FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008

Today is Friday, December 12, the 347th day of 2008. There are 19 days left in the year.

1098 _ First Crusaders capture and plunder Mara Syria

1792 _ In Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven (21) receives first lesson in music composition from Franz Joseph Haydn

1800 _ Washington D.C. established as capital of U.S.

1878 _ Joseph Pulitzer begins publishing ``St. Louis Dispatch"

1913 _ ``Mona Lisa", recovered after being stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911

1936 _ Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek declares war on Japan

1963 _ Argentina asks for extradition of ex-President Peron

1965 _ Beatles last Great Britain concert (Capitol Theatre in Cardiff Wales)

1979 _ Rhodesia becomes the independent nation of Zimbabwe

1997 _ Carlos the Jackal, ``professional revolutionary" goes on trial in Paris