This day in history

[November 12, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Nov. 12, the 316th day of 2010. There are 49 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Nov. 12, 1942, the World War II naval Battle of Guadalcanal began. (The Allies ended up winning a major victory over the Japanese.)

On this date:

In 1815, American suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born in Johnstown, N.Y.

In 1908, Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun was born in Nashville, Ill.

In 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.

In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal.

In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan; it's believed half a million people, possibly more, were killed. The Anthony Shaffer thriller "Sleuth" opened on Broadway.

In 1977, the city of New Orleans elected its first black mayor, Ernest "Dutch" Morial, the winner of a runoff.

In 1982, Yuri V. Andropov (ahn-DROH'-pawf) was elected to succeed the late Leonid I. Brezhnev as general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee.

In 1990, Japanese Emperor Akihito formally assumed the Chrysanthemum Throne. Actress Eve Arden died in Beverly Hills, Calif. at age 82.

In 1996, a Saudi Boeing 747 jetliner collided shortly after takeoff from New Delhi, India, with a Kazak Ilyushin-76 cargo plane, killing 349 people.

In 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, en route from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Dominican Republic, crashed after takeoff, killing 265 people.

Ten years ago: On the eve of a federal court hearing on the Florida presidential election, advocates for George W. Bush and Al Gore previewed their legal strategies, with Democrats justifying painstaking recounts and Republicans saying the practice could result in political "mischief" and human error. Leah Rabin (LAY'-uh rah-BEEN'), an outspoken campaigner for Mideast peace following the 1995 assassination of her husband, former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (YIT'-sahk rah-BEEN'), died at age 72.

Five years ago: A U.S.-backed summit in Bahrain meant to promote political freedom and economic change in the Middle East ended without agreement, a blow to President George W. Bush's goals for the troubled region. Jordan acknowledged for the first time that al-Qaida in Iraq had used three foreign suicide bombers to attack Amman hotels three days earlier, killing 60 victims.

One year ago: Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the Fort Hood, Texas massacre. James R. Lilley, a longtime CIA operative and later the U.S. ambassador to China, died in Washington, D.C. at age 81.

Today's birthdays: Rhythm-and-blues singer Ruby Nash Curtis (Ruby and the Romantics) is 71. Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn is 67. Singer Brian Hyland is 67. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jimmy Hayes (Persuasions) is 67. Rock musician Booker T. Jones (Booker T. & the MGs) is 66. Sportscaster Al Michaels is 66. Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 65. Rock musician Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (Blue Oyster Cult) is 63. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) is 61. Country/gospel singer Barbara Fairchild is 60. Actress Megan Mullally is 52. Actor Vincent Irizarry (TV: "All My Children") is 51. Olympic gold medal gymnast Nadia Comaneci (koh-muh-NEECH') is 49. Actor Sam Lloyd is 47. Rock musician David Ellefson is 46. Former MLB player Sammy Sosa is 42. Figure skater Tonya Harding is 40. Actress Radha Mitchell is 37. Actress Lourdes Benedicto is 36. Actress Tamala Jones is 36. Actress Angela Watson is 36. Singer Tevin Campbell is 34. Actress Ashley Williams is 32. Actress Cote de Pablo (TV: "NCIS") is 31. Actor Ryan Gosling is 30. Contemporary Christian musician Chris Huffman is 30. Actress Anne Hathaway is 28. Pop singer Omarion is 26. Actress Macey Cruthird ("Hope and Faith") is 18.

Thought for today: "It's all right to have a train of thoughts, if you have a terminal." -- Richard R. Bowker, American publisher (1848-1933)

[Associated Press]

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