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militant Muslims angry over sectarian violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. •
Today in History The Associated Press
• • Today is Thursday, Aug. 8, the 220th day of 2013. There are 145 days left in the year. • • Today's Highlight in History: • On August 8, 1963, Britain's "Great Train Robbery" took place as thieves made off with 2.6 million pounds in banknotes. • • On this date: • In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte set sail for St. Helena to spend the remainder of his days in exile. • In 1911, President William Howard Taft signed a measure raising the number of U.S. representatives from 391 to 433, effective with the next Congress, with a proviso to add two more when New Mexico and Arizona became states. • In 1937, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan completed its occupation of Beijing. • In 1942, during World War II, six Nazi saboteurs who were captured after landing in the U.S. were executed in Washington, D.C.; two others who'd cooperated with authorities were spared. • In 1945, President Harry S. Truman signed the U.S. instrument of ratification for the United Nations Charter. The Soviet Union declared war against Japan during World War II. • In 1953, the United States and South Korea initialed a mutual security pact. • In 1968, the Republican national convention in Miami Beach nominated Richard Nixon for president on the first ballot. • In 1973, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew branded as "damned lies" reports he had taken kickbacks from government contracts in Maryland, and vowed not to resign - (Continued on page 33)
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