(Following Advance for Use Friday, November 16th)


Today in History

Today is Friday, November 16th, the 320th day of 2007. There are 45 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: One hundred years ago, on November 16th, 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state of the union.

On this date: In 1776, British troops captured Fort Washington in New York during the American Revolution.

In 1885, Canadian rebel leader Louis Riel was executed for high treason.

In 1917, Georges Clemenceau again became prime minister of France.

In 1933, the United States and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations.

In 1959, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music" opened on Broadway.

In 1961, House Speaker Samuel T. Rayburn died in Bonham, Texas, having served as speaker since 1940 except for two terms.

In 1966, Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard was acquitted in his second trial of charges he'd murdered his pregnant wife, Marilyn, in 1954.

In 1973, Skylab 4, carrying a crew of three astronauts, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on an 84-day mission.

In 1973, President Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act.

In 1982, an agreement was announced in the 57th day of a strike by National Football League players.

Ten years ago: China's most prominent pro-democracy campaigner, Wei Jingsheng (way jeeng-shuhng), arrived in the United States after being released from a prison where he'd spent nearly 18 years.

Five years ago: In an open letter to the Iraqi Parliament, President Saddam Hussein said he had no choice but to accept a tough, new U.N. weapons inspection resolution because the United States and Israel had shown their "claws and teeth" and declared unilateral war on the Iraqi people.

One year ago: Democrats embraced Nancy Pelosi as the first woman House speaker in history, but then selected Steny Hoyer as majority leader against her wishes. African, Arab, European and U.N. leaders agreed in principle to a joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force for Sudan's Darfur region. Gunmen abducted a private security team of four Americans and an Austrian in southern Iraq. Minnesota Twins' ace Johan Santana won the AL Cy Young Award.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman died in San Francisco at age 94.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Clu Gulager is 79. Blues musician Hubert Sumlin is 76. Journalist Elizabeth Drew is 72. Blues musician W.C. Clark is 68. Actor Steve Railsback is 62. Actor David Leisure is 57. Actress Marg Helgenberger is 49. Rock musician Mani is 45. Country singer-musician Keith Burns (Trick Pony) is 44.

Former tennis player Zina Garrison is 44. Former baseball player Dwight Gooden is 43. Jazz singer Diana Krall is 43. Actor Harry Lennix is 43. Actress Lisa Bonet (boh-NAY') is 40. Actress Tammy Lauren is 39. Rhythm-and-blues singer Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) is 38. Actress Martha Plimpton is 37. Olympic gold medal figure skater Oksana Baiul (ahk-SAH'-nah by-OOL') is 30. Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (JIHL'-ehn-hahl) is 30. Pop singer Trevor Penick is 28.

Actress Kimberly J. Brown is 23. Actor Noah Gray-Cabey ("My Wife and Kids") is 11.

Thought for Today: "An American who can make money, invoke God, and be no better than his neighbor, has nothing to fear but truth itself." Marya Mannes, American critic (1904-1990).

(Above Advance for Use Friday, November 16th)


Copyright 2007, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-04-07 0727CST | save this article / add to your favorites list