August 29th

Today's Highlight in History:
On August 29th, 1944, 15,000 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.

On this date:
In 1533, the last Incan King of Peru, Atahualpa, was murdered on orders from Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro.

In 1632, English philosopher John Locke was born in Somerset.

In 1877, the second president of the Mormon Church, Brigham Young, died in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In 1896, the Chinese-American dish chop suey was invented in New York City by the chef to visiting Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang.

In 1943, responding to a clampdown by Nazi occupiers, Denmark managed to scuttle most of its naval ships.

In 1957, South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond (then a Democrat) ended a filibuster against a civil rights bill after talking for more than 24 hours.

In 1965, "Gemini Five," carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles ("Pete") Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic after eight days in space.

In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

In 1975, Irish statesman Eamon de Valera died near Dublin at age 92.

In 1987, Academy Award-winning actor Lee Marvin died in Tucson, Arizona, at age 63.

Ten years ago: A defiant Iraqi President Saddam Hussein declared in a television interview that America could not defeat Iraq, saying, "I do not beg before anyone."

Five years ago: At the O.J. Simpson murder trial in Los Angeles, without the jury present, tape recordings of police detective Mark Fuhrman were played in which Fuhrman could be heard spouting racial invectives.

One year ago: Hurricane "Dennis" wallowed along the coast toward the Carolinas, prompting evacuation orders for the fragile Outer Banks barrier islands.

"Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad."

-- Euripides, Greek poet (c. 480 B.C.-406 B.C.)