta Garbo

The⁣ Swedish film actress, Greta Luiza Gustafson, known as Greta Garbo, ‍was born, the most popular⁤ star of world cinema, who gained ⁢fame ⁢with films shot in the USA. ⁤Spontaneous ​and very intelligent, she was a symbol of femininity and played from 1921‍ to 1941, when she decided to retire. Movies: “Kiss”, “Mata Hari”, “Anna Kristi”, “Queen Kristina”, “Anna Karenina”, “Lady with Camellias”, “Maria Valevska”.

1911: Death of Petar Arkadyevich Stolypin

Russian Prime Minister Petar Arkadyevich⁤ Stolypin, head of government ​since 1906, who revived the Russian economy with economic reforms and at the same time suppressed ⁢the Bolsheviks with very harsh methods, died. Death was the result of a wound received four days earlier in an assassination attempt in a theater in Kiev. In particular, the development ‌of agriculture accelerated with agrarian reform, thanks to the fact that the⁤ country produced unprecedented surpluses of food.

1931: Japan‌ Attacks China

Japan started a war against China by attacking and soon occupied Manchuria (northeast ​China), and on March ⁣3, 1932, declared Manchurian “independence” (Manchukuo Empire).

1934: ‍Soviet Union Joins the League of Nations

Soviet Union joined⁤ the League of ‌Nations.

1961:⁢ Death of Hjalmar Agne Dag Hammarskjöld

Swedish diplomat, Secretary General of the United Nations since 1953 Hjalmar Agne Dag Hammarskjöld, doctor of philosophy and academic, died in a plane crash over ⁤Northern Rhodesia, under circumstances that⁤ have not ‌been explained. The death ended Hammarskjöld’s mission to solve the Congolese‌ crisis, where his views ⁣were not to⁣ the taste of influential Western⁣ countries. He was posthumously ​awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

1964: Death of Sean O’Casey

The self-taught Irish writer Sean O’Casey, whose plays are characterized by juicy dialogue, vivid colors and characters, a mixture of ⁣tragic and comic, died.‍ In his youth he was ⁢a manual laborer and a ​communist, an organizer of the Irish Citizen Army and a fighter for Irish freedom. Works: “Juno and the Peacock”, “The Gunner’s Shadow”, “Katlina Listens”, “The Plow and the ⁤Stars”, “Curses and Blessings”, “Red Roses for‍ Me”, “Welcome to Father Ned”, “The Bishop’s Camp”.

1973: ‌East and West Germany Join the United Nations

East⁢ and West Germany and the Bahamas were admitted to the United Nations.

1978: Egyptian-Israeli Agreement

Due to the Egyptian-Israeli agreement at Camp David, Egyptian Foreign Minister⁣ Ibrahim Kamel and US‌ Ambassador ⁣Ashraf Gorbal resigned ‌as a sign⁢ of protest.

1981: Abolition of the ‌Death Penalty in France

The death penalty is abolished in⁤ France.

1982: ⁤Massacre at‍ Sabra and Shatila

Lebanese Christian militias carried out the massacre at Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, when they killed at least 800 ⁤people, in revenge for the Islamic terrorists who killed the newly elected Christian leader ⁢and president of Lebanon, Beshir Jemail, four days earlier.

1988: Military Junta Overthrows the Government of Burma

A military junta overthrows the government of Burmese President‌ Maung Maung, a day after the army opens fire on pro-democracy demonstrators in downtown Rangoon, killing thousands.

1993: ​Volunteers March into Sukhumi

About 2,000 volunteers marched into the besieged city of Sukhumi, responding to‌ an appeal by Georgian President Eduard Shevarnandze to his countrymen to ‍take up arms against the Abkhaz ⁤separatists.

1997: Terrorist⁤ Attack in Cairo

<p-Islamic terrorists in downtown Cairo‍ attacked a⁢ tourist bus and killed ⁤nine ⁣German tourists and the Egyptian driver.

2000: BiH Ratifies the Convention on Children’s ‌Rights

BiH⁣ ratified the Convention⁤ and signed protocols on children’s rights at the conference on children threatened by war in the Canadian ‍city of Winnipeg.

2001: Exhumation and Autopsy in Batajnica

The exhumation ⁤and autopsy of a large number of unidentified human bodies was completed at the location in⁣ the Police Center “13. May” in Batajnica, when‌ the presence of at least 269 bodies of men​ of​ various ages was ⁣discovered.

2001: ​US President George Bush Signs a Resolution

US President George Bush signed a Resolution authorizing military​ action against those behind the attacks ‌on New⁤ York and Washington.

2003: Bosnia and Herzegovina Joins the Bologna Process

Bosnia and‍ Herzegovina formally joined⁤ the Bologna process ​in Berlin, which involves a ‌complete reform of higher education.

2008: Discovery of a Musical Score by Mozart

A musical score ‍written by Wolfgang Amadeus ⁣Mozart was discovered in the archives of the city library in the city of Nantes ‌in France.

2009: High Representative Valentin Incko Lays Down a Set of Laws

High Representative ⁣Valentin Incko laid⁣ down ‍a set of laws that will‍ enable the completion of supervision over the ​Brčko ‌area by November 15.