Associated Press
On Oct. 23, 1983, a suicide truck-bombing at Beirut International Airport in Lebanon killed 241 U.S. Marines and sailors; a near-simultaneous attack on French forces killed 58 paratroopers.
1707- The Parliament of Great Britain, created by the Acts of Union between England and Scotland, held its first meeting.
1925- Comedian and talk show host Johnny Carson was born in Corning, Iowa.
1942- Britain launched a major offensive against Axis forces at El Alamein in Egypt during World War II.
1956- An anti-Stalinist revolt began in Hungary.
1973- President Richard M. Nixon agreed to turn White House tape recordings requested by the Watergate special prosecutor over to Judge John J. Sirica.
1987- The U.S. Senate rejected the Supreme Court nomination of Robert H. Bork, 58-42.
1993- Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter became the second player to end a World Series with a home run in an 8-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6.
1998- Dr. Barnett Slepian, a doctor who performed abortions, was killed at his home in suburban Buffalo, N.Y. when a sniper fired through his kitchen window.
1998- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed a land-for-peace agreement at the White House, following nine days of talks at Wye River, Md.
2001- Apple Computer Inc. introduced the iPod portable digital music player.
2002- Gunmen seized a crowded Moscow theater, taking hundreds hostage and threatening to kill them unless the Russian army pulled out of Chechnya.
2003- Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the widow of the Chinese nationalist leader, died in New York at age 105.
2006- Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for his role in the company’s collapse.
2011- Libya’s interim rulers declared the country liberated, formally marking the end of Moammar Gadhafi’s 42-year tyranny.
Today’s Birthdays:
Actor Ryan Reynolds turns 39 years old today.
Jim Bunning, Baseball Hall of Famer, former U.S. senator, R-Ky., 84
Philip Kaufman, Director (“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”), 79
Mel Martinez, Former U.S. senator, R-Fla., 69
Ang Lee, Director, 61
Dwight Yoakam, Country singer, 59
Weird Al Yankovic, Musical parodist, 56
Doug Flutie, Football player, 53
Al Leiter, Baseball player, sportscaster, 50
Chris Weitz, Director, 46
Cat Deeley, TV host (“So You Think You Can Dance”), 39
John Lackey, Baseball player, 37
Emilia Clarke, Actress (“Game of Thrones”), 29
Jessica Stroup Actress (“90210”) 29
Soccer player Pele turns 75 years old today.