Today is Tuesday, Nov. 12, the 317th day of 2024. There are 49 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Nov. 12, 2019, Venice experienced its worst flooding in over 50 years, with the water rising to 6.14 feet (1.87 meters) above average sea level, causing damage estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Also on this date:
In 1927, Josef Stalin solidified his power as the leader of the Soviet Union after Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.
In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was inaugurated as President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated traffic with a telegraph key in Washington, D.C.
In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal.
In 1954, Ellis Island officially shut down as an immigration station and detention center, having processed over 12 million immigrants between 1892 and 1954.
In 1970, the Bhola cyclone hit East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, claiming the lives of an estimated 300,000-500,000 people.
In 2001, American Airlines Flight 587 crashed after takeoff from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.
In 2021, a judge in Los Angeles terminated the conservatorship that had controlled pop star Britney Spears’ life and finances for nearly 14 years.
Today’s Birthdays:
- Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn turns 81 today.
- Rock musician Booker T. Jones celebrates his 80th birthday.
- Sportscaster Al Michaels is 80 years old today.
- Singer-songwriter Neil Young turns 79.
- Author Tracy Kidder is 79 years old today.
- Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island celebrates his 75th birthday.
- Actor Megan Mullally is 66 years old today.
- Olympic gold medal gymnast Nadia Comăneci turns 63.
- Olympic gold medal swimmer Jason Lezak celebrates his 49th birthday.
- Golfer Lucas Glover is 45 years old today.
- Actor Ryan Gosling turns 44.
- Actor Anne Hathaway celebrates her 42nd birthday.
- Golfer Jason Day turns 37 today.
- NBA point guard Russell Westbrook is 36 years old today.
