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The History Hour: The weather report that delayed D-Day and panda-mania in Taiwan

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D-DAY BLOCKS 080624.jpg

08/06/2024 GMT

The weather report that delayed D-Day and panda-mania in Taiwan

BBC World Service - The History Hour, The weather report that delayed D-Day and panda-mania in Taiwan

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week’s Witness History episodes

The forecast that changed the course of World War Two and the gift of two giant pandas.

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week’s Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.

First, we hear how a young Irishwoman called Maureen Flavin Sweeney drew up a weather report that delayed the date of D-Day. 

Then, 99-year-old former field medic, Charles Norman Shay, shares his remarkable account of landing on the Normandy beach in France codenamed Omaha on D-Day. 

Next, we also talk to Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi who hurled his shoes at the President of the United States. 

Plus, we hear about China gifting Taiwan two giant pandas, in a practice known as ‘panda diplomacy’.

Finally, it’s the 40th anniversary of the popular computer game Tetris being invented. 

Contributors: 

Edward Sweeney – Maureen Flavin Sweeney’s son.
Charles Norman Shay – former field medic in the United States Army.
Muntadhar al-Zaidi – Iraqi journalist.
Eve Chen – curator of the Giant Panda House at Taipei Zoo. 
Alexey Pajitnov – Russian engineer.
Henk Rogers – American businessman.

(Photo: U.S Troops rushing to the Normandy beaches. Credit: Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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