Today in history
[font=Courier New][size=4]August 11[/size][/font][b]1999: Millions marvel at total eclipse[/b]
Up to 350 million people in Europe and Asia have witnessed the last total [u]solar eclipse[/u] of the century.
The phenomenon began over the Atlantic, a few hundred miles east of Boston, North America.
The only part of mainland Britain to witness totality - the full blacking out of the sun by the moon - was Cornwall in south-west England.
Cloudy skies mean spectators there were unable to see the full effect, but the spectacle was still dramatic.
The temperature dropped and darkness fell in Falmouth at 1111 BST (1011 GMT).
TV astronomer Patrick Moore, watching in Falmouth, described it as a "strange, weird experience".
Hundreds of people who gathered on the Isles of Scilly were the first to witness the eclipse.
After Britain the eclipse was seen throughout Europe and Asia.
Across the Channel in northern France there were clear skies as there were in Munich, Germany.
But at the moment of totality, a [u]torrential[/u] downpour spoiled the view.
The streets of Ramnicu Valcea, the south-central city in Romania -where totality could be seen the longest - were crammed with spectators.
In Egypt, Muslims shut themselves away on the orders of [u]clerics[/u] but Jordan and Syria declared a national holiday.
Spectators in Pakistan and Bangladesh suffered the same fate as those in the UK, having their views obscured by clouds.
The eclipse will lead to greater scientific understanding, largely because its track across Europe and south Asia allowed astronomers many vantage points with clear skies.
During an eclipse scientist are able to measure the effect of the sun on the Earth's atmosphere and observe the violent magnetic storms in outer atmosphere of the sun - the corona.
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Vocabulary:
solar eclipse : the moon interrupts light from the sun（日食）
torrential : pouring in abundance（奔流的）
cleric : a clergyman or other person in religious orders（牧师） [font=Courier New][size=4]August 11[/size][/font]
[b]1982: Krays let out for mother's funeral[/b]
FilmThe The [u]notorious[/u] east End gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray have been allowed out of prison for the funeral of their mother.
Violet Kray, 72, died of cancer last week.
It was the first time the Krays, 49, had been seen in public since being sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1969.
Security was tight for the funeral service in east London.
The brothers arrived separately - both were handcuffed to a prison guard and flanked by police officers.
Ronnie Kray was brought from Broadmoor Hospital for the criminally [u]insane[/u] in Berkshire where he has spent the last four years.
His brother travelled from Parkhurst Prison in the Isle of Wight where he is still held as a maximum security Category "A" prisoner.
The service was attended by a number of celebrities and underworld figures known to the twins from the days when they ran one of London's biggest criminal operations.
Among them was actress Diana Dors who arrived wearing a black dress and sunglasses and carrying a bouquet.
The brothers were not allowed to attend the graveside service at Chingford Mount cemetery in Essex where their mother was [u]interred[/u] in the family burial plot.
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Vocabulary:
notorious : having an exceedingly bad reputation（声名狼籍的）
insane : afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement（患精神病的）
inter : place in a grave or tomb;to bury（埋葬）
[[i] Last edited by constancyzhang on 2005-8-11 at 02:51 PM [/i]] [font=Courier New][size=4]August 12[/size][/font]
[b]1964: Great Train Robber escapes from jail[/b]
A massive manhunt is under way across Britain after one of the so-called Great Train Robbers escaped from Winson Green Prison in Birmingham.
Charlie Wilson, 32, was apparently freed by a gang of three men who broke into the jail in the early hours of the morning.
They are believed to have stolen a ladder from a nearby builders' yard to break into the grounds of a mental hospital next to the prison, and then used a rope ladder to scale the 20ft (6.1 metre) high prison wall.
They [u]coshed[/u] one of the two patrolling warders on duty and tied him up before opening Wilson's cell door and freeing him.
It is still not known how they got hold of the keys to Wilson's cell. Winson Green is a maximum security prison, and only one member of staff holds the keys to open cells at night.
At a news conference, the secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, F. Castell, said security arrangements at the prison should be enough to meet all normal requirements.
"But," he said, "today's happenings are abnormal. It seems likely that somehow or other a master key has been obtained which allowed these people to effect a simple entry to the prison after scaling the wall.
"This is so abnormal that you just cannot [u]cater[/u] for it."
The Home Secretary, Henry Brooke, was on an official trip to the Channel Islands, but returned to London immediately.
He said he was "seriously concerned" by the escape, and ordered an inquiry to begin straight away.
Wilson is described as one of the masterminds behind the robbery last year. In the biggest heist of its kind, over 5 milloin pounds was stolen from a Royal Mail train.
Most of the money has never been recovered, and Wilson is believed to be the robber who knows where the missing money stolen in the raid is hidden.
He is reported to have told the police who arrested him two weeks after the robbery: "I don't see how you can make it stick without the poppy [money], and you won't find that."
He served just four months of his 30-year jail sentence before his escape.
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Vocabulary:
cosh: to hit someone with a cosh or similar bludgeon, usually on the head（用短棒攻击）
cater: provide what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance（投合；满足需要） [font=Courier New][size=4]August 12[/size][/font]
[b]2000: Murdered schoolgirl's life celebrated[/b]
The family of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne has been joined by friends and hundreds of members of the public for a memorial service.
Sara and Michael Payne arrived at Guildford Cathedral with their children, Lee, Luke and Charlotte, to hear friends and family give readings and sing Sarah's favourite [u]hymns[/u] .
Sarah's naked body was found dumped in a field in West Sussex in July more than two weeks after she disappeared from fields near her grandparents' home in East Preston.
The family insisted the service should be open to the public after the massive national [u]outrage[/u] to the eight year old's murder in West Sussex last month.
Officers from Sussex Police also attended the service at the cathedral.
They included the man leading the murder hunt, Detective Superintendent Peter Kennet.
Sarah's uncle, Keith Payne, read a poem about his niece, describing "her warmth, her charm, her [u]indomitable[/u] spark".
Her aunt Fiona Crook recalled when Sarah was her bridesmaid.
She said: "Our little Sarah has gone from us, but she will live in our hearts forever and will always be remembered as `Sarah, our little princess'."
After the service, Sarah's parents released 12 white doves outside the cathedral.
Mr Payne, 31, said: "I can't think of words to say. It was fantastic and a lovely turnout."
Members of the public wept as they formed a queue to offer their [u]condolences[/u] .
A private funeral service is expected to be held for Sarah after her body is released by the West Sussex coroner.
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Vocabulary:
hymn : a song of praise（赞美诗；圣歌）
outrage : a feeling of righteous anger（愤怒）
indomitable : impossible to subdue（不屈服的）
condolence : an expression of sympathy with another's grief（哀悼；吊唁） [font=Courier New][size=4]August 13[/size][/font]
[b]1961: Berliners wake to divided city[/b]
Troops in East Germany have sealed the border between East and West Berlin, shutting off the escape route for thousands of refugees from the East.
Barbed wire fences up to six feet (1.83 metres) high were put up during the night, and Berliners woke this morning to find themselves living in a divided city.
Train services between the two sectors of the city have been cut, and all road traffic across the border has been stopped.
Thousands of angry demonstrators quickly gathered on the West Berlin side of the divide. At one crossing point, protesters tried to trample down the barbed wire, only to be driven back by guards with [u]bayonets [/u].
The West German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, appealed for calm, saying in a broadcast to the nation this evening: "Now, as always, we are closely bound to the Germans of the Russian zone and East Berlin.
"They are and remain our German brothers and sisters. The Federal Government remains firmly committed to the goal of German unity."
There has been outrage from the international community at the abrupt decision to cut off one side of the city from the other.
A Foreign Office spokesman in London said the restrictions were contrary to the four-power status of Berlin, and therefore illegal.
The American Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, called it a "flagrant violation" of East-West agreements, and said there would be a vigorous protest to Russia.
The tide of people fleeing East Germany has grown to a flood in recent days, as the Soviet Union has taken an increasingly hard line over breaking away from the three Allied powers and forming a separate peace treaty with East Germany over Berlin.
Nearly 12,500 people left East Germany this week - over 2,000 more than the previous week.
The East German government has been taking desperate measures to stem the flow. Yesterday, border guards were intercepting trains near Berlin and [u]interrogating[/u] passengers. Those who arrived in Berlin said only one in 10 was allowed through.
There had been rumours of a decisive crackdown on refugees since the East German parliament met yesterday and approved new, unspecified measures against them.
The rumours provoked an even more [u]frantic exodus [/u]. Just before the borders were closed, the numbers more than doubled, with some 3,000 East Germans fleeing to the West in just 24 hours.
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Vocabulary:
bayonet: a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon（刺刀）
interrogate : to question formally; to examine by asking questions（审问）
frantic : excessively agitated; transported with rage or other violent emotion（疯狂的）
exodus: a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment（大批的离去） [font=Courier New][size=4]August 13[/size][/font]
[b]2000: Murdered schoolgirl's life celebrated[/b]
FilmTheTheAA A three-year-old boy from Dublin has become the world's youngest heart and lung transplant patient.
Jamie Gavin had the four-hour operation at Harefield Hospital in Middlesex, west of London.
His condition is described as satisfactory.
The young patient and his parents were flown from Ireland to London on Monday.
He had been waiting for a donor since May, when doctors told his parents he had a [u]congenital [/u]heart disease which was progressively weakening his heart and lungs.
Jamie's parents, Tom and Marian Gavin, have spoken of the pressure of their wait.
They said that before the operation Jamie had hardly any energy.
Mrs Gavin said: "He was very tiny for his age, he didn't grow and was very thin.
"He didn't have a future without this operation."
Before Jamie, the youngest heart-lung patient was five-year old Brook Matthews from Australia who also underwent surgery at Harefield.
Jamie's operation was performed by Britain's leading transplant specialist, Egyptian-born Magdi Yacoub.
It was the 20th time Mr Yacoub has carried out this procedure at Harefield - so far 14 of those who have had the operation are still alive.
Mr Yacoub used a new device - a miniature support machine - which allowed the donor's heart and lungs to be brought to Harefield.
Until recently the donor's body had to be transported to Harefield because the organs could be damaged if moved separately.
This meant that some chances for transplants were lost as moving the body was deemed too impractical or was too upsetting for relatives.
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Vocabulary:
congenital: present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal development（先天的） very good ! I like them ! [font=Courier New][size=4]August 14[/size][/font]
[b]2003: Lights go out across NE America [/b]
Massive power failures have caused chaos across the eastern United States and Canada, hitting major cities such as New York and Ottawa.
It is thought to be the worst power cut in US history, and has affected more than 50 million people.
Traffic lights failed, underground railways were evacuated and people were trapped in lifts in offices and apartments. Flights into six airports in the affected areas were stopped for several hours.
There were extraordinary scenes in New York City as workers walked home, choking pavements and roads.
