Deaths on August 31

Ike Pappas, American journalist (b. 1933)

Icarus Nestor Pappas (April 16, 1933 – August 31, 2008), better known as Ike Pappas, was a CBS News correspondent for 25 years.

11 Jun

Canadian Indian residential school system
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes a historic official apology to Canada's First Nations in regard to abuses at a Canadian Indian residential school.
7 Aug

South Ossetia
The start of the Russo-Georgian War over the territory of South Ossetia.
29 Sep

Dow Jones Industrial Average
Following the bankruptcies of Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual, The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points, the largest single-day point loss in its history.
29 Oct

Northwest Airlines
Delta Air Lines merges with Northwest Airlines, creating the world's largest airline and reducing the number of US legacy carriers to five.
10 Nov

Phoenix (spacecraft)
Over five months after landing on Mars, NASA declares the Phoenix mission concluded after communications with the lander were lost.