Today in History

Today is Sunday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2008. There are 31 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 30, 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris, ending the Revolutionary War.

On this date: In 1803, Spain completed the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States.

In 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens better known as Mark Twain was born in Florida, Missouri.

In 1874, British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace.

In 1900, Irish writer Oscar Wilde died in Paris at age 46.

In 1936, London's famed Crystal Palace, constructed for the Great Exhibition of 1851, was destroyed in a fire.

In 1939, the Russo-Finnish War began as Soviet troops invaded Finland.

In 1962, U Thant of Burma, who had been acting secretary-general of the United Nations following the death of Dag Hammarskjold the year before, was elected to a four-year term.

In 1966, the former British colony of Barbados became independent.

In 1981, the United States and the Soviet Union opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe.

In 1988, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co. was declared the winner of the corporate free-for-all to take over RJR Nabisco Inc. with a bid of $24.53 billion.

Ten years ago: Quebec's separatist premier, Lucien Bouchard, was returned to power, but with only 43 percent of the vote, setting back the Parti Quebecois' goal of seeking independence from Canada.

Deutsche Bank AG officially announced it was acquiring Bankers Trust Corporation for more than $10 billion.

Five years ago: U.S. soldiers in Iraq fought back coordinated attacks throughout the northern city of Samarra. Two South Korean contractors were killed in a roadside ambush. Nathaniel Jones, a black man, died during a fight with Cincinnati police in a case that heightened racial tensions. Walt Disney Co. vice chairman Roy E. Disney stepped down from the board of directors. Mark Philippoussis gave Australia its 28th Davis Cup title, beating Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-0. Former U.S.

congressman and World Bank chairman Barber B. Conable Jr. died in Sarasota, Florida, at age 81. Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, died in Wyckoff, N.J., at age 98.

One year ago: A man took hostages at a Hillary CLinton campaign office in Rochester, N.H.; Leeland Eisenberg surrendered about five hours later. An Atlasjet plane crashed in southwest Turkey, killing all 57 people on board. An Amtrak train and a freight train collided on a track on the South Side of Chicago, injuring dozens of people. Motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel died in Clearwater, Fla., at age 69.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Efrem Zimbalist Junior is 91. Actor Robert Guillaume is 81. TV personality and producer Dick Clark is 79. Radio talk show host G. Gordon Liddy is 78. Country singer-recording executive Jimmy Bowen is 71. Movie director Ridley Scott is 71. Singer Rob Grill (The Grassroots) is 65. Movie writer-director Terrence Malick is 65. Rock musician Roger Glover (Deep Purple) is 63. Playwright David Mamet (MA'-meht) is 61.

Actress Margaret Whitton is 58. Actor Mandy Patinkin is 56.

Musician Shuggie Otis is 55. Country singer Jeannie Kendall is 54.

Singer Billy Idol is 53. education Secretary Margaret Spellings is 51. Rock musician John Ashton (The Psychedelic Furs) is 51.

Comedian Colin Mochrie is 51. Former Football and baseball player Bo Jackson is 46. Rapper Jalil (Whodini) is 45. Actor-director Ben Stiller is 43. Rock musician Mike Stone is 39. Actress Sandra Oh is 38. Country singer Mindy McCready is 33. Singer Clay Aiken is 30.

Actress Elisha Cuthbert is 26. Actress Kaley Cuoco is 23.

Thought for Today: "A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies." Oscar Wilde (1854-1900).

(Above Advance for Use Sunday, Nov. 30)


Copyright 2008, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-23-08 0819CST | save this article / add to your favorites list