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Historical Context for March 24, 1981

In 1981, the world population was approximately 4,528,777,306 people[†]

In 1981, the average yearly tuition was $804 for public universities and $3,617 for private universities. Today, these costs have risen to $9,750 and $35,248 respectively[†]

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Headlines from March 24, 1981

News Summary; TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1981

By Unknown Author

International A planned aid program for Pakistan was disclosed by Reagan Administration officials. They said that the Administration had tentatively decided to offer Pakistan about $500 million in military and economic assistance in the coming fiscal year. That is more than double the amount that was offered by the Carter Administration and rejected by the Pakistanis as insufficient. (Page A1, Column 3.) An increase in aid to Zimbabwe, to a total of about $225 million over the next three years, has been backed by the Reagan Administration. The pledge to seek Congressional approval for the increase is to be made public today at a conference called by Prime Minister Robert Mugabe in Salisbury to seek international support for a three-year development program costing about $2 billion. (A1:1-2.)

Metropolitan Desk874 words

COAL NEGOITIATORS IN TENATIVE ACCORD ON NEW 3-YEAR PACT

By Ben A. Franklin, Special To the New York Times

The United Mine Workers of America and the major coal operators in Appalachia and the Middle West agreed today on a proposed new contract after five hours of overnight bargaining. The tentative settlement appeared so responsive to the membership's wishes that Sam M. Church Jr., president of the union, hinted today that he might try to avoid any strike by the soft-coal miners. The union negotiators won a wage increase estimated by the union at 36 percent over three years, raising the top scale from $88 to $110.88 a day by 1983. Probably more significant, however, was the deletion or preservation of a number of nonwage provisions that the union had sought, including pension improvements, the end of an unpopular arbitration system and the continuation, against strong industry pressure, of a ban on Sunday mining.

National Desk430 words

COURT BACKS LAW TO NOTIFY PARENTS BEFORE AN ABORTION ON A TEEN-AGER

By Linda Greenhouse, Special To the New York Times

The Supreme Court ruled today that a state may require a doctor to inform a teen-aged girl's parents before performing an abortion on her or face criminal penalties, at least when the girl is still living at home and dependent on her parents. The 6-to-3 decision turned back a constitutional challenge to a Utah law that requires a doctor to notify the parents, ''if possible,'' before performing an abortion on a minor. The challenge was brought by a 15-year-old pregnant girl whose doctor agreed with her that it would not be in her best interests to tell her parents. But he refused to perform the abortion she requested because of the criminal liability.

National Desk994 words

THE SCIENTIST'S REALM IS THE OCEANS,THE AIR, THE FORESTS

By Bayard Webster

pine forest in Upton, L.I. It is leagues away from Woods Hole, but in the mind of George Woodwell, the Center's director, the circle and its significance are quite close. It was on the Long Island grounds of the Brookhaven National Laboratory where he worked that some 20 years ago Dr. Woodwell began what is now recognized as a landmark ecological experiment: determining what effects varied amounts of ionizing radiation have on the flora and fauna of a forest ecosystem. Ionizing radiation is the type of radiation released in atom bomb explosions that causes changes in the structure of molecules and in the function of cells that make up all living organisms. A block of radioactive cesium l37 suspended on a pole was used by Dr. Woodwell and his colleagues as the source of radiation. ''What we found out was that there was a pattern of disturbancecaused effects that no one had known about before,'' Dr. Woodwell said as he walked around his comfortably cluttered office in Loeb Hall, a building owned by the Marine Biological Laboratory and housing the 35-member staff of the Ecosystems Center.

Science Desk1679 words

WASHINGTON PLANS $500 MILLION IN AID FOR PAKISTANIS

By Bernard Gwertzman, Special To the New York Times

The Reagan Administration has tentatively decided to offer Pakistan about $500 million in military and economic assistance for the next fiscal year, Administration officials said today. The figure is more than twice the amount that was offered by the Carter Administration and rejected by Pakistan as insufficient. But Administration officials and Congressional sources said they were uncertain whether Pakistan, concerned about being seen as closely aligned to Washington, would accept the proposed program. To limit embarrassment to either Pakistan or the Reagan Administration, officials have been reluctant to discuss the program publicly.

Foreign Desk826 words

11.43 RISE PUTS DOW AT 1,004.23

By Kenneth B. Noble

A late buying surge carried the Dow Jones industrial average above the formidable 1,000 barrier for the second time in two weeks yesterday as the stock market pushed broadly higher in active trading, with energy stocks leading the way. The Dow, continuing the rally that got began last Friday, surged 11.43 points, to 1,004.23. On Friday, it gained 6.22 points, to 992.80. Volume on the New York Stock Exchange totaled 57.9 million shares, down from Friday's 62 million. Over all, advances outnumbered declines, 990 to 609. The breadth of the advance-decline margin continued to impress analysts.

