On this day in history - October 30

What Happened On This Day – October 30

• 2014 Sweden Recognizes Palestine

  By doing so, it became the first EU country in Western Europe to recognize the State of Palestine. Yasser Arafat declared an independent Palestine on November 15, 1988. The UN General Assembly recognized it a month later.

• 1973 Bosphorous Bridge in Istanbul Opens for the First Time

  Construction on the suspension bridge over the Bosphorus began in February 1970. The bridge, which connects Asia with Europe, was designed by British engineers Gilbert Roberts and William Brown.

• 1961 Biggest Bomb in History is Detonated

  The Soviet Union detonated Tsar Bomba or Big Ivan over the Mityushikha Bay test range on the Novaya Zemlya Island in the Arctic Circle. The 57 Megatons nuclear bomb was one-of-a-kind and the flash of light when it exploded at a height of 13,000 feet was visible over 1000 kilometers away.

• 1908 First cross-country flight in Europe

  French aviator Henri Farman flew from Bouy to Reims in France. The 14-mile journey took him about 20 minutes. Farman was also the co-founder of the Farman Aviation Works, an airline and engine manufacturing company.

• 1905 Russian Tsar Issues the October Manifesto

  The manifesto, which was issued by Nicholas II, was a response to the Russian Revolution of 1905 in which there were widespread strikes and protests directed towards the government. The key features of the manifesto included the creation of an elected legislative body called Duma and universal suffrage for men. It also paved the way for a new constitution in 1906.