TODAY IN HISTORY

Friday, December  27, 2013 AP Highlight in History:  On Dec. 27, 2007, Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a bomb and shooting attack as she left an election rally in Rawalpindi.   AP Photo/B.K.Bangash
On this date in: 1831 British naturalist Charles Darwin set out on a voyage to the Pacific Ocean aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin's discoveries during the nearly five-year journey helped form the basis of his theories on evolution. 1927 The musical "Show Boat," with music by Jerome Kern and libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II, opened at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City. 1932 Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City. AP Photo 1945 The World Bank was created with an agreement signed by 28 nations. 1947 The children's TV program "Howdy Doody" debuted on NBC. 1949 Queen Juliana of the Netherlands granted sovereignty to Indonesia after more than 300 years of Dutch rule. 1968 Apollo 8, the first spaceflight to orbit the moon, returned to Earth. 1970 "Hello, Dolly!" closed on Broadway after a run of 2,844 performances. 1979 Soviet forces seized control of Afghanistan. Babrak Karmal succeeded President Hafizullah Amin, who was overthrown and executed. AP correspondent Barry Schlacter AP Photo 1985 Naturalist Dian Fossey, who had studied gorillas in the wild, was found hacked to death at a research station in Rwanda. 2001 U.S. officials announced that Taliban and al-Qaida prisoners would be held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 2004 Viktor Yushchenko won a runoff in Ukraine's presidential election, completing the country's "Orange Revolution." 2005 Indonesia's Aceh rebels formally abolished their 30-year armed struggle for independence under a peace deal born out of the 2004 tsunami.		Video HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today's Birthdays: Actress Emilie de Ravin ("Lost") turns 32 years old today. AP Photo/Evan Agostini Name Profession Age Scotty Moore Rock musician 82 John Amos Actor 74 Cokie Roberts Broadcast journalist 70 Mick Jones Rock musician (Foreigner) 69 Gerard Depardieu Actor 65 Tovah Feldshuh Actress 61 Karen Hughes Former White House aide 57 Theresa Randle Actress 49 Sarah Vowell Author 44 Masi Oka Actor ("Heroes") 39 Carson Palmer Football player 34 Hayley Williams Rock singer (Paramore) 25 Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels turns 30 years old today. AP Photo/Paul Bereswill