Today in history

Creation of Scotland Yard

In 1829, London’s reorganized police force, which became known as Scotland Yard, went on duty.

Allies push into Luxembourg

In 1918, Allied forces began their decisive breakthrough of the

Hindenburg Line during World War I.

Imprisoned journalist released

In 1986, the Soviet Union released Nicholas Daniloff, an American journalist confined on spying charges.

The September Pope

In 1978, Pope John Paul I was found dead in his Vatican apartment just over a month after becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Canada’s first satellite

In 1962, Canada joined the space age as it launched the Alouette 1 satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland

In 1938, British, French, German and Italian leaders concluded the Munich Agreement, which was aimed at appeasing Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland.

The hunt for bin Laden

In 2001, President George W. Bush condemned Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers for harboring Osama bin Laden and his followers as the United States pressed its military and diplomatic campaign against terror.

First Biden, Trump debate

In 2020, the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden deteriorated into bitter taunts and near chaos, as Trump repeatedly interrupted his opponent with angry and personal jabs and the two men talked over each other. Trump refused to condemn white supremacists who had supported him, telling one such group known as Proud Boys to “stand back, stand by.”

Cyanide laced Tylenol

In 1982, Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules laced with deadly cyanide claimed the first of seven victims in the Chicago area. (To date, the case remains unsolved.)