On This Day, July 13: Live Aid concerts raise $125M for famine relief
July 13 (UPI) -- On this date in history:
In 1863, opposition to the Federal Conscription Act triggered New York City riots in which at least 120 people died and hundreds were injured.
In 1898, Guglielmo Marconi was awarded a patent for wireless telegraphy -- the radio.
In 1943, one of the largest tank battle in history -- which happened as part of the Battle of Kursk -- ended along the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union when German dictator Adolf Hitler redeployed his troops to the south.
In 1960, Democrats nominated Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts for president against GOP Vice President Richard Nixon.
John F. Kennedy (R) and Richard Nixon debate on October 21, 1960. UPI File Photo
In 1977, a state of emergency was declared in New York City during a 25-hour power blackout.
In 1985, musicians and celebrities gathered at arenas in London and Philadelphia to hold a 16-hour Live Aid concert, raising more than $125 million in famine relief for Africa.
In 1992, Yitzhak Rabin became Israel's new prime minister, ending the hard-line Likud Party's 15-year reign. Rabin embraced Israeli-Palestinian relations and helped establish peace between Palestinians and Jordanians. He faced criticism for his views and in 1995 was assassinated.
In 1998, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto resigned, a victim of the country's economic woes.
In 2005, a judge in New York sentenced former WorldCom Chief Executive Officer Bernard Ebbers to 25 years in prison for his part in what was described as the largest fraud in U.S. corporate history.
File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI
In 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a plan to save major government-backed mortgage companies known as Fannie Mac and Freddie Mac with billions of dollars in investments and loans.
In 2013, neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was acquitted in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in a gated community in Florida. The case provoked a national debate on "stand your ground" laws and racial profiling.
In 2019, Simona Halep became the first Romanian to win a Wimbledon singles title after beating Serena Williams.
In 2024, Donald Trump was grazed on the ear by a bullet during a presidential campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, also killed a member of the audience and injured two more. Law enforcement shot and killed Crooks.
File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
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