Today in history: Nov. 21
On Nov. 21, 1980, 87 people died in a fire at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and more events that happened on this day in history.
1942: Alaska Highway
In 1942, the Alaska Highway, also known as the Alcan Highway, was formally opened at Soldier’s Summit in the Yukon Territory.
1967: Lyndon B. Johnson
In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Air Quality Act.
1979: Islamabad, Pakistan
In 1979, a mob attacked the US Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing two Americans.
1980: MGM Grand Hotel
In 1980, 87 people died in a fire at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1990: Michael R. Milken
In 1990, junk-bond financier Michael R. Milken, who had pleaded guilty to six felony counts, was sentenced by a federal judge in New York to 10 years in prison. (Milken served two.)
1995: Peace Plan
In 1995, Balkan leaders meeting in Dayton, Ohio, initialed a peace plan to end 3 1/2 years of ethnic fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BAHZ’-nee-ah HEHR’-tsuh-goh-vee-nah).
2001: Anthrax
In 2001, Ottilie (AH’-tih-lee) Lundgren, a 94-year-old resident of Oxford, Conn., died of inhalation anthrax; she was the apparent last victim of a series of anthrax attacks carried out through the mail system.
2012: Gaza Cease-Fire
In 2012, Israel and the Hamas militant group in Gaza agreed to a cease-fire to end eight days of the fiercest fighting in nearly four years.
2017: Robert Mugabe
In 2017, Zimbabwe's 93-year-old president Robert Mugabe resigned; he was facing impeachment proceedings and had been placed under house arrest by the military.
2020: Rudy Giuliani
One year ago: A federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed out a Trump campaign lawsuit seeking to prevent certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the state; in a scathing order, the judge said Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani presented only “speculative accusations.”
2021: Darrell Brooks Jr
In 2021, a man drove an SUV into a suburban Milwaukee Christmas parade, leaving six people dead and more than 60 injured. (Darrell Brooks Jr. was convicted of 76 counts, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide; he would be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of release.)
Millions of people are expected to hit airports and highways in record numbers over the Thanksgiving holiday. Here's more on that, today's other top stories, celebrity birthdays and a look back at this day in history. Get caught up.