Discover · History

On this day — September 5

A hand-curated thread of what happened on this date, across centuries.

Observed today

Awareness

International Day of Charity

Chosen for the anniversary of Mother Teresa's death in 1997. A UN prompt to donate time or money, not necessarily both.

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2022

Politics

Liz Truss is declared the winner of the UK Conservative Party leadership election

beating Rishi Sunak.

2022

Disaster

At least 93 people die and 25 are missing after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes Sichuan

China.

2021

Politics

The President of Guinea

Alpha Condé is captured by armed forces during a coup d'état.

2012

Milestone

An accidental explosion at a Turkish Army ammunition store in Afyon

western Turkey kills 25 soldiers and wounds four others.

2005

Milestone

Mandala Airlines Flight 091 crashes after takeoff from Polonia International Airport in Medan

Indonesia, killing 149.

1996

Disaster

Hurricane Fran makes landfall near Cape Fear

North Carolina as a Category 3 storm with 115 mph sustained winds. Fran caused over $3 billion in damage and killed 27 people.

1991

Politics

The current international treaty defending indigenous peoples

Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989, comes into force.

1990

Politics

Sri Lankan Civil War

Sri Lankan Army soldiers slaughter 158 civilians.

1986

Milestone

Pan Am Flight 73 from Mumbai

India with 358 people on board is hijacked at Karachi International Airport.

1984

Science

STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery lands after its maiden voyage.

1984

Milestone

Western Australia becomes the last Australian state to abolish capital punishment.

1981

Milestone

The first women arrive at what becomes Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp in the UK.

1980

Milestone

The Gotthard Road Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 16.9 kilometres (10.5 mi) stretching from Göschenen to Airolo.

1978

Politics

Camp David Accords

Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat begin peace discussions at Camp David, Maryland.

1977

Milestone

Voyager Program

NASA launches the Voyager 1 spacecraft.