Today is Sunday, Nov. 18, the 322nd day of 2007. There are 43 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Nov. 18, 1928, Walt Disney’s first sound-synchronized animated cartoon, “Steamboat Willie” starring Mickey Mouse, premiered in New York.

On this date:

In 1820, U.S. Navy Capt. Nathaniel B. Palmer and his crew discovered the frozen continent of Antarctica.

In 1883, the United States and Canada adopted a system of Standard Time zones.

In 1886, the 21st president of the United States, Chester A. Arthur, died in New York.

In 1903, the United States gained the rights to build the Panama Canal in a treaty with Panama.

In 1936, Germany and Italy recognized the Spanish government of Francisco Franco.

In 1966, U.S. Roman Catholic bishops did away with the rule against eating meat on Fridays outside of Lent.

In 1978, California Congressman Leo J. Ryan and four other people were killed in Jonestown, Guyana, by members of the Peoples Temple; the killings were followed by a night of mass murder and suicide by more than 900 cult members.

In 1987, the congressional Iran-Contra committees issued their final report, saying President Reagan bore “ultimate responsibility” for wrongdoing by his aides.

In 1987, 31 people died in a fire at King’s Cross, London’s busiest subway station.

In 1999, 12 people were killed when a bonfire under construction at Texas A&M University collapsed.

Ten years ago: The FBI officially pulled out of the probe into the TWA Flight 800 disaster, saying the explosion that destroyed the Boeing 747, killing all 230 people aboard, was not caused by a criminal act. First Union Corp. announced the purchase of CoreStates Financial Corp. for 16.1 billion dollars.

Five years ago: U.N. arms inspectors returned to Iraq after a four-year hiatus, calling on Saddam Hussein’s government to cooperate with their search for weapons of mass destruction. Actor James Coburn died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 74.

One year ago: President Bush, in Hanoi for a summit of Pacific Rim countries, lined up support for pressuring long-defiant North Korea to prove it was serious about dismantling its nuclear weapons program. In a fairy-tale setting, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes exchanged wedding vows in a glowing 15th-century castle in the medieval lakeside town of Bracciano, Italy.

Today’s Birthdays: Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, is 84. Actor Brad Sullivan is 76. Actress Brenda Vaccaro is 68. Actress Linda Evans is 65. Country singer Jacky Ward is 61. Actor Jameson Parker is 60. Actress-singer Andrea Marcovicci is 59. Rock musician Herman Rarebell is 58. Singer Graham Parker is 57. Actor Delroy Lindo is 55. Comedian Kevin Nealon is 54. Actress Elizabeth Perkins is 47. Singer Kim Wilde is 47. Rock musician Kirk Hammett (Metallica) is 45. Rock singer Tim DeLaughter is 42. Actor Owen Wilson is 39. Singer Duncan Sheik is 38. Actress Peta Wilson is 37. Actress Chloe Sevigny is 33. Country singer Jessi Alexander is 31. Actor Steven Pasquale is 31. Rapper Fabolous is 28. Rapper Mike Jones is 27.

Thought for Today: “‘It can’t happen here’ is number one on the list of famous last words.” _ David Crosby, rock singer-musician.