2020
R&B icon Akon ceremoniously laid the first stone for Akon City, a futuristic Wakanda-like city in Senegal.
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2006
Two of Edvard Munch’s stolen artworks were found after being missing for two years.
In August 2004, two gunmen took the famous “Scream” and “Madonna” paintings from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway, and got away in a third suspect’s car. The paintings were found in Norway after a police raid on this day and were still in excellent condition.
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1998
North Korea allegedly launched Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1, its first satellite.
The North Korean government claimed that the launch was successful, but no objects were ever tracked in orbit from the launch. Outside North Korea, the launch is considered to have been a failure.
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1994
After 25 years of fighting with the British, the IRA announced a ceasefire on Britain.
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1991
Kyrgyzstan declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
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1954
Hurricane Carol hit Connecticut and Rhode Island.
It was one of the worst tropical cyclones to strike the region and killed 72 people, causing $462 million in damages.
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1897
The first movie projector, correctly named the kinetoscope, was patented by Thomas Edison.
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1888
A body was found in London, which was revealed to be Mary Ann Nichols, who was a victim of the serial killer Jack the Ripper.
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1886
The Charleston earthquake occurred, making it one of the most devastating to affect the US East Coast.
Sixty lives were claimed in the disaster, with $6 million in damages. This is equivalent to $156 million in today’s money.
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1886
Crocker-Woolworth National Bank formed its headquarters in San Francisco.
Businessman Charles Crocker partially bought out the bank formerly named Woolworth National Bank in the 1980s. Together with the founder, they formed Crocker-Woolworth National Bank, which opened on this day.
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1881
The first-ever inaugural US National Championship for tennis occurred in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
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1842
Micah Rugg patented a machine for dressing bolt heads.
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1772
Hurricane San Ramón was the second of three hurricanes in a row to pass through and destroy houses and plantations across Puerto Rico, Barbados, Saint Kitts, and Nevis.
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1422
King Henry V of England died aged 35 in Château de Vincennes, France.
Henry V didn’t reign for long, having taken to the throne in March 1413, but had great success within the military during the Hundred Year War against France. This made England one of the most powerful countries in Europe.
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