1498day.year
Vasco da Gama decides to depart Calicut and return to the Kingdom of Portugal.
Explorer Vasco da Gama chooses to depart from Calicut and sail back to Portugal after his Indian voyage.
In 1498, after successfully reaching Calicut on the Malabar Coast, Vasco da Gama decided to begin his return journey to Portugal on August 29.
His expedition had established a direct maritime route between Europe and India, revolutionizing global trade.
Vasco da Gama's decision came after securing valuable spices and negotiating with local rulers.
The return voyage tested the fleet's endurance, with stops along Africa's coast for provisions.
His safe arrival in Lisbon would herald a new era of Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean.
1498
Vasco da Gama
Calicut
Kingdom of Portugal
1987day.year
Odaeyang mass suicide: Thirty-three individuals linked to a religious cult are found dead in the attic of a cafeteria in Yongin, South Korea. Investigators attribute their deaths to a murder-suicide pact.
In Yongin, South Korea, 33 members of a religious cult were found dead in a mass murder-suicide pact.
On August 29, 1987, authorities in Yongin, South Korea, discovered the bodies of 33 individuals in the attic of a local cafeteria. The victims were linked to a fringe religious group that had gathered in secret for a ritual. Investigators determined that the deaths were the result of a coordinated murder-suicide pact. The chilling scene included handwritten notes and makeshift altars, offering insights into the cult’s apocalyptic beliefs. This incident shocked the nation and prompted a government inquiry into unregulated religious organizations. Media coverage sparked debates over mental health, religious freedom, and the potential dangers of charismatic cult leaders. In the aftermath, South Korea introduced stricter regulations on religious movements and increased public awareness of cult-related risks.
1987
Odaeyang mass suicide
religious cult
Yongin
murder-suicide
1991day.year
Libero Grassi, an Italian businessman from Palermo, is killed by the Sicilian Mafia after taking a solitary stand against their extortion demands.
Italian businessman Libero Grassi was killed by the Sicilian Mafia for refusing to pay extortion money.
Libero Grassi was a cloth manufacturer from Palermo who publicly opposed Mafia extortion tactics known as pizzo. In early 1991, he published an open letter in a local newspaper denouncing Cosa Nostra’s demands for protection money. His courageous stand made him a target, and on August 29, 1991, Grassi was shot dead in front of his home. His murder drew international attention to the plight of entrepreneurs facing mafia rackets. Despite his death, his legacy inspired the anti-pizzo movement in Italy and encouraged other business owners to challenge organized crime. Authorities later implemented stricter laws and support networks to protect victims of extortion. Grassi’s bravery is commemorated annually by civil society groups advocating justice and transparency in commerce.
Libero Grassi
Palermo
Sicilian Mafia
extortion