GMT

Today in History: December 18

1271 Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (? yuán), marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty of China

1865 Slavery is abolished in the United States. The 13th Amendment is formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution, ensuring that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude... shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

1916 The Battle of Verdun ends with the French and Germans each having suffered more than 330,000 killed and wounded in 10 months. It was the longest engagement of World War I.

1917 The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, authorizing prohibition of alcohol, is approved by the US congress and sent to the states for ratification

1940 Adolf Hitler issues his secret plans for the invasion of the Soviet Union--Operation Barbarossa.

1941 Defended by 610 fighting men, the American-held island of Guam falls to more than 5,000 Japanese invaders in a three-hour battle.

1972 President Richard M. Nixon declares that the bombing of North Vietnam will continue until an accord can be reached (Operation Linebacker II).

2002 California Gov. Gray Davis announces the state faces a record budget deficit; the looming $35 billion shortfall is almost double the amount reported a month earlier during the state's gubernatorial campaign.

2018 Meteor explodes in huge fireball over the Bering Sea with 10 times the energy of Hiroshima atomic bomb, 2nd largest in last 30 yrs

2019 US House of Representatives votes to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power (230-197) and obstruction of Congress (229-198)

2011 The last US troops withdraw from Iraq, formally ending the Iraq War

2020 International body Covax, established to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to low and middle income countries, announces deals with vaccine manufacturers and method for countries to share excess vaccines

2020 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine granted emergency authorization by US Food and Drug Administration

2020 South Africa announces detection of new variant of COVID-19, called 501.V2, which is driving a second wave of infections

2020 US Vice President Mike Pence receives the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine live on TV


Born on December 18

1946 Steven Spielberg, film director (E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List).

1963 Brad Pitt, actor (12 Monkeys, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).

1978 Katie Holmes, actress (Dawson's Creek TV series, Batman Begins).


JOTD
I couldn't decide what to get my buddy for Christmas, so I got him a prostitute with an accounting degree.

It's the thot that counts.