Today is Friday, August thirtieth, the 243rd day of the 12 months 2024. There are 123 days left within the 12 months.
Today in history:
On August 30, 2005, sooner or later after Hurricane Katrina, 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded, looting continued to extend, and rescue staff had to make use of helicopters and boats to avoid wasting lots of of stranded people.
Also on this date:
In 1916, explorer Ernest Shackelton successfully returned to Antarctica's Elephant Island on his fourth try and rescue 22 of his stranded crew members who had survived 4 and a half months on the barren island after the sinking of their ship Endurance.
In 1945, US General Douglas MacArthur arrived in Japan to establish the headquarters of the Allied occupation forces.
In 1963, the “Hot Line” communications link between Washington and Moscow was put into operation.
In 1967, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Thurgood Marshall as the primary black justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 2021, the United States accomplished its withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war with the Taliban in power, while Air Force transport planes transported a remaining contingent of troops from Kabul airport. After watching the last U.S. planes disappear from the skies over Afghanistan, Taliban fighters fired their weapons within the air and celebrated victory after a 20-year insurgency.
In 2022, Mikhail Gorbachev died on the age of 91. He was the last head of state of the Soviet Union and fought a losing battle to avoid wasting a crumbling empire, but implemented extraordinary reforms that led to the top of the Cold War.
Today's birthdays:
- Investor and philanthropist Warren Buffet is 94.
- Actress Elizabeth Ashley is 85.
- Actor John Kani is 82.
- Cartoonist Robert Crumb is 81.
- Olympic ski champion Jean-Claude Killy (zhahn-KLOHD' kee-LEE') is 81.
- Comedian Lewis Black is 76.
- Robert Parish, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, is 71.
- U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, RN.C., is 64.
- Actor Michael Chiklis is 61.
- Actor Cameron Diaz is 52.
- Television personality and journalist Lisa Ling is 51.
- Former MLB pitcher Adam Wainwright is 43.
- Former skilled tennis player Andy Roddick is 42.
- Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha is 35.
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