This day in history

[October 23, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Oct. 23, the 296th day of 2010. There are 69 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Oct. 23, 1983, 241 U.S. service members, most of them Marines, were killed in a suicide truck-bombing at Beirut International Airport in Lebanon; a near-simultaneous attack on French forces killed 58 paratroopers.

On this date:

In 1864, forces led by Union Gen. Samuel R. Curtis repelled Confederate Gen. Sterling Price's army in the Civil War Battle of Westport in Missouri.

In 1910, Blanche S. Scott became the first woman to make a public solo airplane flight, reaching an altitude of 12 feet at a park in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Philadelphia Athletics won the World Series, defeating the Chicago Cubs in Game 5, 7-2.

In 1915, tens of thousands of women marched in New York City, demanding the right to vote.

In 1942, during World War II, Britain launched a major offensive against Axis forces at El Alamein (el ah-lah-MAYN') in Egypt.

In 1950, entertainer Al Jolson died in San Francisco at age 64.

In 1956, a student-sparked revolt against Hungary's Communist rule began; as the revolution spread, Soviet forces started entering the country, and the uprising was put down within weeks.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon agreed to turn over White House tape recordings subpoenaed by the Watergate special prosecutor to Judge John J. Sirica.

In 1980, the resignation of Soviet Premier Alexei N. Kosygin (koh-SEE'-gihn) was announced.

In 1987, the U.S. Senate rejected, 58-42, the Supreme Court nomination of Robert H. Bork.

In 1995, a jury in Houston convicted Yolanda Saldivar of murdering Tejano singing star Selena. (Saldivar is serving a life prison sentence.)

Ten years ago: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright held groundbreaking talks in North Korea with communist leader Kim Jong Il.

Five years ago: Warsaw's conservative mayor, Lech Kaczynski (lekh kah-CHIN'-skee), won Poland's presidential runoff vote. The Chicago White Sox took a 2-games-to-none lead in the World Series as they beat the Houston Astros 7-6.

One year ago: President Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency. Bank closings for 2009 surpassed 100, hitting 106 by day's end. The NBA and the referees union agreed on a two-year contract, ending a lockout of more than a month. Character actor Lou Jacobi died in New York at age 95. Shiloh Pepin, 10, a girl who was born with fused legs, a rare condition often called "mermaid syndrome," died in Portland, Maine.

Today's birthdays: Baseball Hall of Famer Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is 79. Movie director Philip Kaufman is 74. Soccer great Pele (pay-lay) is 70. Rhythm-and-blues singer Barbara Ann Hawkins (The Dixie Cups) is 67. Actor Michael Rupert is 59. Movie director Ang Lee is 56. Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is 54. Country singer Dwight Yoakam is 54. Community activist Martin Luther King III is 53. Movie director Sam Raimi is 51. Parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic is 51. Rock musician Robert Trujillo (Metallica) is 46. Christian/jazz singer David Thomas (Take 6) is 44. Rock musician Brian Nevin (Big Head Todd and the Monsters) is 44. Country singer-musician Junior Bryant is 42. CNN medical reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta is 41. Country singer Jimmy Wayne is 38. Rock musician Eric Bass (Shinedown) is 36. Actor Ryan Reynolds is 34. Actress Masiela Lusha (MAH'-see-ella loo-SHA') is 25. Actress Briana Evigan is 24. Actress Jessica Stroup is 24.

Thought for today: "Be content with what you are, and wish not change; nor dread your last day, nor long for it." -- Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor (CE 121-CE 180)

[Associated Press]

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