Civilians manned intersections directing gridlocked traffic after traffic signals failed.
Thousands of commuters were unable to get home and spent the night sleeping on the streets.
In many areas, the main difficulty was the soaring heat. The blackout happened on one of the hottest days of the year, with temperatures of up to 32C.
Manhattan worker Lucy was one of those who walked home, leaving her office at 1630 (1200 GMT) and arriving at her Jersey City home at midnight.
"I tried to get a ferry from NYC, but they soon stopped from the pier I walked to as they all ran out of fuel," she said.
"The queues were terrible - people fainting everywhere from the heat."
For many, the incident brought back memories of the terrorist attacks of 11 September.
Jessica Nottes was on top of the Empire State building when the power went out.
"We had to walk down 86 flights of stairs," she said. "I kept thinking about the Twin Towers and how I would get down. But everybody was calm."
President George W Bush was quick to give reassurances that terrorism was not to blame, and added, "We're slowly but surely coping with this massive national problem."
Canadian officials have pointed to a fire in a power plant near the upstate New York town of Niagara as the cause, although the United States disputes this.
A spokeswoman for New York Governor George Pataki said US officials were looking at a power transmission problem from Canada as the most likely source of the power cuts.
Work has been going on through the night to restore electricity to the worst-hit areas, and some power is returning although officials say restoring levels to normal could take much longer.
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[b]1941: Secret meetings seal US-Britain alliance[/b]
Artificially 1969: FilmTheTheAAThe The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, has spent the last few days in top-secret meetings with the American President, Franklin D Roosevelt.
Details of the meetings only emerged after the announcement of a joint declaration by Britain and America on the basic principles for a post-war world, sealing the alliance between the two countries for the downfall of Hitler.
The document, known as the Atlantic Charter, consists of a list of eight undertakings:
1.Britain and the United States seek no territorial gains from the war
2.any changes to a country's territory should only happen with the agreement of the people living there
3.it is the right of everyone to choose the government under which they will live
4.self-government should be restored to those who have lost it
5.there should be free trade between all nations
6.improvements in the economy and in living standards should be available to all
7.there should be peace following what the Charter calls "the end of Nazi tyranny" peace should enable freedom of movement around the world
8.a belief that aggressive nations must be disarmed if the world is to live at peace
Rumours of high-level talks have been rife for weeks in the American press following the sudden disappearance from Washington of Mr Roosevelt and several top US officials.
Mr Churchill's unexplained absence from the House of Commons during a statement on the war situation on 6 August had also attracted some attention.
It turned out both men were involved in at least three days of intensive talks on board the American cruiser, USS Augusta, and the British battleship, HMS Prince of Wales, anchored in Placentia Bay in Newfoundland, Canada.
It was the first time Mr Churchill had met Mr Roosevelt as heads of their respective governments, and their discussions were thought to have covered several other matters, such as the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June, the supply of weapons under the Lease-Lend Act, and the threat to Britain's lifeline in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Although the Charter is clearly an undertaking for the two countries to co-operate after the war, it stops short of anything which might bring forward America's participation in the war.
But as Japan continues to build up her fleet in the Pacific, speculation has been growing as to just how long the Americans can stay out.
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Vocabulary:
evacuate : to remove;to make empty;excrete or discharge from the body（疏散，使空）
choke: a condition caused by blocking the airways to the lungs（阻塞）
fainting : Syncope, or loss of consciousness owing to a sudden arrest of the blood supply to the brain（昏厥） [font=Courier New][size=4]August 15[/size][/font]
[b]1945: Allied nations celebrate VJ Day [/b]
Japan has surrendered to the Allies. There is joy and celebration around the world and 15 August has been declared Victory in Japan day.
The end of war will be marked by two-day holidays in the UK, the USA and Australia.
After days of rumour and speculation, US President Harry S Truman broke the good news at a press conference at the White House at 1900 yesterday.
He said the Japanese Government had agreed to comply in full with the Potsdam declaration which demands the unconditional surrender of Japan.
Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur will receive the official Japanese surrender, arrangements for which are now under way.
Later, in an address to a crowd that had gathered outside the White House President Truman said: "This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would."
But he warned that the task of creating a lasting peace still lay ahead.
At midnight, the British Prime Minister Clement Atlee confirmed the news in a broadcast saying, "The last of our enemies is laid low."
He expressed gratitude to Britain's allies, in the Dominions of Australia and New Zealand, India, Burma, all countries occupied by Japan and to the USSR. But special thanks went to the United States "without whose prodigious efforts the war in the East would still have many years to run".
The day coincides with the state opening of Parliament which took on an air of a victory parade.
Thousands braved the rain to watch King George VI and the queen driven down the Mall in an open carriage.
Later tonight, the King addressed the nation and the Empire in broadcast from his study at Buckingham Palace at 2100.
"Our hearts are full to overflowing, as are your own. Yet there is not one of us who has experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel its inevitable consequences long after we have all forgotten our rejoicings today."
The Royal Family greeted cheering crowds from the Palace balcony. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret later mingled with the crowds outside the Palace.
Historic buildings all over London are floodlit and throngs of people have crowded onto the streets of every town and city shouting, singing, dancing, lighting bonfires and letting off fireworks.
But there were no celebrations in Japan - in his first ever radio broadcast, Emperor Hirohito blamed the use of "a new and most cruel bomb" used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for Japan's surrender.
"Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in the ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation but would lead also to the total extinction of human civilisation."
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[b]1985: Virgin voyage ends in disaster[/b]
Artificially 1969: FilmTheTheAAThe The speedboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger has capsized in heavy seas off the south-west of England scuppering Richard Branson's attempt at the fastest-ever Atlantic crossing.
The 32-ton vessel overturned just 140 miles (224km) short of its target, the Isles of Scilly off Cornwall.
The founder of Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson, veteran sailor Chay Blyth and the remaining seven crew are reported to be safe and well.
The crew were spotted floating in life boats by helicopters from the Royal Navy air station at Culdrose, Cornwall.
They were picked up by a passing ship and have been airlifted to hospital.
It is not yet known what caused the Challenger to overturn but the voyage had been hampered by bad weather.
The attempt began three days ago in New York.
Initially it went well and Challenger seemed set to break the record.
But the weather worsened and the boat developed a fuel leak.
Only an unscheduled rendezvous with a container ship to pick up more petrol enabled her to continue.
At the St Mary's yacht club in the Isles of Scilly the scene had been set for a celebration before news of the capsize came through.
Richard Branson's parents and sister, Chay Blyth's wife and relatives of the other crew members had gathered there in anticipation of their triumph.
At Virgin Atlantic's headquarters in London staff had also been waiting to celebrate a famous success.
It is not yet known whether Mr Branson will make a second attempt to claim the record.
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Vocabulary:
prodigious :a meeting planned at a certain time and place（巨大的）
obliteration : the complete destruction of every trace of something（涂去；除掉）
capsize : overturn accidentally（倾覆）
rendezvous: a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment（集合点） 确实不错！ [font=Century Gothic][size=4]August 16[/size][/font]
[b]1977: Singing legend Presley is dead[/b]
Elvis Presley, whose singing and style revolutionized popular music in the 1950s, has died.
Presley, 42, was discovered slumped in a bathroom at his mansion in Memphis, Tennessee on Tuesday.
He was rushed to the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Tennessee state pathologist, Dr. Jerry Francisco, said a post mortem on the singer's body had revealed he died of cardiac arrhythmia - a form of heart attack.
"The precise cause has not yet been determined for the cardiac arrhythmia," Dr Francisco said.
"It may take several days to several weeks to determine that specific cause and in some cases it never is determined."
The three-hour post mortem uncovered no sign of any other diseases or any drug abuse, Dr Francisco added.
Presley was divorced from his wife Priscilla in 1973 but it was rumoured that he had recently become engaged to Ginger Alden, 20.
She was reportedly spotted wearing a $50,000 diamond engagement ring from Presley.
Ms Alden and other members of his entourage were at Graceland when he collapsed.
There had been indications of Elvis Presley's declining health for some time.
Earlier this year the singer had cancelled several performances in Louisiana and returned to Memphis suffering what his doctors termed "exhaustion".
No arrangements have been announced yet for his funeral which is scheduled for Friday.
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[b]
2001: Diana butler charged with theft[/b]
FilmTheTheAA Paul Burrell, former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, has been charged with theft from her estate, the Prince of Wales and Prince William.
The charges relate to a total of 342 items which are said to have been stolen from Kensington Palace, the princess' former London home.
Mr Burrell, 42, of Farndon, Cheshire, has been on bail since he was arrested on suspicion of theft in January.
He was charged at West End Central police station in London on Thursday.
Mr Burrell has denied any impropriety and maintained the items were given to him by Princess Diana.
His solicitor, Andrew Shaw, read a short statement from the steps of the police station.
"Paul Burrell denies absolutely the charges that have been preferred against him," Mr Shaw said.
"He's rightly perceived to be a man of integrity and trusted by the royal family. He says that their trust is justified."
Among the hundreds of items allegedly stolen from the estate of the Princess of Wales include hats, handbags, and photographs.
Several CDs and vinyl records were also on the list issued by the Metropolitan police.
Items allegedly stolen from Prince William include photographs and cards - many from his mother and one from Baywatch star David Hasselhoff.
Mr Burrell is also alleged to have stolen an Indiana Jones bullwhip and a white metal pepper grinder from the Prince of Wales.
He will appear at Bow Street magistrates' court on Friday.
Paul Burrell joined the Wales household in 1986 and became the princess's friend and confidant .
He was famously referred to by her as "my rock".
When she was killed in a car crash in August 1997 he flew to France to help prepare her body.
In September 1997 he was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal by the Queen in recognition of his services.
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Vocabulary:
mansion : a large house,usually belonging to a wealthy （公寓；大厦；官邸）
integrity : honesty that can be trusted（正直；诚实）
confidant: a person to whom one tells one's secrets or with whom one talks bout persona（知己） [font=Courier New][size=4]August 17[/size][/font]
[b]1978: US balloonists' record Atlantic crossing
England have [/b]
Three Americans have made the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by hot air balloon.
Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman and Max Anderson took six days to complete the flight from Maine in the US to France.
It was the second attempt for Mr Abruzzo and Mr Anderson after failing to complete the crossing last September in the first Double Eagle.
This time the three men travelled the 3,000 miles (4,800 km) in a 65-foot (20-metre) diameter gondola named The Spirit of Albuquerque powered by a helium-filled balloon.
It was equipped with a catamaran in case of an emergency sea landing as well as computers for navigation and radio gear for communication.
The Atlantic crossing was achieved officially at just after 2200 on 16 August when Double Eagle II crossed the Irish coast.
But the three pilots wanted to reach le Bourget airfield near Paris, where the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh had once landed.
However, windy conditions in France forced them to overshoot their target.
