 "History Today: How a Danish newspaper stirred a row with Prophet Muhammad cartoons")
On September 30, 2005, Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a series of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. This sparked one of the most significant global debates on freedom of expression versus respect for religious beliefs.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers’ ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
On this day in 1954, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) marked a ground-breaking moment in naval history with its commission.
Here is all that happened on this day.
Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published controversial cartoons
The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a series of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad on September 30, 2005. This sparked one of the most significant global debates on freedom of expression versus respect for religious beliefs. The editorial decision, presented as a challenge to what the paper viewed as self-censorship regarding Islam, included twelve caricatures, one of which famously showed the Prophet with a bomb in his turban.
The publication quickly escalated into an international controversy. Within Denmark, the cartoons ignited fierce debate between advocates of press freedom and those who condemned the images as offensive and disrespectful to Islam, which prohibits depictions of the Prophet. Initially, the story attracted limited attention outside the country, but by early 2006, protests spread across the Muslim world. Embassies were attacked, Danish products were boycotted, and violent demonstrations erupted, leading to dozens of deaths.
Supporters of the newspaper argued that the cartoons fell squarely within the tradition of satire, a cornerstone of democratic societies. They saw the uproar as a test of Western nations’ commitment to free speech in the face of religious sensitivities and threats. Critics, however, contended that the images deliberately insulted an already marginalised global community and reinforced harmful stereotypes about Muslims.
Governments, media outlets, and international organisations weighed in. While many Western leaders defended the right to free expression, they also acknowledged the importance of avoiding gratuitous offence. Several newspapers around the world republished the cartoons in solidarity, further inflaming tensions.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsUSS Nautilus was commissioned
On this day in 1954, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, was officially commissioned into the US Navy, marking a groundbreaking moment in naval history. Built by General Dynamics’ Electric Boat Division in Groton, Connecticut, and launched earlier that year by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, Nautilus was unlike any submarine before it.
Powered by a nuclear reactor designed under the guidance of Admiral Hyman G Rickover, the vessel could operate submerged for unprecedented lengths of time without surfacing to recharge batteries. Traditional diesel-electric submarines were limited by their need to frequently surface or snorkel, but Nautilus demonstrated the revolutionary potential of nuclear propulsion — unlimited range, greater speed, and unmatched endurance.
The submarine’s first commander, Captain Eugene P Wilkinson, famously signalled the message “Underway on nuclear power” as Nautilus embarked on its maiden voyage. Over the next few years, it shattered records, travelling submerged for thousands of miles and proving that nuclear propulsion could dramatically extend the capabilities of naval fleets.
One of Nautilus’s most historic achievements came in 1958, when it completed Operation Sunshine by becoming the first submarine to cross the North Pole beneath the Arctic ice, a feat previously thought impossible. This mission not only showcased the vessel’s capabilities but also demonstrated US technological superiority during the Cold War.
This Day, That Year
The Munich Agreement was signed in 1938.
In 1791, the opera ‘The Magic Flute’ by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered in Vienna.
With inputs from agencies
 "The ghost of Lord’s lingers, but India’s women are ready to script a new World Cup story")
 "Trump’s sanctions on India’s Chabahar port project in Iran go into effect")
 "As Trump secures Netanyahu’s support to 20-point Gaza plan, all eyes on Hamas’ response")
 "Hamas’ disarmament, handover to PA, buffer zone: Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan | Full Text")
 "The ghost of Lord’s lingers, but India’s women are ready to script a new World Cup story")
 "Trump’s sanctions on India’s Chabahar port project in Iran go into effect")
 "As Trump secures Netanyahu’s support to 20-point Gaza plan, all eyes on Hamas’ response")
 "Hamas’ disarmament, handover to PA, buffer zone: Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan | Full Text")
