Friday, December 12, 1997
Today's events
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is to arrive in
Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire, from
Rwanda as part of a six-country tour of Africa.
Guerrilla mastermind Ilich Ramirez Sanchez "Carlos the
Jackal" goes on trial in Paris over the 1975 murder of two
French counter-intelligence agents.
A special synod of Roman Catholic bishops from North and
South America ends.
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On the horizon
On Saturday, December 13, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright visits South Africa.
On Sunday, December 14, the South African Truth Commission
is due to expire.
On Monday, December 15, Guyana holds presidential and
parliamentary elections.
On Tuesday, December 16, Nelson Mandela steps down as South
Africa's African National Congress president.
On Wednesday, December 17, the undocking of the Progress
M-36 cargo ship from the Mir space station is scheduled.
On Thursday, December 18, South Korea holds presidential
elections.
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On this day
In 1719, the Aurora Borealis was first recorded.
In 1844, Dr. Horace Wells, of Hartford, Connecticut, was the first
to receive an anesthetic for a dental procedure.
In 1882, the Bijou Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts, became the first
theater to be lighted by electricity.
In 1939, singer Betty Grable and her famous legs were
featured on the cover of Life Magazine.
In 1946, John D. Rockefeller Jr. offered up a six-block
area of land in New York City for use as headquarters
of the United Nations.
In 1951, Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from the New York Yankees.
In 1985, the most expensive non-oil acquisition in U.S.
history took place this day. General Electric Company agreed
to buy RCA Corporation for $6.3 billion.
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Newslink
Life
Magazine made thousands of soldiers happy by running on its cover
a photo of Betty Grable and her famous legs. Find out more about the magazine here.
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Holidays and more
Kenya celebrates Jamhuri Day.
Russia celebrates Constitution Day.
Tennis player Tracy Austin is 35.
TV personality Bob Barker is 74.
Musician Sheila E is 38.
Singer Connie Francis is 59.
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch is 73.
Actor Robert Lindsay is 48.
Former gymnast Cathy Rigby is 45.
Singer Frank Sinatra is 82.
Singer Dionne Warwick is 56.
Musician Grover Washington is 54.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1997, J.P. Morgan
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