Today in history
By The Associated Press

Today is Thursday, Jan. 24, the 24th day of 2008. There are 342 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:
Jan. 24, 1908, is considered the starting date of the Boy Scouts movement in England, under the aegis of Robert Baden-Powell.

On this date:
In 1742, Charles VII was elected Holy Roman Emperor during the War of the Austrian Succession.

In 1848, James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in northern California, a discovery that led to the gold rush of '49.

In 1922, Christian K. Nelson of Onawa, Iowa, patented the Eskimo Pie.

In 1943, President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill concluded a wartime conference in Casablanca, Morocco.

In 1965, Winston Churchill died in London at age 90.

In 1978, a nuclear-powered Soviet satellite, Cosmos 954, plunged through Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated, scattering radioactive debris over parts of northern Canada.

In 1987, gunmen in Lebanon kidnapped educators Alann Steen, Jesse Turner and Robert Polhill and Mitheleshwar Singh. (All were eventually released).

In 1989, confessed serial killer Theodore Bundy was put to death in Florida's electric chair.

In 1993, retired Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall died in Bethesda, Md., at age 84.

Ten years ago: Pope John Paul II, delivering blunt political messages during his visit to Cuba, called for the release of "prisoners of conscience" and respect for freedom of expression, initiative and association.

Five years ago: The new Department of Homeland Security officially opened as its head, Tom Ridge, was sworn in. Connecticut became the first state to take part in the U.S. government's plan to inoculate a half-million health care workers against smallpox.

One year ago: The Democratic-controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee dismissed President Bush's plans for a troop buildup in Iraq as "not in the national interest" of the United States.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Ernest Borgnine is 91. Evangelist Oral Roberts is 90. Actor Jerry Maren is 89. Actor Marvin Kaplan is 81. Cajun musician Doug Kershaw is 72. Singer-songwriter Ray Stevens is 69. Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is 67. Singer Aaron Neville is 67. Actor Michael Ontkean is 62. Actor Daniel Auteuil is 58. Country singer-songwriter Becky Hobbs is 58. Comedian Yakov Smirnoff is 57. Bandleader-musician Jools Holland is 50. Country musician Keech Rainwater is 45. Comedian Phil LaMarr is 41. Olympic gold-medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton is 40. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sleepy Brown is 38. Actor Matthew Lillard is 38. Actress Merrilee McCommas is 37. Actor Ed Helms is 34. Actress Tatyana Ali is 29. Actress Mischa Barton is 22.

Thought for Today: "Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now - always." - Albert Schweitzer, German-born missionary and Nobel laureate (1875-1965).