Today’s highlight

On Nov. 16, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law, authorizing the construction of an 800-mile oil pipeline from the Alaska North Slope to the port city of Valdez.

On this date

1914: The newly created Federal Reserve Banks opened in 12 cities.

1988: Benazir Bhutto was voted prime minister of Pakistan, the first woman to be elected to lead a Muslim-majority country.

2001: Investigators found a letter addressed to Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont containing anthrax.

2001: The first film in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (U.S. title: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) debuted in theaters around the world.

2006: After midterm elections that saw Democrats take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi was nominated by the Democratic caucus to become speaker of the House.

2018: A U.S. official said intelligence officials had concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Miguel Sandoval is 73. Video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto is 72. NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte is 68. Actor Marg Helgenberger is 66. Former MLB All-Star pitcher Dwight Gooden is 60. Jazz singer Diana Krall is 60. Actor Lisa Bonet is 57.