TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

Dec. 9, 1987

The first Palestinian intefadeh, or uprising, began as riots broke out in Gaza and spread to the West Bank, triggering a strong Israeli response. ALSO ON THIS DATE

1608

English poet John Milton was born in London.

1917

British forces captured Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks.

1935

The Downtown Athletic Club of New York honored college football player Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago with the DAC Trophy, which later became known as the Heisman Trophy.

1940

British troops opened their first major offensive in North Africa during World War II.

1958

The anti-communist John Birch Society was formed in Indianapolis.

1962

The Petrified Forest in Arizona was designated a national park.

1965

“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first animated TV special featuring characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, premiered on CBS.

1975

President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan-authorization that officials of New York City and State said would prevent a city default.

1984

The five-day-old hijacking of a Kuwaiti jetliner that claimed the lives of two Americans ended as Iranian security men seized control of the plane, which was parked at Tehran airport.

1990

Solidarity founder Lech Walesa won Poland’s presidential runoff by a landslide.

1992

Britain’s Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their separation.