Today's Highlight in History:
On December 31st, 1879, Thomas Edison first publicly demonstrated his electric incandescent¹ light白炽灯，长明灯 in Menlo Park, New Jersey².

On this date:
In 1775, the British repulsed驱逐，拒绝 an attack by Continental⁴ Army generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold at Quebec; Montgomery was killed.

In 1862, President Lincoln signed an act admitting West Virginia to the Union.

In 1897, Brooklyn, New York, spent its last day as a separate entity单独实体，独立单位 before becoming part of New York City.

In 1946, President Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities战争，敌意 in World War Two.

In 1961, the Marshall Plan马歇尔计划 expired期满，失效 after distributing more than 12 billion dollars in foreign aid.

In 1974, private US citizens were allowed to buy and own gold for the first time in more than 40 years.

In 1978, Taiwanese diplomats⁷ struck their colors for the final time from the embassy flagpole旗杆 in Washington, marking the end of diplomatic relations with the US.

In 1985, singer Rick Nelson, 45, and six other people were killed when fire broke out aboard a DC-3 that was taking the group to a New Year's Eve performance in Dallas.

In 1986, ninety-seven people were killed when fire broke out in the Dupont Plaza⁸ Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Three hotel workers later pleaded guilty服罪 to charges in connection with the blaze.)

In 1997, Michael Kennedy, the 39-year-old son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, was killed in a skiing accident on Aspen Mountain in Colorado.

Ten years ago: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir fired Science Minister Ezer Weizman, accusing him of meeting with officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Five years ago: Bosnian government officials and Bosnian Serb塞尔维亚人 leaders signed a UN-brokered cease-fire agreement. Russian ground forces launched a ferocious⁹残忍的，惊人的 assault on the Chechen capital of Grozny.

One year ago: Europe's leaders proclaimed a new era as eleven nations merged合并 currencies to create the euro, a shared money they said would boost business, underpin¹¹巩固，支持 unity¹² and strengthen their role in world affairs.