TODAY IN HISTORY – 18th Oct, 2026 – ORBITS NEWS

TODAY IN HISTORY – 18th Oct, 2026 – ORBITS NEWS

By Valentine Uchechukwu Ndukwu.

Today in History posits that the idea of learning from history does not only offer life’s incredible lessons, it equally positions our minds for random reflections.

Kindly scroll down for some historical events that made it on Today in History

On this day in 1867, the United States took possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for $7.2 million. Celebrated annually in the state as Alaska Day.

Still on this day in 1922, the British Broadcasting Company (later Corporation) was founded by a consortium, to establish a nationwide network of radio transmitters to provide a national broadcasting service.

According to Today in History, on this day in 1954, Texas Instruments announces the Regency TR-1, the first mass-produced transistor radio.

Today in History also reveals that on this day in 1963, Félicette, a black and white female Parisian stray cat, becomes the first cat launched into space.

Today in History has equally shown that on this day in 1967, the Soviet probe Venera 4 reaches Venus and becomes the first spacecraft to measure the atmosphere of another planet.

Again, on this day in 1978, based on the world’s first children’s art museum, the Henrik Igityan National Centre for Aesthetics opened in Yerevan.

Amazingly on this day in 2019, NASA Astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch take part in the first all-female spacewalk when they venture out of the International Space Station to replace a power controller.

Regrettably, Lucky Philip Dube died on this day. He lived between 3rd August 1964 to 18th October 2007. No doubt, the legend was a South African reggae musician and Rastafarian. His record sales across the world earned him the Best Selling African Musician prize at the 1996 World Music Awards. Dube was murdered in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville on the evening of 18 October 2007.

On the Nigerian home soil, it may interest you to know that on this day in 1965, the Daily Times of Nigeria ran the banner front-page headline “Mr Soyinka declared a ‘wanted person'”. This followed the dramatic October 15 incident where an “unknown gunman” (strongly believed to be Soyinka) hijacked the Ibadan radio station to replace the Western Premier’s rigged victory speech. Soyinka was later arrested, but won the “trial of the decade” by proving he was clean-shaven at the time, whereas witnesses swore the gunman had a thick beard. Decades later, Soyinka subtly acknowledged his involvement.

Remember the Godforsaken 1998 horrific Jesse pipeline explosion that occurred in Delta State, that resulted in the most catastrophic pipeline disaster in Nigerian history? The full scale of the terrible event took place on this day. A high-pressure NNPC petroleum line linking Warri to Kaduna ruptured, drawing hundreds of local residents experiencing severe fuel shortages to scoop petrol. An unexpected spark triggered an apocalyptic inferno that burned for nearly a week, claiming over 1,082 lives.

For the records, today is World Menopause Day.

Quit the talk and start the work… You’re the point man ~ keep pointing in the right direction.

Today in History!