Deaths on August 24

Gely Abdel Rahman, Sudanese-Egyptian poet and academic (b. 1931)

Gely Abdel Rahman (1931 – 24 August 1990) Arabic: جيلي عبد الرحمن was one of the leading Sudanese poets of the second half of the 20th century.

2 Aug

Gulf War
Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.
8 Aug

Gulf War
Iraq occupies Kuwait and the state is annexed to Iraq. This would lead to the Gulf War shortly afterward.
23 Aug

Gulf War
Saddam Hussein appears on Iraqi state television with a number of Western "guests" (actually hostages) to try to prevent the Gulf War.
28 Aug

Kuwait
Iraq declares Kuwait to be its newest province.
28 Nov

Margaret Thatcher
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigns as leader of the Conservative Party and the prime ministry, and is succeeded as both by John Major.