On This Day: What happened on 18 June?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 18 June, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

1911 | First flight in Kimberely, South Africa takes off and breaks the non-stop flight record.

1953 | The Egyptian revolution of 1952 ends with the overthrow of Muhammad Ali dynasty and the declaration of the Republic of Egypt.

1979 | Marais Viljoen is inaugurated as 5th state president in South Africa.

2007 | An estimated 600 million barrels worth of oil discovered in Ghana by U.K. based company called Tullow.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 17 June?

DEATHS

2017 | South African-British human rights lawyer, Joel Joffe, Baron Joffe (85)

2019 | Nigerian writer and women’s rights activist, Molara Ogundipe (78)

2020 | Egyptian former Olympic football player and coach, Ali Kamal Etman (79)

2020 | Zimbabwean rugby player and businessman, John Bredenkamp (79)

BIRTHDAYS

1936 | Kenyan economist, Barack Obama Sr.

1972 | Egyptian-British television producer, Ash Atalia

1942 | South African former president, Thabo Mbeki

1990 | South African actress, Thando Thabethe

SPORT

2009 | Pakistan South Africa lost the semi-final match to Pakistan by 7 runs at the ICC World Twenty20 in England.

2010 | South African cricketer Graeme Smith scored the highest with 132 runs at Day 1 of the 2nd Test in West Indies.

ENTERTAINMENT

1948 | 331/3 rpm vinyl Long Playing record developed by Columbia records becomes the music industry’s standard medium.

1991 | Bryan Adams released his single “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”.

2001 | The Fast and the Furious film starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez was released.

AFRICA FACT

Ethiopia is the only African country with its own alphabet, called Ge’ez. It has been in use since the 5th century, making it one of the world’s oldest alphabets still in use.