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 Today's
highlight in history:
On Sept. 5, 1972, Arab guerrilla members of Black September attacked the Israeli delegation at the Munich Olympic games; 11 Israelis, five guerrillas and a police officer were killed in the siege.
On this date:
In 1774, the first Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia.
In 1793, the Reign of Terror began during the French Revolution as the National Convention instituted harsh measures to repress counterrevolutionary activities.
In 1836, Sam Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas.
In 1914, the 1st Battle of the Marne, resulting in a French-British victory over Germany, began during World War I.
In 1958, the novel "Doctor Zhivago" by Russian author Boris Pasternak was published in the United States for the first time.
In 1975, President Ford escaped an attempt on his life by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, Calif.
In 1977, West German industrialist Hanns-Martin Schleyer was kidnapped in Cologne by the Baader-Meinhof gang. (Schleyer was later killed by his captors.)
In 1977, the U.S. launched the Voyager 1 spacecraft two weeks after launching its twin, Voyager 2.
In 1997, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II broke the royal reticence over Princess Diana's death, delivering a televised address in which she called her former daughter-in-law "a remarkable person."
In 1997, Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, at age 87; conductor Sir Georg Solti died in France at age 84.
Ten years ago: Relatives of the 229 people who died in the crash of Swissair Flight 111 sent wreaths into the sea off Nova Scotia. President Clinton appealed to the people of Ireland never to allow "the enemies of peace to break your will" as he wrapped up a three-day visit. The Million Youth March in New York City ended with a clash between police and the crowd.
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Five years ago: Israeli commandos killed a Hamas bombmaker in a firefight and pulverized the West Bank apartment building in which he had been hiding. Hurricane Fabian slammed into Bermuda, killing four people. Singer-actress Gisele MacKenzie died in Burbank, Calif., at age 76.
One year ago: German officials announced that three militants from an Islamic group linked to al-Qaida were planning "imminent" bomb attacks against Americans in Germany when an elite anti-terrorist unit raided their small-town hideout. Fred Thompson announced on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" that he was running for the Republican presidential nomination; his candidacy lasted less than five months. Alicia Sacramone's floor routine rallied the United States to the world women's gymnastics title in Stuttgart, Germany.
Today's birthdays: Former Federal Reserve Board chairman Paul A. Volcker is 81. Comedian-actor Bob Newhart is 79. Actress-singer Carol Lawrence is 76. Actor William Devane is 69. Actor George Lazenby is 69. Actress Raquel Welch is 68. Movie director Werner Herzog is 66. Singer Al Stewart is 63. Actor-director Dennis Dugan is 62. Singer Loudon Wainwright III is 62. "Cathy" cartoonist Cathy Guisewite is 58. Actor Michael Keaton is 57. Country musician Jamie Oldaker (The Tractors) is 57. Actress Debbie Turner-Larson (Film: Marta in "The Sound of Music") is 52. Rhythm-and-blues singer Terry Ellis is 42. Rock musician Brad Wilk is 40. TV personality Dweezil Zappa is 39. Actress Rose McGowan is 34. Actor Andrew Ducote is 22. Actor Skandar Keynes is 17.
Thought for today: "Ideas are one thing, and what happens is another."
-- John Cage, American composer and author (1912-1992)
[Associated Press]
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