Instead they landed safely in a wheat field near Miserey about 60 miles (96 km) north west of Paris.
Passing motorists and nearby villagers flocked to congratulate the balloonists - all businessmen from New Mexico.
Souvenir hunters ripped pieces from the balloon before it was salvaged and packed for shipping back to the US along with the gondola.
The most recent attempt before the trio's success was made last month by two Englishmen.
They took off from Newfoundland in Canada but fell short of their goal, Brest in France by just over 100 miles (160 km).
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1987: Hitler's deputy found dead
Artificially 1969: FilmTheTheAA Rudolf Hess, who was Adolf Hilter's right-hand man at the start of World War II, has been found dead.
The body of Hess, 93, was found in the grounds of Spandau Prison in west Berlin, where he had been held since his conviction in 1946 at the Nuremberg war crimes trial.
There are unconfirmed reports that he may have committed suicide.
For more than 20 years Hess was the only inmate at the prison after the release of Albert Speer and Baldur von Schirach in October 1966.
The Soviet Union - which had joint control of the prison with the US, Britain and France - would not agree to Hess being set free.
They argued that as one of the most senior figures in the Nazi regime he should have been executed.
Rudolf Hess was among the first to join the Nazi party in 1920.
He took part in the abortive coup attempt in 1923 when Hitler tried to overthrow the Bavarian government and subsequently spent time in jail with the Nazi party leader.
After they were released in 1925, Hess became Hitler's personal assistant and private secretary.
By the time war broke out between Germany and Britain in 1939 Hess was a minister in the Nazi regime whose signature appeared on all new legislation.
In 1941 Rudolf Hess secretly flew to Scotland to try and negotiate a peace treaty but was arrested.
When news of his flight reached Germany he was disowned by Hitler.
Questions regarding Hess' sanity were raised both during his internment in Britain and his trial at Nuremberg.
It is expected his body will be taken to his hometown of Wunsiedel in Bavaria for burial once a post mortem has been carried out.
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Vocabulary:
gondola: a hanging framework for people to stand in（吊篮；吊架）
abortive : unsuccessful;not developing（失败的）
coup : a clever move or action that obtains the desired result（策略）
disown : to say that one has no connection with（断绝关系） [size=4][font=Courier New]August 18[/font][/size]
[b]1989: Man U sold in record takeover deal[/b]
Manchester United Football Club has been sold for ￡20m in the biggest takeover deal in the history of British football.
The new owner is Isle of Man-based property tycoon and former footballer, Michael Knighton.
Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards is to receive more than ￡20m for his majority share in the club and will stay on as chief executive.
There had been rumours for some time that Mr Edwards was planning to sell his stake but the deal was shrouded in secrecy.
The sale of his shares ends 25 years of Edwards family control of what has been dubbed "the world's most famous football team".
At the press conference to announce the sale he defended what he called his "sad" decision.
"I believe that under new direction and with new financial backing this club can go even further," Mr Edwards said.
Since taking over at Manchester United in 1980 after the death of his father, Louis, Mr Edwards' large annual salary and his sacking of a popular manager have alienated many fans.
Manchester United gained its worldwide reputation after a golden era in the 50s under Sir Matt Busby and his "Busby Babes".
Players who followed them like Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law and George Best also helped enhance the club's reputation and its trophy cabinet.
But in recent years Manchester United has been - by its standards - in the footballing doldrums and attendance at matches has dropped off.
It is badly in need of a cash injection for both new players and facilities. The new owner has promised to spend ￡20m refurbishing Manchester United's Old Trafford ground - England's largest stadium apart from Wembley.
"Manchester United is a legend. It is undoubtedly in my view the greatest football club in the world," Mr Knighton told reporters.
"I consider myself to be a football enthusiast first and a businessman second," he added.
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[b]1992: Serbian prison camps condemned[/b]
FilmTheTheAA Conditions in two Serbian detention camps have been condemned as "hell on earth" by the man leading a delegation to inspect them.
Dr Bernard Kouchner, the French minister for humanitarian affairs said European governments must act to ensure the camps - at Trnopolje and Manjaca in north-eastern Bosnia - were closed.
The delegation is visiting in the wake of worldwide outrage which followed the first television pictures from the camp at Trnopolje last week.
Images of severely emaciated internees behind barbed wire fences were flashed around the world leading to comparisons with the horrors of Nazi concentration camps.
However Serbs guarding the men at the camps denied the detainees were starving, saying the men "were just ill".
The Serbs have defended the existence of the camps calling them "investigation centres for Muslims suspected of being fighters".
There are believed to be about 57 such camps in Bosnia.
Attempts were made to prevent members of the media accompanying the delegation from taking pictures or filming.
Only a few of the internees risked the wrath of their Serb guards by speaking to the delegation.
"I think about 80-100 people have died in this camp," one man said.
Red Cross workers, who have been attempting to make lists of those being held in the camp, were also prevented from talking to the media.
Since the Red Cross arrived last week regular meals have been served to prisoners.
But it is feared that many of them are too weak to recover. [font=Courier New][size=4]August 19[/size][/font]
[b]1991: Russian president ousted[/b]
Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev has been overthrown after a coup by Communist hardliners. Mr Gorbachev is reported to be under house arrest at his holiday home in the Crimea.
News of the coup was broken in an announcement on state radio earlier on Monday.
It said Mr Gorbachev was "unable to perform his presidential duty for health reasons".
Soviet television has since been broadcasting regular condemnations of Mr Gorbachev's policies.
The new leaders, headed by former vice-resident Gennady Yanayev have declared a state of emergency.
In a televised broadcast, the eight coup plotters, who include the heads of the army, the KGB and the police, said they were saving the country from a "national catastrophe ".
Tanks are now patrolling the streets of Moscow but in spite of their presence thousands of people have come out to demonstrate against the takeover.
They included the president of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin.
Mr Yeltsin climbed on to a tank outside the Russian parliament building to confront the troops and appeal to the army not to turn against the people.
He said the coup was a "new reign of terror" and called for civil resistance.
Despite a ban on demonstrations, several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the Kremlin calling for the reinstatement of the legal government.
Nearby troops made no move to break up the demonstration but the army is reported to have warned hospitals to be ready for "casualties".
US President George Bush has called the coup a "disturbing development" and cut short his holiday to return to the White House.
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[b]1960: Moscow jails American U-2 spy pilot[/b]
1960: Moscow jails American U-2 spy pilot
Artificially 1969: FilmTheTheAA The United States pilot, Francis Gary Powers, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Soviet military court.
Powers had pleaded guilty to spying for the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after his plane was shot down on 1 May at an altitude of about 68,000 ft (20,760 m), south of Sverdlovsk, 850 miles (1,368 km) east of Moscow.
The charge sheet said the route taken by Powers "left no doubt that it was a deliberate intrusion into the air space of the Soviet Union with hostile purposes".
Powers told the court the U-2 was designed and built for high-altitude flights. He had been told it could fly beyond the reach of anti-aircraft fire.
He described the moment the plane was hit: "I felt a hollow-sounding explosion. It was behind and there was a kind of orange flash."
In the wreckage of the U-2 were found films of Soviet airfields and other important military and industrial targets. A tape recording was found of the signals of certain Soviet radar stations.
Powers was asked why he made the 1 May flight. He said he assumed he was looking for rocket launching sites.
The court heard Powers was equipped with emergency gear, including money and gold, and there was a mechanism on the plane for destroying it to avoid capture. He also carried a poisoned pin to enable him to commit suicide in case of torture.
Powers told the court he was offered a well-paid job with the CIA after leaving the US Air Force.
He was told his work would involve flying along the borders of the Soviet Union with the purpose of picking up any radio or radar information.
Powers was asked if he now regretted making his last flight. He replied, "yes, very much".
He also apologised for the damage to US/Soviet relations. His plane was shot down on the eve of a superpower summit in Paris, which was subsequently called off. A visit by President Dwight Eisenhower to the Soviet Union was also cancelled.
In his final speech to the court, prosecutor Roman Rudenko outspokenly attacked the United States as inspirers and organisers of what he called "monstrous crimes" against peace.
He said the US had demonstrated "the real intention of making use of the provocative incursion of the U-2 plane into the Soviet air space as a pretext for wrecking a summit meeting, plunging the world again into the state of cold war, aggravating the tensions in international relations and putting a brake on the Great Powers' talks on disarmament".
Powers' wife Barbara and parents have been in court since the trial began three days ago. They are hoping to appeal against the sentence. [size=4][font=Courier New]August 20[/font][/size]
[b]1992: Duchess of York in photos row[/b]
Intimate photographs of the Duchess of York and a Texan businessman, John Bryan, have been published in a tabloid newspaper.
The pictures, run by the Daily Mirror over 10 pages, show a topless Duchess of York and Mr Bryan embracing by a swimming pool in the south of France.
Other photographs appear to show Mr Bryan kissing the duchess' foot.
The duchess is currently separated from her husband Prince Andrew.
However, she has always maintained that Mr Bryan was merely her "financial adviser".
The pictures were taken by an Italian freelance photographer using a telephoto lens.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement that the Queen was dismayed by the decision of the Daily Mirror and other tabloids to publish the photographs.
A palace spokesman said: "We strongly disapprove of the publication of photographs taken in such circumstances."
However, the editor of the Daily Mirror is defending its action.
Richard Stott said the pictures revealed the hypocrisy surrounding the duchess' relationship with Mr Bryan.
The Duchess of York has spent the day at Balmoral in Scotland with other members of the Royal Family.
John Bryan was in London with an army of reporters and photographers besieging his flat.
Mr Bryan made no comment as he left at lunchtime.
The Texan had asked the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) to intervene before the publication of the photos.
But the PCC said it would not censor a newspaper in advance of publication.
It would also not decide whether publication was in the public interest unless it got a formal complaint, the PCC added.
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[b]1989: River crash 'kills 30'[/b]
FilmTheTheAA At least 30 people died when a pleasure cruiser, packed with young party-goers, and a barge collided on the River Thames.
The captain and second mate of the barge, the dredger Bowbelle, are now under arrest.
Among those still missing are the captain of the cruiser, the Marchioness, and a city banker who chartered the boat to celebrate his birthday.
There are fears the final death toll could be as high as 60.
Divers are still searching below deck where more bodies are expected to be found.
Most of those on board were young people in their 20s.
Both vessels were moving down river towards Southwark Bridge in the early hours of Sunday morning when they collided.
The Marchioness's owners said the 90-ton boat was struck a blow from the 2,000-ton dredger which forced it directly into the larger vessel's path.
They said the Bowbelle then ran over the cruiser forcing it underwater "like a bicycle being run over by a lorry".
So far the owners of the Bowbelle have made no public comment.
Police commandeered other boats to search for survivors who had been tipped into the river after the collision.
Party-goers on other cruisers witnessed the events and some tried to help.
