1963 – In the U.K., the Great Train Robbery took place on a freight carriage in Buckinghamshire. More than £2.5 million was stolen.

1989 – Space Shuttle program: STS-28 Mission – Space Shuttle Columbia takes off on a secret five-day military mission.

1990 – Iraq occupies Kuwait and the state is annexed to Iraq. This would lead to the Gulf War shortly afterward.

1991 – In the Middle East, British journalist John McCarthy was released by the Islamic Jihad after more than five years in captivity.

1991 – The Warsaw radio mast, at one time the tallest construction ever built, collapses.

2007 – An EF2 tornado touches down in Kings County and Richmond County, New York State, the most powerful tornado in New York to date and the first in Brooklyn since 1889.

2008 – The 28th Olympic Games began (8th day, 8th month, 2008) in Beijing, China.

2010 – A mudslide in Zhugqu County, China, killed more than 1,400 people.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

1928 – Derek Batey – British TV host, the original “Mr and Mrs” (84)

1929 – Ronnie Biggs – English ‘Great Train Robber’. By coincidence the robbery actually happened on his birthday – back in 1963 (83)

1934 – Keith Barron – British actor, “Duty Free”, “Haggard” (78)

1937 – Dustin Hoffman, American actor, “The Graduate”, “Rain Man” (75)

1949 – Airrin Love, American singer with Stylistics “U Make Me Feel Brand New” (63)

1953 – Donny Most, American actor, best known for his role as Ralph Malph in the series “Happy Days” (59)

1953 – Nigel Mansell, English ex-Formula One and Indy Car world champion (59)

1956 – Chris “Chrissy Boy” Foreman, British guitarist with Madness – who had hits with “Our House”, “It Must Be Love” etc (56)

1961 – Rikki Rocket, American guitarist with Poison, “Unskinny Bop” (51)

1961 – David “The Edge” Evans, Irish guitarist with U2, “Pride” (51)

1972 – Lüpüs Thünder, American musician with The Bloodhound Gang, who had a hit in the late 90′s with “Bad Touch” – with the lyrics “let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel” (40)

1974 – Brian Harvey, English singer with East 17, “Stay Another Day” (38)

1975 – Taryll Jackson, American singer with 3T, one hit wonder group – their hit was a ballad called “Anything” (37)

1981 – Bradley McIntosh, British former singer with S Club, “Don’t Stop Movin’” etc (31)

1981 – Roger Federer, Swiss tennis player, Wimbledon winner in 2003- 2007 (31)

1987 – Katie Leung, Scottish actress, best known for playing Cho Chang in the Harry Potter film series. (25)

1988 – Beatrice Windsor, English royalty, not HRH, Andy and Fergie’s daughter. Notoriously wore a silly hat to William and Kate’s royal wedding in 2011 (24)

2000 – Dylan Douglas-Zeta-Jones- English/American son of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones (12)