AP Highlight in History: On Aug. 31, 1980, Poland’s Solidarity labor movement was born with an agreement that ended a 17-day strike at the Lenin shipyard in Gdansk.
AP Photo/Reportagebild
On this date in:
1888
Mary Ann Nichols, a prostitute, was found murdered in London’s East End. She is generally regarded as the first victim of Jack the Ripper.
1935
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an act prohibiting the export of U.S. arms to belligerents.
1954
Hurricane Carol hit the northeastern United States, resulting in nearly 70 deaths and millions of dollars in damage.
1962
The Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago became independent within the British Commonwealth.
1985
California’s “Night Stalker” killer Richard Ramirez was captured by residents of an East Los Angeles neighborhood.
1992
White separatist Randy Weaver surrendered to authorities in Naples, Idaho, ending an 11-day siege by federal agents that claimed the lives of Weaver’s wife and son and a deputy U.S. marshal.
AP Photo/Gary Stewart
1994
Russia officially ended its military presence in the former East Germany and the Baltics after half a century.
1997
Britain’s Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris at age 36.
AP Photo
2005
Some 1,000 people were killed when a religious procession across a Baghdad bridge was engulfed in panic over rumors of a suicide bomber.
2006
Iran defied a U.N. deadline to stop enriching uranium.
2009
Walt Disney Co. announced it was acquiring comic book giant Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion.
2010
President Barack Obama ended the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, declaring no victory after seven years of bloodshed.
Today’s Birthdays:
Actor Richard Gere turns 67 years old today.
AP Photo/Danny Moloshok
Name
Profession
Age
Frank Robinson
Baseball Hall of Famer
81
Jerry Allison
Rock musician (Buddy Holly and the Crickets)
77
Van Morrison
Rock singer, musician
71
Itzhak Perlman
Violinist
71
Glenn Tilbrook
Rock singer (Squeeze)
59
Deborah Gibson
Singer, actress
46
Queen Rania
Wife of Jordan’s King Abdullah II
46
Chris Tucker
Actor
44
Sara Ramirez
Actress (“Grey’s Anatomy”)
41
Larry Fitzgerald
Football player
33
New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin turns 70 years old today.
