In History, Today on August 30

The United States completed its military withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending its 20-year presence in the country following the Taliban's rapid takeover.

Hurricane Dorian strengthens to a Category 4 storm as it approaches the Bahamas, prompting widespread evacuations and preparations for what would become one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the region.

The U.S. Department of State confirms it will cut over $200 million in aid to Palestinians, citing the funds no longer aligned with American interests.

Dilma Rousseff, the first female President of Brazil, was impeached and removed from office by the Brazilian Senate on charges of fiscal mismanagement, ending 13 years of rule by the Workers' Party.

Tropical Storm Erika dissipates as it impacts Florida, causing significant floods and making landfall at the Florida Keys.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) released a video showing the beheading of Kurdish soldier Peshmerga, marking a significant escalation in the group's campaign against Kurdish forces.

The Amazon rainforest plastic pollution crisis is addressed as scientists report that plastic along with other human-made waste is found as far as 1,000 miles deep into the jungle, impacting biodiversity.

A new genetic study finds that human relationships to mental health are complex and that previously held beliefs about specific gene links to mental illness may be over-simplified.

Hurricane Katrina breaches levees in New Orleans, leading to catastrophic flooding and extensive damage throughout the city and surrounding areas.

The United Nations Security Council lifted sanctions against Libya after the country accepted responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 and agreed to pay compensation to the victims' families.

East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a UN-supervised referendum. This eventually led to formal independence in 2002.

STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery takes off on its maiden voyage.

Thurgood Marshall was confirmed as the first African American Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

The Moscow–Washington hotline, a direct communication link between the United States and the Soviet Union, is established.

Hong Kong is liberated from Japanese occupation by British forces.

The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty is signed, which results in the withdrawal of British forces from Egypt, except in the Suez Canal Zone.

The first solo flight around the world is completed by German pilot Gunther von Hünefeld.

Vladimir Lenin is shot in an assassination attempt by Fanny Kaplan but survives, suffering injuries.

World War I: The Battle of Tannenberg ends in a decisive German victory over Russian forces.

The Philippines Revolution: Filipino forces led by Andrés Bonifacio attack the Spanish civil guard, marking the beginning of the Manila-area fighting.

Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric arc light system at the village of Menlo Park, New Jersey.

The Second Battle of Bull Run (or Second Manassas) ended in a decisive victory for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.

Melbourne, Australia, is founded by John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner.

The fortification of Fort Mims is attacked by the Red Stick faction of the Creek tribe during the Creek War, in an event known as the Fort Mims massacre. Approximately 500 settlers, including women and children, were killed.

The Dutch surrender to British forces in the Second Battle of Alkmaar during the War of the Second Coalition.

HMS Pandora, the ship sent to capture the Bounty mutineers, sinks after running aground on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Treaty of Nystad was signed, ending the Great Northern War between Sweden and Russia. This treaty marked the decline of Sweden as a great power and the rise of Russia under Peter the Great.

William Penn receives the area that is now the state of Delaware from the Duke of York.

On August 30, 1590, during the Eighty Years' War, Spanish forces led by Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, captured the city of Huy in modern-day Belgium, which was then part of the Spanish Netherlands. This victory was part of Spain's efforts to maintain control over the rebellious provinces.

The Battle of Lake Poyang, one of the largest naval battles in history, begins between the forces of the Ming dynasty and the Han forces of Chen Youliang.

Henry II of England lands in Waterford, marking the beginning of the English presence in Ireland. Henry II's intervention in Ireland was primarily motivated by his desire to exert control over the Anglo-Norman barons and to address the political instability in the region. His expedition laid the groundwork for the further Norman expansion and eventual English rule over Ireland, which would have lasting political and cultural implications.

The Battle of Siffin ends. This battle was fought between the forces of the fourth Caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the governor of Syria, Muawiyah I, marking a significant event in the First Fitna, the first Islamic civil war.

Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths, dies. His death marks the end of his reign, during which he had established a relatively stable and prosperous kingdom in Italy, blending Roman and Germanic cultures.

The city of Jerusalem fell to the Roman forces led by Titus after a prolonged siege, effectively marking the end of the First Jewish–Roman War.