"We were all shouting at the driver to back up to try and rescue some of the people which he did.
"We got back and some of the guys jumped into the water and pulled some of the people onto our boat," said one witness, Rob Elliott.
So far 89 people are known to have survived the crash.
Earlier today some of them left the hospitals where they had been taken after being pulled from the river. Every day in history has its own story.Thanks. they are from chinadaily, you can get them there:) thanks for the hard work, very good stories.
^_^
~~~august 11...1987a talent burn....
named listening [font=Courier New][size=4]August 22[/size][/font]
[b]2004: Xiaoping one of greatest men of 20th century [/b]
The late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was one of the greatest men of the 20th century, who contributed a great deal to China's development, said former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in a recent interview with Xinhua on the occasion of Deng's 100th birthday.
"In current China, it is unimaginable without Deng Xiaoping. It is a case where one man makes a decisive difference. Almost everything that is happening in the current reform, I have heard him saying at some point 15 years ago. Of course, it has evolved in a way that was unimaginable even when he was still alive. His contribution to current China is decisive," the US statesman said.
"The reform in China was initiated by him. I had the honor of hearing him explaining to me on many occasions. I had the honor of being able to compare what he said to me in 1974 and again in 1979with what actually happened. Very few statesmen can say they achieve their own predictions," he said.
As one of the foreign guests who met Deng most often, Kissingersaid he was impressed by Deng's charisma as a statesman and as an ordinary person. He described Deng Xiaoping as "a man of few words who had the great ability to sum up a subject and reduce it to a few sentences, so he got a lot of businesses done in a limited period of time."
Kissinger also recalled how Deng Xiaoping invited him to his favorite dish, Mongolian hot pot, in a restaurant. "It is not often done by Chinese leaders to invite a guest to a restaurant," said Kissinger, noting that though they had an exclusive room, it was in a regular restaurant, not a state guest house. This indicates that Deng took him as a friend and treated him in an informal manner, he added.
On another occasion, said Kissinger, he happened to be in Seattle when Deng Xiaoping was traveling through the city during his visit to the United States. Kissinger left a note at Deng's hotel, asking to visit him in his hotel room.
"I got the message back, saying since I already called him in Washington, now he owed me a visit. He walked from his hotel to my hotel, to my room, creating absolute chaos among the security people," Kissinger said.
On US-China relations, the former secretary of state said a strong and prosperous China would make huge contribution to the development of the world.
"As long as I know Deng Xiaoping, he was a strong advocate of close relations with the United States and friendship with the United States. I think the current Chinese leaders, the third generation of Chinese leaders and the fourth generation of Chinese leaders also carry this legacy of Deng Xiaoping," he said.
He noted that as the world is faced with a host of new problems and new situations, such as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the emergence of countries as new major international players, it requires a change in the traditional ways of looking at foreign policy.
"But at the same time I think the solution of all problems is greatly eased when China and the United States work together. The development of US-China relations benefit not only the two peoples,but people of all Asia and the world," Kissinger said.
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[b]1972: Rhodesia out of Olympics[/b]
FilmTheTheAA Rhodesia has been thrown out of the Olympic Games with just four days to go before the opening ceremony in Munich.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted by 36 to 31 with three abstentions to recommend Rhodesia's expulsion in the face of mounting international pressure.
Two days ago the National Olympic Committees of Africa threatened to pull out of the games unless Rhodesia was barred from competing.
The African nations were demanding Rhodesia's expulsion on the grounds the country was an illegal regime and its team were not therefore British subjects.
Seven years ago Ian Smith declared Rhodesia's independence from Britain and then in March 1970 he announced the country was a republic - breaking its last link with the crown and ending any hopes of black majority rule.
The IOC issued Rhodesia's invitation to the West German games on certain conditions, which included appearing under their old colonial flag.
In a bid to appease the IOC, the Rhodesian team did arrive in West Germany with the Southern Rhodesian flag - made up of a Union Jack and a coat of arms on a blue background - and stood to attention when the national anthem, God Save the Queen, was played.
But comments by the Rhodesian team manager, Ossie Plaskitt, when the team arrived in Munich did little to smooth over the disagreement.
He was quoted as saying : "We are ready to participate under any flag, be it the flag of the boy scouts or the Moscow flag. But everyone knows very well that we are Rhodesians and will always remain Rhodesians."
The decision is a blow for the retiring IOC president, Avery Brundage, who had argued for Rhodesia's inclusion in the games.
He told reporters he was "shocked and surprised" by the decision. He continued: "The political pressures in sport are becoming intolerable."
Many of the Rhodesian athletes were in tears when they heard the news. The 44-strong team of black and white Rhodesians will, however, be allowed to stay in Munich to watch the games.
In the Rhodesian capital, Salisbury, sports officials said the decision was a disgrace. A spokesman for the prime minister said there was "no doubt that the Olympics are in the hands of the politicians." [font=Courier New][size=5]August 23[/size][/font]
[b]1961: Couple found shot in A6 lay-by[/b]
Police have launched a murder hunt after a man was found shot dead and his companion seriously wounded in a lay-by in Bedfordshire.
The couple were found by a police patrol in the lay-by on the A6 at Deadman's Hill, near Luton, at 0645 BST today.
The dead man, who has been identified as physicist Michael John Gregsten, 34, from Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire, had been shot twice in the head with a 38-calibre revolver .
His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries.
Police believe the couple, both employees of the Road Research Laboratory near Slough, were confronted by a man with a gun as they were parked on Dorney Common in Berkshire yesterday evening.
They were ordered to drive to Deadman's Hill, where the attack took place.
The murderer left the scene in Mr Gregsten's grey Morris Minor, registration number 847 BHN, which was found abandoned in Ilford, Essex, this evening.
Detectives and tracker dogs have spent the day searching the surrounding area and so far two cartridges have been found.
House-to-house inquiries have also been carried out.
Miss Storie's mother, Mrs John Storie, said: "Michael came here last night and had tea with Valerie.
"They then left at about 7.30pm in a grey Morris car which I understood belonged to Michael's mother. They took with them maps and other things to organise a car rally being held at their office this weekend.
"Valerie has worked at the laboratory since she left school five years ago and she has known Michael for a long time."
Mr Gregsten's body was tonight identified by his wife, Janet. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two.
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[b]1990: Outrage at Iraqi TV hostage show[/b]
FilmTheTheAA Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has appeared on state television with western hostages , provoking a storm of outrage.
Saddam told the group of more than a dozen mainly British people they had been detained to prevent war and said Iraq wanted to see that they were safe.
They are among hundreds of foreigners being held in Iraq since its invasion of Kuwait at the beginning of August.
However, the Iraqi leader told them they were not being held as "human shields" saying Iraq was in a position to destroy any attacker.
Saddam singled out one young British boy - named only as Stuart - and ruffled the child's hair.
Speaking through an interpreter, he asked Stuart if he was getting his milk.
The Iraqi leader told the group: "We hope your presence as guests here will not be for too long.
"Your presence here, and in other places, is meant to prevent the scourge of war."
They would become heroes of peace, Saddam added.
The detainees, who looked strained and nervous, were promised tuition for their children and given permission to write to their families.
At the end of the 30-minute taped appearance, the Iraqi leader posed for photographs with the hostages before shaking each one by the hand.
A spokesman for the Gulf Support Group, set up by relatives of stranded Britons, said the interview "made all of us feel sick".
The British Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd, also criticised the broadcast.
Mr Hurd said: "I think the manipulation of children in that sort of way is contemptible ."
The TV appearance has also been condemned by the US. [font=Courier New][size=5]August 24[/size][/font]
[b]1993: Michael Jackson accused of child abuse[/b]
Police in Los Angeles are investigating allegations of child abuse made against singer Michael Jackson.
They have refused to give details but it has emerged that two of Mr Jackson's homes were searched at the weekend following allegations of child abuse.
It is reported that the father of one boy befriended by Mr Jackson has alleged the singer seduced the child and performed sex acts with him.
Detectives are said to have interviewed the boy and other youngsters who visited Mr Jackson's Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara.
They include 12-year old actor Macaulay Caulkin, star of the Home Alone films.
The singer who is currently on tour in Thailand is aware of the allegations and issued a statement through his lawyer, Harold Weitzman.
"I am confident the police department will conduct a fair and thorough investigation and that the result will demonstrate that there was no wrong doing on my part," Mr Weitzman read.
The singer's security adviser, Anthony Pellicano, has said the allegation is part of a $20m extortion plot.
Around 30 such blackmail attempts were made against Mr Jackson each year, Mr Pellicano added.
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[b]1967: Penguins cool off in heat wave[/b]
FilmTheTheAA . Two penguins from Chessington Zoo have been taken on a day trip to a local ice-rink to cool off during London's sweltering temperatures.
As temperatures in the London area reached nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), Rocky the Rockhopper penguin and his female companion, who did not have a name, joined skaters at Streatham ice-rink.
Zoo-keepers at Chessington, concerned about the welfare of the two penguins in the sweltering heat, contacted the owners of the ice-rink who were only too happy to be of service.
And the penguins, who are more used to the cooler temperatures of the Antarctic, seemed delighted with their new icy surroundings.
They arrived at the Silver Blades ice-rink accompanied by their keepers Philip Gunstone and Jane Redding.
Miss Redding said: "These are Rockhopper penguins from the Falkland Islands.
"Rockhoppers are more bothered by the heat than our other kind - Humboldt penguins.
"Humboldts don't mind the hot weather."
As they were released from their box the pair waddled purposefully through the door of ice-rink which bore a sign reading "It's cooler inside."
As they made their way towards the ice they appeared completely unphased by the other skaters and once on the slippery surface conducted themselves with dignity and grace.
Staff at the ice-rink were so impressed they extended an invitation to the zoo's other 20 penguins and said the seals could even come along too! [font=Courier New][size=5]August 25[/size][/font]
[b]1989: Voyager spacecraft reaches Neptune[/b]
The unmanned Voyager 2 spacecraft has sent back the first close-up pictures of Neptune and its satellite planets.
Neptune is over two billion miles from Earth - the most distant planet in our solar system.
Scientists at Mission Control in Florida have called it the "culmination of the greatest journey of exploration this century".
Voyager 2 has already sent back pictures and information from Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus.
But its trip to Neptune has provided the most spectacular so far.
Neptune's blue hue is clearly visible - it comes from the planet's mainly methane atmosphere.
Scientists have been astounded by the discovery of a storm the size of Earth hovering over Neptune.
Six new moons have also been identified.
Voyager 2 blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida in August 1977.
It is a twin to Voyager 1 which was launched the following month.
Originally their trip was only designed to take in Jupiter and Saturn but scientists later decided to extend their journey and reprogrammed them by remote control.
Voyager 2 is due to leave our solar system soon and begin a journey of exploration of the stars - it is the last we will hear of it for many years.
