Today is Sunday, Aug. 29, the 241st day of 2010. There are 124 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast near Buras, La.; the resulting floods devastated the city of New Orleans. More than 1,800 people in the region died.

On this date

In 1533, the last Incan King of Peru, Atahualpa was executed on orders of Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro.

In 1877, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Brigham Young, died in Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 76.

In 1910, Korean Emperor Sunjong abdicated as the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty went into effect.

In 1935, the film “Top Hat,” starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, opened in New York.

In 1943, responding to a clampdown by Nazi occupiers, Denmark managed to scuttle most of its naval ships.

In 1944, 15,000 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.

In 1957, the Senate gave final congressional approval to a Civil Rights Act after South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond (then a Democrat) ended a filibuster that had lasted 24 hours.

In 1958, pop superstar Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Ind.

In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

In 1975, Irish statesman Eamon de Valera died near Dublin at age 92.

Ten years ago

President Bill Clinton ended a four-day trip to Africa with a brief visit to Cairo, where he sought the help of President Hosni Mubarak in pursuing a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Pope John Paul II laid down moral guidelines for medical research in the 21st century, endorsing organ donation and adult stem cell study, but condemning human cloning and embryo experiments.

Five years ago

Economist Jude Wanniski, who advocated tax cuts as economic stimulus and coined the term “supply-side economics,” died in Morristown, N.J. at age 69.

One year ago

Funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedy’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. Eight people were found beaten to death at a mobile home in southeastern Georgia; family member Guy Heinze Jr., who reported finding the bodies, was charged with murder.

Today’s Birthdays

Actor-director Lord Richard Attenborough is 87. Movie director William Friedkin is 75. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is 74. Actor Elliott Gould is 72. Movie director Joel Schumacher is 71. TV personality Robin Leach is 69. Actor G.W. Bailey is 66. Actor Ray Wise is 63. Actress Deborah Van Valkenburgh is 58. Dancer-choreographer Mark Morris is 54. Country musician Dan Truman (Diamond Rio) is 54. Actress Rebecca DeMornay is 51. Singer Me’Shell NdegeOcello is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Carl Martin (Shai) is 40. Actress Carla Gugino is 39. Actor John Hensley is 33. Rock musician David Desrosiers (Simple Plan) is 30. Rapper A+ is 28. Actress Jennifer Landon is 27. Actor Jeffrey Licon is 25.

Thought for Today

“It is one thing to show a man that he is in an error, and another to put him in possession of the truth.”

— John Locke, English philosopher (born this day in 1632, died in 1704)