Antiwar: Beyond Two State Solution – Why Recognizing State of Palestine Is Important

By Ramzy Baroud. In politics, context is crucial. To truly appreciate the recent decision by Ireland, Spain and Norway to recognize the state of Palestine, the subject has to be placed in proper context. On November 15, 1988, Yasser Arafat, then Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, declared Palestine as an independent state. The proclamation

History.com: This Day In History (May 31-1859): Big Ben starts ticking over London for the first time

By History.com Editors. The famous tower clock known as Big Ben, located at the top of the 320-foot-high Elizabeth Tower, begins ticking over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time on May 31, 1859. The great bell’s strikes are first heard a few weeks later, on July 11. After a fire

History.com: This Day In History (May 30-1967): Republic of Biafra proclaimed

By History.com Editors. After suffering through years of suppression under Nigeria’s military government, the breakaway state of Biafra proclaims its independence from Nigeria. In 1960, Nigeria gained independence from Britain. Six years later, the Muslim Hausas in northern Nigeria began massacring the Christian Igbos in the region, prompting tens of thousands of Igbos to flee

History.com: This Day In History (May 29-1917): Future President John F. Kennedy is born

By History.com Editors. One of America’s best-loved presidents, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, is born into a politically and socially prominent family in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. He was the first American president to be born and then serve in the 20th century. In 1935, Kennedy enrolled at Harvard University and received a degree in

History.com: This Day In History (May 21-1881): American Red Cross founded

By History.com Editors. In Washington, D.C., humanitarians Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons found the American National Red Cross, an organization established to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters in congruence with the International Red Cross. Barton, born in Massachusetts in 1821, worked with the sick and wounded during the American Civil

History.com: This Day In History (May 20-1506): Christopher Columbus dies

By History.com Editors. On May 20, 1506, the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus dies in Valladolid, Spain. Columbus was the first European to explore the Americas since the Vikings set up colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland in the 10th century. He explored the West Indies, South America and Central America, but died a disappointed man, feeling

History.com: This Day In History (May 17-1973): Televised Watergate hearings begin

By History.com Editors. In Washington, D.C., the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, headed by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, begins televised hearings on the escalating Watergate scandal. One week later, Harvard law professor Archibald Cox was sworn in as special Watergate prosecutor. On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested for breaking

ScienceAlert: Scientists Confirm Exercise Slows Down The Perception of Time

By Carly Cassella. The gym can be a discouraging place. Puffed and exhausted, it’s never wise to sneak a peek at the clock. A 10-minute session on the bike might sound like an achievable goal before the timer starts, but when your body gets going, those seconds are about to feel longer than normal, according

History.com: This Day In History (May 13-1958): Vice President Nixon is attacked

By History.com Editors. During a goodwill trip through Latin America, Vice President Richard Nixon’s car is attacked by an angry crowd and nearly overturned while traveling through Caracas, Venezuela. The incident was the dramatic highlight of a trip characterized by Latin American anger over some of America’s Cold War policies. By 1958, relations between the

History.com: This Day In History (May 10-1877): Rutherford B. Hayes has first phone installed in White House

By History.com Editors. On May 10, 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes has the White House’s first telephone installed in the mansion’s telegraph room. President Hayes embraced the new technology, though he rarely received phone calls. In fact, the Treasury Department possessed the only other direct phone line to the White House at that time. The