Voyager 1 is already on its way to conduct studies of interplanetary space.
Both spacecraft carry an disk of recorded sounds and images from Earth.
Included are greetings from many languages, images of life on our planet and human achievements.
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[b]1944: Paris is liberated as Germans surrender[/b]
FilmTheTheAA After four years under German occupation, Paris is now free.
Last night, the French 2nd Armoured Division under General Philippe Leclerc was the first Allied force to enter the city, greeted by loud cheers from Parisians after many days of fighting between the Resistance and the German occupiers.
The new Free French wireless station reported the German commander of the Paris region, General Dietrich von Choltitz, signed a surrender at Montparnasse station in front of General Leclerc and Colonel Rol, commander of the Forces Francaises de l'Interieur (FFI) in the Paris region.
Colonel Rol praised the Resistance forces that fought the occupying Germans and opened the way for the Allies to enter the capital.
At 1900 local time, General Charles de Gaulle - leader of the Free French who has been living in exile in London since the Fall of France in 1940 - entered the city.
In a broadcast to the nation from the Hotel de Ville he said: "I wish simply from the bottom of my heart to say to you: Vive Paris!"
"We are here in Paris - Paris which stood erect and rose in order to free herself. Paris oppressed, downtrodden and martyred but still Paris - free now, freed by the hands of Frenchmen, the capital of Fighting France, France the great eternal."
He said the French could now stand up as a great world power and would not rest until the enemy had been defeated on its own territory.
This evening French, American and Senegalese troops marched triumphantly down the Champs Elysee to ecstatic cheers of Parisians, young and old.
But celebrations were brought to a swift halt by sniper fire from German troops and French Fascists.
The battle for Paris is not quite over and tonight, as the French 2nd Armoured Division reached the Porte d'Orleans district in the south of Paris, the FFI are still fighting German soldiers and taking prisoners.
Earlier today, Canadian and British forces joined up with American troops on the left bank of the River Seine south of Rouen.
And on the French coast, Honfleur has been captured by the Allies.
In the south of France, Americans have taken Cannes and Grasse, the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes. [font=Courier New][size=5]August 26[/size][/font]
[b]1994: Man gets 'bionic' heart[/b]
A man has been given the world's first battery-operated heart in a pioneering operation in Britain.
The patient, an unnamed 62-year-old from the south of England, is now in a stable condition at the world-famous Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire.
He had only months to live when doctors offered him the chance of being a guinea-pig for the new titanium and plastic device, manufactured in America.
Known as the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) it is not a replacement for the human heart.
It is essentially an electrical pump which does most of the work of the pumping chamber of the heart, the left ventricle .
During the four-hour operation the LVAD was placed in the wall of the man's abdomen and connected to his heart.
The pump is powered by a battery pack which the patient will wear on his belt.
The operation was performed by an 11-man team led by top heart surgeons Sir Terence English and John Wallwork.
Sir Terence carried out Britain's first successful heart transplant on entertainer Keith Castle in 1979.
The pioneering procedure could provide a vital alternative to heart transplants.
The LVAD, which costs ?0,000, has been used successfully in more than 200 patients to keep them alive until a donated heart became available.
However, a trial being carried out a Papworth will allow surgeons to see whether the device has a role in the long-term therapy of patients with cardiac failure.
Patients being considered suitable to take part in the trial are being randomly allocated to two groups.
One will have the device implanted and the remaining control group will continue with their usual drug treatment.
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[b]1962: Abortion mother returns home[/b]
FilmTheTheAAAn American mother-of-four is on her way home amid a storm of controversy after being given a legal abortion in Sweden.
Sherri Finkbine, from Phoenix in Arizona, was denied an abortion in her home-state following intense negative publicity surrounding her case.
The 30-year-old mother decided to terminate her fifth pregnancy after discovering that tranquilizers she had taken in the first few weeks of her pregnancy contained the drug Thalidomide.
In recent months there has been increasing evidence suggesting Thalidomide causes severe foetal deformities including missing limbs, deafness and blindness.
Mrs Finkbine, host of children's television programme "Romper Room", told her story to the local newspaper, believing it would alert other mothers in the same situation to the dangers of the drug.
But she became the focus of an intense anti-abortion campaign and worldwide public condemnation.
The negative publicity led her local hospital in Phoenix to withdraw a tentative offer of a legal abortion for fear they may be held criminally liable - the current law in Arizona states that abortion can only be carried out to save the mother's life.
Mrs Finkbine and her husband, Robert, a school teacher, took the case to the Arizona State Supreme Court but were unsuccessful.
Despite vilification from anti-abortionists across the United States and the world she flew to Sweden where the operation was carried out.
After the operation it was confirmed that the foetus had no legs and only one arm. [font=Courier New][size=4]August 27[/size][/font]
[b]1950: Television crosses the Channel[/b]
The BBC has transmitted the first ever live television pictures across the Channel.
A two-hour programme was broadcast live from Calais in northern France to mark the centenary of the first message sent by submarine telegraph cable from England to France.
In spite of formidable difficulties, this pioneer venture was successful, though the picture quality was far from perfect.
British viewers were able to watch the town of Calais "en fete", with a torchlight procession, dancing and a firework display all taking place in the Place de l'Hotel de Ville.
Presenters Richard Dimbleby and Alan Adair gave commentaries on the festivities and interviewed local personalities in front of the cameras.
The historic transmission, which has taken more than two months to plan, was made possible largely because of recent developments in portable television radio links.
In the past the working range for outside broadcast units was just 25 miles (40 km).
Five portable radio-link stations, designed to receive and send microwave signals, were set up temporarily along the 95-mile (153 km) route from Calais to London.
The first was installed at the top of the Hotel de Ville in Calais.
The microwave links work on wave-lengths of a few centimetres and concentrate the radio energy into sharp beams.
The idea is to direct as much energy as possible towards the next receiving station, which in this case was situated high above Dover at the Air Ministry Radar Station at Swingate.
There were initial teething problems when it was found that the strength of the signal fluctuated greatly according to the weather, the tide and shipping in the Channel.
Technical adjustments were required and the broadcast signals were eventually received by equipment situated at the top of London University's 200-ft (61m) Senate House, having passed through the towns of Lenham and Harvel in Kent.
From there the pictures were transmitted via cable to Alexandra Palace and onto Sutton Coldfield by the GPO radio-link from where they were beamed to the nation.
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[b]1979: IRA bomb kills Lord Mountbatten[/b]
FilmTheTheAA . The Queen's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten, has been killed by a bomb blast on his boat in Ireland.
One of the earl's twin grandsons, Nicholas, 14, and Paul Maxwell, 15, a local employed as a boat boy, also died in the explosion.
The attack was followed only hours later by the massacre of 18 soldiers, killed in two booby-trap bomb explosions near Warrenpoint close to the border with the Irish Republic.
The IRA has already admitted carrying out the attack on Lord Mountbatten.
A statement from the organisation said: "This operation is one of the discriminate ways we can bring to the attention of the English people the continuing occupation of our country."
Lord Mountbatten (79) and his family had traditionally spent their summer holiday at their castle in County Sligo, north west of Ireland.
They were aboard his boat, Shadow V, which had just set off from the fishing village of Mullaghmore, when the bomb detonated around 1130 BST.
A witness said the blast blew the boat "to smithereens " and hurled all seven occupants into the water.
Nearby fishermen raced to the rescue and pulled Lord Mountbatten out of the water.
But his legs had been almost severed by the explosion and he died shortly afterwards.
Other survivors were pulled out of the water and rushed to hospital.
At least one person is believed to be in a critical condition.
The attack has called into question the security arrangements surrounding the Mountbatten party. Lord Mountbatten never had a bodyguard.
The local police kept watch on Classybawn castle for the one month a year Lord Mountbatten spent there.
But his boat was left unguarded in the public dock in Mullaghmore where it was moored.
The village is only twelve miles from the Northern Ireland border and near an area known to be used by IRA members as a refuge. [font=Courier New][size=4]August 28[/size][/font]
[b]1963: King's dream for racial harmony[/b]
The fight for racial equality in the United States moved a step closer to victory today as Martin Luther King spoke of his dream for freedom in an address to thousands of Americans.
Reverend King was greeted with rapturous applause as he delivered his heart-felt words to a 250,000-strong crowd of civil rights protesters at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.
He spoke of the need "to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice".
He promised that the struggle for equality would continue until "justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream".
Rev King, who has worked tirelessly for an end to racial discrimination through non-violent means, spoke repeatedly of his dream for equality.
"I have a dream," he said. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by their character.
"I have a dream today.
"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be engulfed, every hill shall be exalted and every mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."
Dr King, who is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) first came to prominence in 1955 when he led a 382-day bus boycott in an attempt to end segregation on city buses.
Since then he has endured numerous arrests, violent harrassment and a bomb attack on his home.
But his struggle continues and it is believed today's speech will have a lasting impact on all who heard it.
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[b]2003: Blair gives evidence to Hutton[/b]
FilmTheTheAA . Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the inquiry into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly he would have had to resign if claims in a BBC report that the government "sexed up" an Iraq weapons dossier were true.
Mr Blair was giving evidence on the 11th day of the Hutton inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the apparent suicide of Dr Kelly.
The government scientist was found dead near his Oxfordshire home last month, days after it was revealed he had admitted to meeting the BBC reporter whose broadcast sparked the row.
During more than two hours of questioning, Mr Blair described the "raging storm" which erupted in the wake of the BBC story.
He called the allegations made in the report, broadcast by BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan on Radio 4's Today programme on 29 May, "extraordinarily serious".
He singled out Mr Gilligan's statement that the government "probably knew" its claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes was wrong.
Mr Blair said, "This was an absolutely fundamental charge... which if it were true would mean we had behaved in the most disgraceful way, and I would have to resign as prime minister."
He also said Mr Gilligan's later assertion that the prime minister's communications director, Alastair Campbell, had changed the dossier was an "attack" that "went to the heart of the office of prime minister."
Mr Blair spoke of his uncertainty over the right way to handle the issue after the Ministry of Defence press office let it be known that an unnamed official had come forward.
When asked about the later "question and answer" sheet which told MoD press officers they could confirm Dr Kelly's name if it was put to them by journalists, Mr Blair said, "I think the basic view would have been not to offer the name but on the other hand not to mislead people."
The prime minister was asked whether any concern was expressed about the pressure being placed on Dr Kelly.
"Obviously one looks back on this with a different perspective," he said, "but the best I can say is there was nothing that struck me that 'there is a problem here'". [font=Courier New][size=4]August 29[/size][/font]
[b]1986: UK's oldest twins turn 100[/b]
Britain's oldest twins have today both received telegrams from the Queen.
May and Marjorie Chavasse celebrated their 100th birthday with a joint birthday party.
Among the guests were four generations of their family.
They included five-year old William and Vivian Hall - the first twins to be born in the family since Marjorie and May.
