November 19th Major News Events

1931 France - - League of Nations

1931: The United States and other countries involved with the League of Nations decided to aid China in the fight to force Japan to withdraw from Manchuria. Reports had indicated that Japan was in violation of certain treaty agreements that had been made-one of which was Japanese troops were illegally stations in strategic locations.

1942 World War II - - Stalingrad

1942 : Russian General Georgi Zhukov launches Operation Uranus, the Soviet counteroffensive that turned the tide in the Battle of Stalingrad.

1944 World War II - - Budapest

Russians had invaded 15 miles northeast of Budapest, along the Danube River north of the capital of Hungary. Within the same time period, Americans were moving in on Japanese forces in the Philippines. This was one of many significant and fierce World War II battle days.

1954 U.S.A. - - Automatic Road Tolls

1954 : The first automatic toll collection machine is used at the Union Toll Plaza on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway.

1955 Morocco - - Sultan

1955: It was a grave (sad and serious) day in Morocco. Political violence took place in the palace courtyard. The Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Youssel was inside in the palace while blood-shed took place. People had shown up at the Sultan's palace to give honor to the monarch, which had recently returned. One of the most prominent of those died was Khalifi Berdadi. One other had died as well, and five were wounded-two of which were not expected to live.

1963 U.S.A. - - Gettysburg Address

The 100 year celebration of the famous Gettysburg Address delivered by President Lincoln's given during the consecration of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg.

1963 Iraq - - War

t may appear that the fighting in Iraq has never really stopped. During this time in history, fierce battles for control took place. The president of Iraq at this time had seized Baghdad at this time. These battles took place not too long after plans regarding forming an Arab union were discussed. Key people that were supporters of this union plans were driven from political office.

1967 England - - The Pound In Your Pocket

The Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, defends his decision to devalue the pound by lowering the exchange rate from for the Pound from $2.80 to $2.40 and has told the British people that it does not mean that the pound here in Britain, in your pocket or purse or in your bank, has been devalued, but allows us to sell our goods abroad on a more competitive basis.

1969 U.S.A. - - Apollo 12

1969: The astronauts Charles "Pete" Conrad and Alan Bean of Apollo 12 land on the Moon in the area known as the Ocean of Storms with their lunar lander, Intrepid, and become the second set of American astronauts to walk on the moons surface.

1969 Brazil - - Pele

Brazilian soccer great Pele scores his 1,000th professional goal in a game, against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.

1973 U.S.A. - - Energy Crisis

Senator Thomas J. McIntyre charged the major American oil companies of incompetence and selfishness. McIntyre alleged that they did not prepare for the upcoming energy crisis, and as a result have betrayed the American people.

1977 Egypt - - Anwar Sadat

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat became the first Arab leader to set foot in Israel and received a hero's welcome in Jerusalem but condemnation from the rest of the Arab world.

1979 Iran - - US Embassy Hostage Crisis

1979 : Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini orders the release of 13 female and black American hostages quoting these hostages are being released because they are "oppressed minorities" and because of "the special place of women in Islam,".

1984 Mexico - - PEMEX Explosions

A series of explosions at the state owned PEMEX petroleum storage facility at San Juan Ixhuatepec in Mexico City ignites a major fire and kills more than 500

1994 U.S.A. - - Child Molesters

A United States school district was trying to decide what to do about the fact that 23 convicted child molesters lived in the area. Questions about personal privacy came up upon the decision to let the neighborhood know about them.

1994 UK - - UK Lottery

1994: The new UK lottery operated by Camelot has it's first lottery draw with an estimated jackpot of £7m . As part of the franchise awarded to Camelot to run the lottery a percentage of the money raised from ticket sales will help fund the arts, sports, charities, national heritage and millennium celebrations.

2002 Middle East - - Weapons of Mass Destruction

Technology sensors were soon to be planted in various places in order to detect weapons of mass destruction hidden. This particular action had taken place the day after searches for chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons took place. One of the most-suspected culprits was Saddam Hussein. No weapons of mass destruction were found during this time yet. The sensors were implemented in order to make finding them easier.

2006 U.S.A. - - Nintendo

Nintendo releases its newest video game console the Wii in North America with an MSRP of US$249.99 Expected launch in Europe December 8th.

2006 Gaza - - Human Shield Halts Israeli Bombing

2006: The Israelis will not be running a planned air attack on a house in the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza, which has hundreds of Palestinians forming a human shield aroud it. A spokesman, Mohammedweil Baroud, said that he was warned to leave his home by the Israelis, but that he instead ran to a mosque and summoned his neighbours to help defend the house. Baroud is a commander in the Popular Resistance Committees militant group.

2007 World - - Stocks fall

Global stocks have slumped amid fears of a fallout from the credit crisis, when Goldman Sachs downgraded Citibank and forecast $15bn (£7.3bn) in losses. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 217.86 points, or 1.65%, to end at 12,958.93. This was its lowest level in three months. The Nasdaq shed 1.33%.

2008 New Zealand - - New Zealand's Prime Minister sworn in

2008: John Key becomes New Zealand's 38th prime minister after his centre-right National Party won this month's election. Key and twenty-seven ministers formally take office, and are sworn in by New Zealand's Governor-General Anand Satyanand in a ceremony in Wellington. Satyanand, who was acting as the representative of head of state Queen Elizabeth II, asks Key to confirm he can form a government before taking the oath of office.

2009 United Kingdom - - Cazenove to be taken over by JP Morgan

JP Morgan annouces that it will buy Cazenove, its UK joint venture partner, for around 1 billion pounds ($1.67 billion). The two firms have been operated their joint venture since 2004 and say that the investment banking business will be continuing under the JP Morgan Cazenove brand, with most of the company's senior executives continuing in their roles. The deal values the combined joint venture at around 2 billion pounds. Cazenove (which is the Queen's stockbroker) isn't listed, but has around 1,500 shareholders, who are mostly current or former employees. Casenove is a 190 year-old company.

2009 European Union - - Van Rompuy chosen for EU Presidency

Herman van Rompuy is unanimously chosen by the European Council, at an informal meeting in Brussels, to be the first full-time President of the European Council. He will be serving in this role from December 1, 2009 until May 31st, 2012. He actually took up his position on 1 January 2010. Van Rompuy is 62, and had crucial French and German support in attaining the presidency.

2011 Libya - - Gaddafi's Son Captured in Libya

2011 : Saif al-Islam, the deposed leader of Libya's (Colonel Gaddafi) son, was captured by militants in Obari according to Libyan officials. Saif al-Islam is the last influential member of Gaddafi's family to be captured or killed since fighting broke out between anti-Gaddafi forces and his supporters. The new prime minister of Libya stated that Saif al-Islam will face a fair trial in the country, he was also wanted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

2012 Israel - - UN Secretary General Calls for Ceasefire

Ban Ki-moon, the UN's Secretary General, has called for an immediate ceasefire after Israel's bombardment of Gaza entered its sixth day, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that he wanted expand the military operation.

2013 Lebanon - - Iranian Embassy Attacked

The Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon was hit by two suicide bomb attacks. Over twenty people were killed in the attack and nearly 150 people were injured as a result.