Financial Desk737 words

CAR IMPORTS: HINTS FOR JAPAN

By Clyde H. Farnsworth, Special To the New York Times

The Reagan Administration has decided on a policy of encouraging - without directly asking - the Japanese to voluntarily restrain car shipments to this country. A Japanese Government spokesman in Tokyo, however, said the Japanese would not act until the Americans made a specific proposal. The Reagan policy line became public today as Japan's Foreign Minister, Masayoshi Ito, started his first full day of talks here with Administration officials. The so-called consensus position finally adopted is a result of recommendations submitted to President Reagan last week by a Cabinet-level task force on auto import policy.

Financial Desk720 words

The Economy

By Unknown Author

A tentative coal settlement was reached, after intensive bargaining between the United Mine Workers and major coal producers. The accord, considered surprisingly responsive to rank and file demands, provided a 36 percent wage rise over three years, pension improvements and continuation of a Sunday work ban. (Page A1.) The U.S. will encourage, but not directly ask, Japan to limit car exports to this country, Reagan Administration officials said. This is the so-called ''consensus approach'' finally adopted by a divided Cabinet-level task force. According to reports from Tokyo, Japan will not cut back voluntarily, unless the Administration makes specific proposals. (D1.)

Financial Desk731 words

TRADING IN ST. JOE HALTED FOR A STATEMENT TODAY

By Robert J. Cole

The St. Joe Minerals Corporation, which is vigorously looking for ways to foil a $2 billion takeover bid by Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, disclosed yesterday that it had asked the New York Stock Exchange to halt trading in St. Joe stock until after an ''important announcement'' to be made today. Wall Street investment bankers predicted that the announcement would make clear St. Joe's intentions of remaining an independent company. Nevertheless, the announcement may put pressure on Seagram to increase its offering price. On March 11, in a surprise move, Seagram offered to pay $45 a share, or some $2 billion, in cash for St. Joe. Although the company's stock stood at $28 at the beginning of that week, the $45 offer was viewed as an opening bid. Investment bankers expect that Seagram may soon be willing to offer close to $60 a share - if that would win over the company. St. Joe shares closed on Friday at $46.

Financial Desk739 words

CORRECTION

By Unknown Author

Because of an editing error, an article in Business Day last Monday misstated Pan American World Airways' financial results for 1980. Pan Am's reported net income of $80 million included a $130 million operating loss and a $294 million gain from the sale of the Pan Am Building.

Metropolitan Desk48 words

STRIKE BY DOCTORS AT CITY HOSPITALS ENDS AFTER WEEK

By Les Ledbetter

Admitting a ''profound defeat,'' the Committee of Interns and Residents last night ended its week-old strike against municipal hospitals. But leaders of the union, which represents 2,000 doctors, said the strike against two private voluntary hospitals, which also began last Tuesday, would continue. Dr. Jonathan House, president of the union, said its strike committee had ''unanimously'' voted to end the strike against city hospitals as of 11:59 P.M. after discussing ''issues from money being lost to the Taylor Law penalties to the Mayor's intransigence.'' The Taylor Law bans strikes by public employees.

Metropolitan Desk748 words

I was wondering if anything interesting on the news was going on when I was born, and decided to create this website for fun. The purpose is to show people what was going on when they were born. With this website I've found out that it was a pretty slow news day on my birthday, but I bet it would feel cool to know a historical event happened on your birthday.

The data used in this project is provided by the New York Times API. They have by far the best API I was able to find, with articles dating back to the 1950s. There weren't any other major newspapers that had an API with close to as much data. The closest was the Guardian API, but theirs only went back to the 1990s. I decided to only use articles from the New York Times because their API was by far the best. This tool works if you have a birthday after the 1950s or so.

Some important dates in history I'd recommend looking up on this website are:

  • 9/11/2001: The September 11 Attacks happened on this day, the news articles from this date provide great context to the tragedy our nation suffered and the immediate response from the American people. The headlines capture the shock, confusion, and unity that emerged in the aftermath of this devastating event.
  • 7/20/1969: The historic Apollo 11 moon landing, when humans first set foot on another celestial body. The articles from this date showcase humanity's greatest achievement in space exploration and the culmination of the space race.
  • 11/9/1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The coverage provides fascinating insights into this pivotal moment in world history and the emotions of people as decades of division came to an end.
  • 1/20/2009: Barack Obama's inauguration as the first African American President of the United States, a watershed moment in American history that represented a major milestone in the ongoing journey toward racial equality.
  • 8/15/1969: The Woodstock Music Festival began, marking a defining moment in American counterculture and music history. The coverage captures the spirit of the era and the unprecedented gathering of young people.

These historical events are just a few examples of the fascinating moments in history you can explore through this tool. Whether you're interested in your own birthday, significant historical dates, or just curious about what was making headlines on any given day, this website offers a unique window into the past through the lens of contemporary news coverage.

You can read more on our blog.