The chances of identical twins both living beyond the age of 100 are about one in 700 million.
But the Chavasse twins were said to be determined from an early age to reach 100.
Neither sister married but both had distinguished careers.
Marjorie worked for the Dr Barnados charity setting up children's homes.
May became a nurse and cared for wounded soldiers in France during World War I.
She subsequently received a military honour for her work.
Marjorie still lives in her own home in Windsor, Berkshire while May lives in a home for retired nurses in Buckinghamshire.
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[b]1974: Rock fans clash with police at festival[/b]
FilmTheTheAA . At least 220 people have been arrested following disturbances at a rock festival in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire.
Organisers of the Windsor Free Festival, which started last Saturday, have accused police officers of heavy-handedness.
More than 600 officers moved in at 0800 on Thursday and began to clear the site where more than 2,000 festival-goers had camped overnight.
Many campers left voluntarily or offered only offered passive resistance but some fighting broke out.
220 were arrested and more than 50 people - including 22 police officers - were injured.
About 400 people marched through Windsor town centre in protest at the police action.
Several festival-goers claimed the police had acted brutally.
Michael Bennett, 17, from Worthing said he had been subjected to an unprovoked attack and as a result had a badly bruised neck.
David Stafford, 22, from Haywards Heath in Sussex said the police were arresting people at random.
"I don't know why the police got so violent. People were being thrown into police vans for no reason," he said.
The chief constable of Thames Valley Police, David Holdsworth, said his officers had moved in because the festival organisers had not got permission to camp on Windsor Great Park.
Mr Holdsworth said any complaints about police behaviour would be investigated. [font=Courier New][size=4]August 30[/size][/font]
[b]2001: Milosevic to face genocide charge[/b]
Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic is to be charged with genocide - the most serious of all war crimes.
Mr Milosevic was told of the new indictment as he appeared before the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague for a second time.
He is already facing four charges relating to war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from the Kosovo conflict in 1999.
Mr Milosevic is the first former head of state to be charged with such offences.
The tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, said three amendments to the existing indictment against him were being prepared.
They included charges relating to the conflicts in Bosnia and Croatia, Ms Del Ponte said.
During the 40-minute hearing, Mr Milosevic again refused to recognise the tribunal and complained about the conditions of his detention.
He is already pursuing a case in the Dutch courts, claiming he is being held illegally.
Prosecutors asked the tribunal to appoint a lawyer to defend the former Yugoslav president.
The judges refused, saying it would not be practical to force legal counsel on Mr Milosevic.
But they did appoint a lawyer to assist the court in ensuring a fair trial.
The lawyer will be able to cross-examine witnesses, and draw attention to any evidence that may indicate Mr Milosevic's innocence of the charges against him.
Presiding Judge Richard May adjourned the hearing to 29 October.
The tribunal hopes to fix a date for the trial before the end of next February.
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[b]1976: Notting Hill Carnival ends in riot[/b]
FilmTheTheAA . More than 100 police officers had to be taken to hospital after clashes at the Notting Hill Carnival in west London.
Most were released after treatment but at least 26 have been detained overnight for observation or further treatment.
Around 60 carnival-goers also needed hospital treatment after the clashes which led to the arrest of at least 66 people.
The trouble is believed to have started after police tried to arrest a pickpocket near Portobello Road on the main carnival route.
Several black youths went to the pickpocket's aid and within minutes the disturbance escalated.
The police were attacked with stones and other missiles.
They armed themselves with dustbin lids, milk crates and wire fencing and charged the rioters.
At one stage a group of black youths were seen moving up Westbourne Park road smashing windows.
Gangs of white youths were also said to have been involved in the violence.
One witness, Raymond Hunter, who lives in Westbourne Park Road said he saw a police van set alight.
"The two policemen managed to get out of the van and fled. The gang then turned the van over and set fire to it," Mr Hunter said.
The disturbances effectively put an end to the annual celebration of Caribbean culture.
Police sealed off roads and closed pubs in the area as well as shutting down Ladbroke Grove underground station in an attempt to contain the violence.
In the past, the carnival - now in its 10th year - has been largely peaceful in spite of tensions with police.
A member of the Notting Hill Carnival Development Committee, Selwyn Baptiste, said they had been optimistic after the first day of the festival passed off peacefully.
"We had no reason to suppose it would be any different today. This was supposed to be about fun and love - not violence," Mr Baptiste said. [font=Courier New][size=4]August 31[/size][/font]
[b]1997: Princess Diana dies in Paris crash[/b]
Diana, Princess of Wales, has died after a car crash in Paris.
She was taken to hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning where surgeons tried for two hours to save her life but she died at 0300 BST.
In a statement Buckingham Palace said the Queen and the Prince of Wales were "deeply shocked and distressed".
Prince Charles broke the news of their mother's death to Princes William and Harry at Balmoral Castle in Scotland where the royal family had been spending the summer.
The accident happened after the princess left the Ritz Hotel in the French capital with her companion, Dodi Al Fayed - son of Harrods owner, Mohammed Al Fayed.
Dodi Al Fayed and the vehicle's driver were also killed in the collision in a tunnel under the Place de l'Alma in the centre of the city.
The princess' Mercedes car was apparently being pursued at high speed by photographers on motorbikes when it hit a pillar and smashed into a wall.
Mr Al Fayed and the chauffeur died at the scene but the princess and her bodyguard were cut from the wreckage and rushed to hospital.
The French authorities have begun a criminal investigation and are questioning seven photographers.
Tributes to the princess have been pouring in from around the world.
Speaking from his home in South Africa, the princess' brother, Lord Charles Spencer, said his sister had been "unique".
While it was not the time for recriminations there was no doubt the press had played a part in her death, the earl added.
Hundreds of mourners have gathered at the princess' London home, Kensington Palace and many have laid flowers at the gates.
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[b]1957: Malaya celebrates independence[/b]
FilmTheTheAA . The Federation of Malaya is now independent. The handover of power from Britain took place at midnight.
Thousands of young members of the Malay, Chinese and Indian parties, which form the government, stood in darkness for two minutes at midnight to mark the official handover.
As the new flag of independence was raised they called "Merdeka" (freedom) seven times.
Tunku Abdul Rahman, the prime minister-elect, who led the negotiations with the British for handover of power, was hailed as the Father of Independence.
Malaya will stay in the Commonwealth - and, as midnight approached, prime ministers of the member countries sent messages recorded in five continents.
The British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan said he hoped 31 August would long be remembered as a great and happy day in the continuing development of Malaya and the Commonwealth of Nations.
In his speech delivered at midnight, Tunku Abdul Rahman said it was the greatest moment in the life of the Malayan people. A new star had risen in the eastern sky - a star of freedom for yet another Asian people.
The new prime minister was educated at two British schools and graduated from Cambridge in 1925. Soon after World War II he went back to Britain to study law.
On his return to Malaya in 1949 he found a country eager for independence but also struggling with communist extremism.
He founded the Alliance Party in 1952 which brought together the ethnic Malay, Chinese and Indians. The party won the 1955 general election with an overwhelming majority.
The Tunku became Chief Minister and ended the state of emergency - introduced after a wave of attacks carried out by mainly Chinese communists on mine-owners and plantations - and granted an amnesty to communist terrorists.
Last year he led the negotiations with the British which paved the way for independence.
The new Malayan head of state, Tuanku Abdul Rahman, will be officially installed on 2 September. He was chosen from among the rulers of Malay's nine hereditary states.
He will hold the post of head of state for five years when his successor will be elected.
The installation ceremony will be witnessed by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester who are flying in to represent the Queen. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 1[/size][/font]
[b]1939: Germany invades Poland[/b]
German forces have invaded Poland and its planes have bombed Polish cities, including the capital, Warsaw.
The attack comes without any warning or declaration of war.
Britain and France have mobilised their forces and are preparing to wage war on Germany for the second time this century.
Just before dawn today, German tanks, infantry and cavalry penetrated Polish territory on several fronts with five armies, a total of 1.5 million troops.
Soon afterwards German planes bombarded the cities. They have been making swift progress in penetrating Polish defences which are heavily outnumbered in artillery, infantry and air power.
The cities of Katowice, Krakow, Tczew and Tunel were attacked with incendiary bombs. Air raids on Warsaw began at 0900 local time.
Communications to Katowice have been broken but earlier reports said German planes were coming over in squadrons of 50, every half-hour, and there have been many casualties.
The German Army struck from Slovakia, East Prussia and from Pomerania into the Polish Corridor and the port Danzig, which has declared itself part of the Reich.
The 4th Army came in from East Prussia at Deutsch-Eylau supported by air raids on cities north of Warsaw. There is heavy fighting reported along the whole of the East Prussian border.
Poznan was attacked from the main body of the German Reich and border towns occupied.
The 8th and 10th armies are moving north-east from Silesia towards Warsaw; and the 14th Army struck from Slovakia towards Krakow.
The Times newspaper reports that when the air raid sirens in the capital first sounded at 0600 inhabitants reacted calmly and some even ran out onto the streets to look up at the sky and had be driven back inside by air raid wardens.
The unprovoked attack follows yesterday's report on German radio that the border town of Gleiwicz had been raided by a group of Polish soldiers, who had all been shot dead.
German radio broadcast a list of "demands" never submitted to the Polish Government.
The Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, held a meeting with King George today in Downing Street.
Later this evening Mr Chamberlain told a packed House of Commons that British and French Ambassadors in Berlin had given German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop an ultimatum.
He was to tell Berlin that unless the Nazis withdraw, Britain and France would fulfil its promise of support to Poland.
Von Ribbentrop said he would refer the message to Adolf Hitler.
US President Roosevelt of the United States has sent an appeal to the governments of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland urging them to announce publicly their determination not to launch air attacks on civilians.
In reply the British and French governments say they intend to confine their bombing to military objectives, so long as their opponents do the same.
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[b]1983: Korean airliner 'shot down'[/b]
FilmTheTheAA The United States has accused the USSR of shooting down a civilian airliner which is missing off Russia's eastern coast.
All 269 people on board the Korean Airlines flight KAL 007 are presumed dead.
Moscow has so far only admitted to an incident with an "unidentified aircraft" in Soviet airspace.
The Boeing 747 was flying from the USA to Seoul via Anchorage. It is believed to have strayed north of its scheduled course towards the Soviet island of Sakhalin.
The US Secretary of State, George Shultz, demanded a full explanation from Moscow. He told reporters he was confident the USSR was to blame.
"At least eight Soviet fighters reacted at one time or other to the airliner," he said.
Japanese monitors said they heard a Soviet pilot telling his ground controllers that he had taken aim at the plane and had fired. The aircraft disappeared from radar screens 12 minutes later.
The military complex near Sakhalin and the naval base at the port of Vladivostok are in one of Russia's strategically most sensitive areas.
