DAILY SUN Thursday, September 20, 2012
Memories
Philip Nwosu 08176449110
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Today in History
US Embassy blast kills 20 On this day in September 1984, a suicide bomber attacked the United States Embassy in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The bomber - a member of the extremist group, the Islamic Jihad - drove at high speed up to the main drive of the consulate in a truck, containing 500kg (1,102 lb) of high explosives. Guards opened fire on the vehicle but it exploded right in front of the embassy, killing at least 20 people. Dozens more were injured and the front of the five-storey building was ripped off. Among the injured was the US ambassador, Reginald Bartholomew, who was buried under rubble and had to be rescued by the visiting UK envoy, David Myers. The bomber was able to get so far into the compound by using a vehicle similar to others in the US embassy fleet, fitted with diplomatic plates. The attack follows two other bombings by the Islamic Jihad on American targets in the last 18 months. The embassy had only been open six weeks after the previous one was blown up in April 1983, killing 61 people. The extremist faction was also behind a devastating assault on a US Marine base in Beirut nine months ago, which left 241 people dead. The Islamic Jihad - who are allied with the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran - said it had attacked the embassy because it did not want a single American to remain on Lebanese soil. US President Ronald Reagan told reporters the attack was a painful reminder of the menace of terrorism, but said US citizens could not crawl into a hole.
1984
Edna Park, Miss Nigeria at the Miss Universe Pageant held in Miami in 1964
Benin shuns security meeting with Nigeria On this day in September 2003, Benin Republic shunned a security meeting scheduled between it and Nigeria over the closure of the Seme border by Nigeria. The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun and Benin security chiefs had agreed that both should meet in Abuja to straighten out security lapses, which gave room to armed bandits and smugglers from Republic of Benin to terrorise Nigerians. But it was gathered that officials from Benin neither showed up for the meeting
2003
scheduled to hold at Force headquarters in Abuja, nor send any message. The proposed meeting was aimed at further strengthening security at the border between both countries. Also slated for discussion at the meeting was the issue of joint patrol by security operatives of both countries. This is aimed at stemming cross-border crimes, which have become rampant and in recent times, resulted in incessant robbery incidents with attendant carting away of valuables as well as loss of lives. On the agenda for discussion at the
botched meeting was also the issue of extradition of criminals. This was prompted by the recent recovery of some vehicles stolen from Nigeria among which is a jeep belonging to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president, Comrade Adam Oshiomhole.
First Cannes Film Festival On September 20, 1946, the first annual Cannes Film Festival opened at the resort city of Cannes on the French Riviera. The festival had intended to make its debut in September 1939 but the outbreak of World War II forced the cancellation of the inaugural Cannes. The world’s first annual international film festival was inaugurated at Venice in 1932. By 1938, the Venice Film Festival had become a vehicle for Fascist and Nazi propaganda, with Benito Mussolini’s Italy and Adolf Hitler’s Germany dictating the choices of films and sharing the prizes among themselves. Outraged, France decided to organize an alternative film festival. In June 1939, the establishment of a film festival at Cannes, to be held from September 1 to 20, was announced in Paris. Cannes, an elegant beach city, lies southeast of Nice on the Mediterranean coast. One of the resort town’s casinos agreed to host the event. Films were selected and the filmmakers and stars began arriving in mid-August. Among the American selections was The Wizard of Oz. France offered The Nigerian, and Poland The Black Diamond. The USSR brought the aptly titled Tomorrow, It’s War. On the morning of September 1, the day the festival was to begin, Hitler invaded Poland. In Paris, the French government ordered a general mobilization, and the Cannes festival was called off after the screening of just one film: German American director William Dieterle’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany.
1946