Monday, August 18, 1997
Today's events
The first female cadets are scheduled to arrive at the
Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.
Pope John Paul is scheduled to attend the World Youth meeting
in Paris.
The Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land at the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida.
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On the horizon
On Tuesday, August 19, U.S. President Bill Clinton celebrates
his 51st birthday. Second Lady Tipper Gore celebrates her
49th birthday.
On Wednesday, August 20, Morocco's King Hassan addresses the
nation ahead of legislative elections scheduled for October.
On Thursday, August 21, the International Stamp Show opens in
Beijing, China.
On Friday, August 22, the foreign ministers of the Rio Group
meet in Asuncion, Paraguay.
On Saturday, August 23, the Rio Group summit is scheduled to
take place in Asuncion.
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On this day
In 1743, the first rules of boxing were approved; they were
drafted by John Broughton, third heavyweight boxing champion
of England.
In 1759, a French fleet was destroyed at Lagos, Portugal, by
the British under Admiral Boscawen.
In 1825, Scottish explorer Alexander Gordon Laing became the
first European to reach Timbuktu, now in Mali. He was
murdered there the following month.
In 1862, the Sioux Indians began an uprising in Minnesota; it
was later crushed.
In 1870,a major battle of the Franco-Prussian war took place
at Gravelotte where the French were defeated; over 30,000
died.
In 1932, Scottish aviator Jim Mollison made the first
westbound transatlantic solo flight, from Portmarnock,
Ireland, to Pennfield, New Brunswick.
In 1954, James E. Wilkins became the first black to attend a
U.S. cabinet meeting. He was Assistant Secretary of Labor and
attended because the Secretary and Under-Secretary were away.
In 1960, the first commercially-produced oral contraceptive,
Enovid 10, was launched in Skokie, Illinois.
In 1964, South Africa banned from the Olympic Games because
of its apartheid policies.
In 1976, two American soldiers were killed by North Korean
soldiers in a skirmish in the Joint Security Area in
Panmunjom. Both sides immediately placed their forces on a
state of war-readiness but the situation was resolved.
In 1989, Colombian presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan
was assassinated.
In 1990, British warships were authorized to use force to
enforce U.N. sanctions against Iraq. U.S. frigates fired
warning shots for the first time across bows of two Iraqi
tankers.
In 1993, the U.S. told Sudan that it had been placed on the
list of nations accused of sponsoring terrorism.
In 1994, more than 120 people were killed by an earthquake
measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale which struck in the
Mascara region of western Algeria.
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Newslink
For the first time in its history, the Virginia Military
Institute is opening its doors to female cadets today. To
learn more about this historic military college, click here.
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Holidays and more
Today is Discovery Day in Canada.
It's Sino-Japanese War Victory Day in Hong Kong.
Today is a Bank Holiday in Macau.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Smith Carter is 70.
Actor Martin Mull is 54.
Filmmaker Roman Polanski is 64.
Actor Robert Redford is 60.
Actor Christian Slater is 28.
Actress Madeleine Stowe is 39.
Actor Patrick Swayze is 43.
Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner is 27.
Actress Shelley Winters is 75.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1997, J.P. Morgan
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