Five years ago the Russians shot down a Korean airliner after it changed its course and flew over the top secret base at Murmansk. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 2[/size][/font]
[b]1945: Japan signs unconditional surrender[/b]
Japanese officials have signed the act of unconditional surrender, finally bringing to an end six years of world war.
In the presence of 50 Allied generals and other officials, the Japanese envoys boarded the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay to sign the surrender document.
Within half-an-hour of the signing, a convoy of 42 US ships entered Tokyo Bay and landed 13,000 American troops.
The Supreme Commander of the Allied powers, US General Douglas MacArthur, briefly addressed the dignitaries on the deck of the battleship urging them to comply with the terms of the surrender "fully, promptly and faithfully".
He continued: "It is my earnest hope and, indeed, the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past; a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfilment of his most cherished wish, for freedom, tolerance and justice."
He also referred to the nuclear bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, saying they had "revised the traditional concept of war". The world had had its last chance, he said, and if it did not devise some greater and more equitable system Armageddon would be at its door.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Japan has agreed to end all hostilities, release all prisoners of war, and comply with the terms of the Potsdam declaration, which confines its sovereignty to the four main islands which make up Japan.
It has also agreed to acknowledge the authority of the US supreme commander. Although Emperor Hirohito will be allowed to remain as a symbolic head of state.
From today the occupying force will be rapidly increased to about 500,000. British landing forces are expected to be relieved by US Army troops within a few days. Some will return home to Britain, others may be deployed for the reoccupation of surrendered ports.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Prince Higashi Kuni, broadcast an appeal to his people to obey the terms of the surrender.
He said the Japanese had to face defeat squarely and "suffer even the insufferable" in seeking to comply with the Emperor's surrender proclamation.
Marshal Joseph Stalin has welcomed the unconditional surrender of Japan.
Under the terms of the agreement the disputed southern Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands will pass into Soviet hands. The islands have been occupied by Japan since the Russo-Japanese war of 1904.
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[b]1951: Designers prepare to dazzle Venice[/b]
FilmTheTheAA British fashion designers have revealed the collection they plan to send to Venice later this week as part of the city's Biennale arts festival.
Last week, they showed off an array of 40 ladies' outfits at a London restaurant before packing them up for the Venice show.
The collection aims to demonstrate the versatility of the three most favoured textiles of the year - cotton, rayon and wool.
The models and their mannequins will be flown to Italy this week by the "big ten" members of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers for the Venice festival of arts and costume.
One of the evening gowns on show was of a simple but elegant design with a full skirt in checked gingham in four colours with a strapless bodice in velvet.
Another more elaborate evening dress was made of white gossamer wool with a neckline and stole embroidered in sequins.
Among the collection were more traditional tailored suits but in striking colours such as red and scarlet.
The most glamorous gown was a full-skirted wedding dress in delicate white print on pink organdie.
As well as heralding the latest fashions from around the world Venice plans to celebrate the history of clothing with a special exhibition called Costume through the Ages.
It opened today at the International Centre of Arts and Costume at the Palazzo Grassi and includes a selection of rare books illustrating the history of costume.
Also in association with the Venice Biennale there will be a Festival of Fashion and Costume in Film Production. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 3[/size][/font]
[b]1939: Britain and France declare war on Germany[/b]
Britain and France are at war with Germany following the invasion of Poland two days ago.
At 1115 BST the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, announced the British deadline for the withdrawal of German troops from Poland had expired.
He said the British ambassador to Berlin had handed a final note to the German government this morning saying unless it announced plans to withdraw from Poland by 1100, a state of war would exist between the two countries.
Mr Chamberlain continued: "I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and consequently this country is at war with Germany."
Similarly the French issued an ultimatum, which was presented in Berlin at 1230, saying France would be at war unless a 1700 deadline for the troops' withdrawal was adhered to.
King George has called upon "my people at home and my peoples across the seas".
He continued: "I ask them to stand calm, firm and united in this time of trial. The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield. But we can only do the right as we see the right and reverently commit our cause to God."
A War Cabinet of nine members has been set up with two new ministers, including Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty, the post he held at the outbreak of World War I. Lord Hankey becomes Minister without Portfolio.
Anthony Eden will take over as Dominions Secretary with special access to the War Cabinet. Mr Eden resigned from the post of Secretary of Foreign Affairs last year because he disagreed with the policy of appeasement .
The National Service (Armed Forces) Act has been passed making all men between 18 and 41 liable for conscription. The armed forces have already been mobilized for war and in July the first Territorial Army conscripts were called up.
Latest reports from Poland say the Germans have bombed a number of towns and cities, some with little or no strategic importance. About 1,500 are reported to have been killed or injured in the attacks on Friday and Saturday.
In his broadcast to the nation, Mr Chamberlain spoke of his sadness that "the long struggle to win peace" had failed.
He continued: "I cannot believe that there is anything more or anything different that I could have done and that would have been more successful."
Yesterday there was anger in the House of Commons over the Government's apparent delay in taking action against Germany.
Acting Labour Leader Arthur Greenwood had accused the Prime Minister of vacillating when "Britain and all that Britain stands for are in peril".
Today's declaration of war was received with rousing cheers. As Mr Chamberlain informed the House Britain could not take part in a five-power conference proposed by Italy while Poland was being invaded.
It has also been received with great enthusiasm in the Polish capital, Warsaw, where crowds took to the streets outside the British and French embassies cheering and singing.
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[b]1998: All feared dead in Swissair crash[/b]
FilmTheTheAA A Swissair plane flying from New York to Geneva has crashed in the sea off the coast of Nova Scotia, just over an hour after taking off.
A spokesman for Swissair confirmed there were 229 people on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft.
The cause of the crash is not yet clear, but US intelligence sources said they had no reason to suspect terrorism.
The Canadian authorities immediately launched a rescue operation but the chance of anyone surviving is said to be low.
According to rescue services, the pilot of flight SR-111 reported smoke in the cabin and requested an emergency landing at about 2115 local time (0115 BST).
Air traffic controllers directed him to Halifax International airport, but shortly after they lost radio contact and the plane disappeared from radar screens.
An airport worker said the crew had dumped fuel in St Margaret's Bay in preparation for the emergency landing.
Witnesses in the Halifax area reported hearing spluttering noises before a huge explosion.
"It was the worst-sounding deep groan that I've ever heard," said one local resident.
The chief financial officer of Swissair's parent company SAirGroup, George Schorderet, said the plane had been overhauled last year.
"It was in perfect working order", he said.
This is the company's first crash since 1979, when a Swissair DC-8 overshot the runway at Athens and burst into flames, killing 14 people. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 4[/size][/font]
[b]1985: Titanic wreck captured on film[/b]
The first pictures of the wreck of the Titanic have been released 73 years after the liner sank with the loss of 1,500 lives.
The wreck was discovered three days ago by a joint American-French expedition lead by the explorer Dr Robert Ballard.
The ship is lying at a depth of 2.5 miles (4 km) and was filmed by an unmanned submarine called Argo.
Enhanced images taken from the film have allowed researchers to identify the ship's boilers sitting on the sea bed.
The research team have sent down more colour cameras, but say they have no plans to attempt to salvage the wreck or explore its contents.
A survivor of the sinking, Eva Hart, said she was relieved they were not planning to disturb the site.
"I feel that it's my father's grave, and the grave of 1,500 people," she said.
Salvage expert Kendall McDonald said it would be impossible to raise the hull from that depth.
"It couldn't withstand any kind of lifting... It's a scrap yard", he told the BBC.
It has taken two ships, the assistance of the US Navy, a huge amount of sophisticated equipment and eight weeks of searching to make the discovery.
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[b]
1964: Forth Road Bridge opened[/b]
FilmTheTheAA The Queen has officially opened Europe's longest suspension bridge linking Edinburgh to Perth across the River Forth.
Tens of thousands of spectators turned up to watch the royal cavalcade slowly cross the 3,300ft (1,005m) central span of the bridge.
Soldiers of Lowland regiments from the south linked up symbolically with a Highland brigade from the north to mark the opening of the new crossing, which cuts more than an hour off the journey-time by road.
The Forth Road Bridge is currently the fourth longest in the world - but it will be succeeded by the Tagus in Portugal which will be 23ft (7m) longer when it opens in 1967.
Twenty-five Royal Navy ships fired a salute of guns and after a brief opening speech from the Queen there was also a fly-past.
The new bridge sits beside the old cantilever rail bridge, opened in 1890 by the then Prince of Wales.
Afterwards the Queen returned across the Forth by ferry, marking the final trip in the 800-year-old service.
At its peak, the service was running 40,000 trips a year, carrying 1.5m people.
The four ferryboats have been run by 70 men only 30 of whom will be re-employed on the new bridge collecting tolls.
Up to 400 men have worked on the bridge sometimes in very dangerous conditions with winds up to 100mph. Three men lost their lives - others were saved by the terylene safety nets suspended beneath them.
It took 39,000 tons of steel, 30,800 miles of wire in the suspension cables, and is 163ft above the river at its highest point.
The bridge will eventually be silver-grey in colour, but work on its final coat was suspended for the opening ceremony. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 5[/size][/font]
[b]1997: Mother Teresa dies[/b]
Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who devoted her life to helping the sick and the poor, has died at the age of 87.
She died of a heart attack at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta shortly before 1700 BST.
The Albanian nun had been battling ill health for some years, and in March stepped down as head of the order of nuns she founded.
She was revered by many around the world as a living saint for her work with the dispossessed.
The Pope often praised her work and a Vatican spokesman told reporters he was "deeply hurt" by the news of her death.
"The Pope believes she is a woman who has left her mark on the history of this century," he said.
The head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, Cardinal Hume, said she was an "enormously significant figure - everyone knows who Mother Teresa is".
Born Agnes Bojaxhiu in the village of Skopje, then in Albania, she took the name Sister Teresa in Ireland, where she began her training as a nun with the Loreto Sisters.
She founded her order in 1948 and went out to work in the slums of Calcutta.
She was sometimes accused by Hindus in her adopted country of trying to convert the poor to Catholicism by "stealth" and criticised by liberals who disliked her conservative stance on abortion and contraception .
But her biographer and friend Navin Chana said she would be remembered as someone who "gave the word compassion a new dimension".
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[b]1959: UK's first trunk call from a pay phone[/b]
FilmTheTheAA The UK's first trunk dialling system from a public call-box has been inaugurated in Bristol today.
It is the start of a countrywide service that will eventually replace the current Button A and Button B pre-payment system.
The Deputy Lord Mayor phoned the Lord Mayor of London, dialling the number himself.
The new streamlined coin phone boxes have slots for 3d, 6d and 1s pieces. Money cannot be put in until the call is answered.
A series of pips indicates when the time paid for is running out and the caller must insert more coins to carry on talking.
Subscriber Trunk Dialling was introduced in the Bristol area last December which meant 18,000 subscribers are now able to make trunk calls without the aid of the operator.
The system was launched by Her Majesty the Queen on 5 December 1958 during a ceremony in which she made a direct long-distance call from Bristol Central Telephone Exchange to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, more than 300 miles (482km) away.
Her call lasted two minutes five seconds and cost 10d (four pence).
This latest move to introduce coin boxes is part of Post Master General Ernest Marples' 5m scheme to modernise the phone system in an effort to popularise use of the telephone.
Mr Marples described the new system as "quite revolutionary" and "good value for money".
However, automatic dialling will inevitably lead to job losses. [font=Courier New][size=4]september 5[/size][/font]
[b]1882: The First Labor Day[/b]
On September 5, 1882, some 10,000 workers assembled in New York City to participate in America's first Labor Day parade. After marching from City Hall to Union Square, the workers and their families gathered in Reservoir Park for a picnic, concert, and speeches. This first Labor Day celebration was initiated by Peter J. McGuire, a carpenter and labor union leader who a year earlier cofounded the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, a precursor of the American Federation of Labor.
McGuire had proposed his idea for a holiday honoring American workers at a labor meeting in early 1882. New York's Central Labor Union quickly approved his proposal and began planning events for the second Tuesday in September. McGuire had suggested a September date in order to provide a break during the long stretch between Independence Day and Thanksgiving. While the first Labor Day was held on a Tuesday, the holiday was soon moved to the first Monday in September, the date we continue to honor.
New York's Labor Day celebrations inspired similar events across the country. Oregon became the first state to grant legal status to the holiday in 1887; other states soon followed. In 1894, Congress passed legislation making Labor Day a national holiday.
For many decades, Labor Day was used by workers not only to celebrate their accomplishments, but also to air their grievances and discuss strategies for securing better working conditions and salaries. Nowadays, Labor Day is associated less with union activities and protest marches and more with leisure. For many, the holiday is a time for family picnics, sporting events, and summer's last hurrah.
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[b]1847: The Outlaw Jesse James[/b]
The infamous Jesse James was born on September 5, 1847. At seventeen, James left his native Missouri to fight as a Confederate guerilla in the Civil War. After the war, he returned to his home state and lead one of history's most notorious outlaw gangs. With his younger brother Frank and several other ex-Confederates, including Cole Younger and his brothers, the James gang robbed their way across the Western frontier targeting banks, trains, stagecoaches, and stores from Iowa to Texas. Eluding even the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, the gang escaped with thousands of dollars.
Despite their criminal and often violent acts, James and his partners were much adored. Journalists, eager to entertain Easterners with tales of a wild West, exaggerated and romanticized the gang's heists, often casting James as a contemporary Robin Hood. While James did harass railroad executives who unjustly seized private land for the railways, modern biographers note that he did so for personal gain—his humanitarian acts were more fiction than fact.
Jesse James's outlaw days ended abruptly in 1882 when fellow gang member Robert Ford fired a bullet into the back of his head. Ford hoped to claim the $10,000 offered for James's capture but received only a fraction of the reward. He did, however, secure himself a place in Western outlaw lore which lives on in literature, song, and film.
[[i] Last edited by constancyzhang on 2005-9-5 at 11:40 AM [/i]] [font=Courier New][size=4]September 6 [/size][/font]
[b]1997: Diana's funeral watched by millions[/b]
Britain and the world have said farewell to Diana, Princess of Wales, at the end of an unprecedented week of mourning.
A four mile procession brought her coffin to Westminster Abbey, where politicians and celebrities joined the Royal Family in a subdued congregation .
Over a million people lined the route of the funeral cortege to the abbey and along her final journey to the Spencer family home in Northamptonshire.
The day began at 0908 BST, when the coffin left Kensington Palace on a gun carriage.
Some of the crowd wept, some applauded quietly, but most watched in silence.
On top of the coffin was a poignant reminder that this woman loved by millions was also a mother - a card to "Mummy" from one of her sons.
The two princes, William and Harry, joined their father, grandfather and the princess' brother walking behind the coffin.
Other members of the Royal Family watched the funeral cortege pass from the gates of Buckingham Palace.
The union jack on top of the palace was lowered to half mast for the first time ever.
Both Diana's sisters read tributes to her at the funeral service and Elton John played his re-worked version of Candle in the Wind.
Her brother, Lord Spencer, made a funeral address in which he described as Diana the "very essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty".
He used the speech to blame the media for her death, calling her the "most hunted person of the modern age".
The grieving earl also pledged to protect William and Harry and prevent them suffering a similar fate. The sometimes controversial oration was greeted with spontaneous applause.
A very public day of mourning ended with a private ceremony when Diana was finally buried on an island in the heart of her family estate at Althorp.
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[b]
1972: Olympic hostages killed in gun battle[/b]
FilmTheTheAA All nine of the Israeli athletes kidnapped on Tuesday from the Olympic Village in Munich have been killed in a gun battle at a nearby airport.
A policeman also died in the shooting at the Furstenfeldbruck military airbase, along with four of the guerrillas from the Palestinian group Black September.
Witnesses at the airport said the shooting began when police snipers opened fire on the extremists.
A spokesman for the Olympic Games said the kidnappers had blown up a helicopter with the hostages inside and then opened fire on the wreckage with automatic weapons.
It is believed that the remaining four militants have been captured by West German police.
The guerrillas had previously threatened to kill all the hostages if 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel were not released.
News of the tragedy was confirmed at 0310 BST, contradicting an earlier announcement by a Munich police officer that all the hostages had been released and four of the kidnappers captured.
The bloody end to the kidnapping followed a day of tense negotiations with the Palestinians.
They had occupied the Israelis' quarters at 0600 BST yesterday, killing two athletes and taking nine hostages.
The West German government had offered to pay any price for the release of the athletes, but was told by the guerrillas' chief he cared for "neither money nor lives".
German authorities agreed to demands by the Palestinians to supply them with an aeroplane, and at 2200 BST provided three helicopters to take them to the airport.
The gun battle started almost immediately after the helicopters landed at the airport.
Bavarian Minister of the Interior Bruno Merk confirmed Munich's police chief had given the order to open fire.
It is not clear whether the Olympic Games will continue, but the Israeli and Egyptian teams have already withdrawn. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 7[/size][/font]
[b]1940: London blitzed by German bombers[/b]
The German air force has unleashed a wave of heavy bombing raids on London, killing hundreds of civilians and injuring many more.
The Ministry of Home Security said the scale of the attacks was the largest the Germans had yet attempted.
"Our defences have actively engaged the enemy at all points," said a communique issued this evening.
"The civil defence services are responding admirably to all calls that are being made upon them."
The first raids came towards the end of the afternoon, and were concentrated on the densely populated East End, along the river by London's docks.
About 300 bombers attacked the city for over an hour and a half. The entire docklands area seemed to be ablaze as hundreds of fires lit up the sky.
Once darkness fell, the fires could be seen more than 10 miles away, and it is believed that the light guided a second wave of German bombers which began coming over at about 2030 BST (1930 GMT).
The night bombing lasted over eight hours, shaking the city with the deafening noise of hundreds of bombs falling so close together there was hardly a pause between them.
One bomb exploded on a crowded air raid shelter in an East London district.
In what was described as "a million to one chance", the bomb fell directly on the 3ft (90cm) by 1ft (30cm) ventilation shaft - the only vulnerable place in a strongly-protected underground shelter which could accommodate over 1,000 people.
About 14 people are believed to have been killed and 40 injured, including children.
Civil defence workers worked through the night, often in the face of heavy bombing, to take people out of the range of fire and find them temporary shelter and food.
An official paid tribute to staff at one London hospital which was hit, saying, "They showed marvellous bravery, keeping on until bomb detonations and gunfire made it absolutely impossible."
In the air, a series of ferocious dogfights developed as the German aircraft flew up the Thames Estuary.
The Air Ministry says at least 15 enemy aircraft crashed into the estuary , and in all, the Ministry said, 88 German aircraft were shot down, against 22 RAF planes lost.
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[b]1952: Egyptian army ousts prime minister[/b]
FilmTheTheAA The Egyptian Army has forced Prime Minister Aly Maher out of office, following a bloodless coup six weeks ago.
Mr Maher has been slow to carry out social and land reforms demanded by the army and has given way to General Muhammad Neguib.
This evening the general formed a new civilian government with himself as prime minister and commander-in-chief.
The army then arrested several leading politicians in order to snuff out any resistance to land and social reforms.
On 23 July General Neguib, Colonel Abdel Nasser and Colonel Anwar Sadat led a coup of the so-called Free Officers that brought to an end to the rule of the former King Farouk and his son Fu'ad II.
The Army replaced Prime Minister Hilaly Pasha with Aly Maher. Although Mr Maher was a member of the old regime, he was interested in land redistribution and improved rights for workers.
But it seems he failed to implement the reforms quickly enough to satisfy the leaders of the "Egyptian revolution" or to root out those involved in corruption.
The army is now carrying out its own purge of political parties, especially the influential nationalist Wafd party.
In a statement broadcast on Cairo Radio's English and foreign services, the army set out reasons for this latest move.
"The Army revolt was not merely a movement against the ex-King, but it has also been, still is, and always will be a force directed against corruption in all its forms."
The army said it asked for a purge of those suspected of "injustices".
"Such parties and organisations were reluctant to carry out our requests and resorted to evasion of the issues. Consequently we had to arrest ... certain individuals ... so that every individual could give his evidence in an atmosphere free of fear and in tranquillity."
Meanwhile the king and his son, along with several leading politicians, are being held at the Military Academy in Cairo.
While officers continue to arrest leading figures in Cairo, troops are making their presence felt on the main streets of Alexandria though the atmosphere is described as calm. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 7 [/size][/font]
[b]1977:A Man, a Plan, a Canal, Panama![/b]
President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian Chief of Government Omar Torrijos signed the Panama Canal Treaty and Neutrality Treaty on September 7, 1977. This agreement relinquished American control over the canal in 2000 and guaranteed its neutrality. On May 4, 1904, Panama granted the United States the right to build and operate the canal and control the five miles of land on either side of the water passage in exchange for annual payments.
John F. Stevens, chief engineer of the U.S. Isthmian Canal Commission, drafted the final construction plan in 1906. On August 15, 1914, the canal opened to traffic. Ships passing through the lakes and locks travel approximately 51 miles between the Atlantic Ocean entrance and the Pacific Ocean entrance, eliminating the lengthy and often precarious 8000-nautical-mile trip around South America's Cape Horn. [font=Courier New][size=4]September 8[/size][/font]
[b]1943: Italy's surrender announced[/b]
Italy has signed an unconditional armistice with the Allies, General Dwight D Eisenhower has announced.
The surrender was signed five days ago in secret by a representative of Marshal Pietro Badoglio, Italy's prime minister since th