Things to know today: Tornadoes strike across the South; former Chinese president dies; and more

In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783.

In 1965, “Unsafe at Any Speed” by Ralph Nader, a book highly critical of the U.S. auto industry, was first released in hardcover by Grossman Publishers.

In 1981, the United States and the Soviet Union opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers.

In 2010, the Obama administration announced that all 197 airlines that flew to the U.S. had begun collecting names, genders and birth dates of passengers so the government could check them against terror watch lists before they boarded flights.

In 2011, the central banks of the wealthiest countries, trying to prevent a debt crisis in Europe from exploding into a global panic, swept in to shore up the world financial system by making it easier for banks to borrow American dollars. 

In 2013, Paul Walker, 40, the star of the “Fast & Furious” movie series, died with his friend, Roger W. Rodas, who was at the wheel of a Porsche sports car that crashed and burned north of Los Angeles.

In 2016, air conditioning company Carrier Corp. said it had reached a deal with President-elect Donald Trump to keep nearly 1,100 jobs in Indiana instead of moving them to Mexico; however, some 600 other jobs were still eliminated by outsourcing. 

In 2018, former President George H.W. Bush, a World War II hero who rose through the political ranks to the nation’s highest office, died at his Houston home at the age of 94; his wife of more than 70 years, Barbara Bush, had died in April.

In 2020, two battleground states, Wisconsin and Arizona, certified their presidential election tallies in favor of Joe Biden, even as President Donald Trump’s legal team continued to dispute the results; Biden’s victory in Wisconsin was certified following a partial recount that only added to his 20,600-vote margin over Trump. 

Rapper DMX pleaded guilty to tax fraud, admitting he concealed millions of dollars in revenue to dodge $1.7 million in taxes. (The rapper was sentenced to a year in prison.)

Five years ago: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called on veteran Democratic congressman John Conyers to resign in the face of multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. (Conyers resigned five days later.) 

CNN took Chris Cuomo off the air indefinitely, saying information released by New York’s attorney general showed that he had played a greater role than he had previously acknowledged in defense of his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as he fought sexual harassment charges. (Cuomo would be fired days later.)

One year ago: Ethan Crumbley, a 15-year-old sophomore, opened fire at a Michigan high school, killing four students and wounding seven other people; school staff had discovered his violent drawings but his parents wouldn’t remove him from school. (The parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are accused of making the gun accessible and ignoring their son’s mental health needs; they face charges including involuntary manslaughter.) 

1956 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Archie Moore in the fifth round to win the world heavyweight title in Chicago.

Archie Moore, left, crashes to the canvas after taking a left hook by Floyd Patterson in the fifth round of their World Heavyweight Championship bout at Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Ill., on November 30, 1956. Only seconds later Moore is counted out after being floored again, and Patterson is named new World Heavyweight Champion. (AP Photo)

1979 — Sugar Ray Leonard wins the WBC welterweight title with 15th-round knockout of Wilfred Benitez in Las Vegas.

Challenger Sugar Ray Leonard takes swing at bowed head of world welterweight boxing champion Wilfred Benitez during third round of their championship bout, November 30, 1979 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo)

1987 — Bo Jackson, also an outfielder for the Kansas City Royals, rushes for 221 yards to lead the Los Angeles Raiders to a 37-14 rout of the Seattle Seahawks. Jackson, playing in his fifth NFL game, scores on runs of 91 and 2 yards and has a 14-yard touchdown reception.

Running back Bo Jackson (34) of the Los Angeles Raiders follows Dokie Williams (85) for a four yard gain against the Seattle Seahawks in the first quarter of the Monday night game in Seattle, Wash., Nov. 30, 1987. Jackson had 122 yards in the first half of the game . (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)

2003 — Mark Philippoussis gives Australia its 28th Davis Cup title, fighting off a shoulder injury that nearly forces him to retire after the fourth set to beat Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-0.

Australia's Mark Philippoussis celebrates his victory over Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero in the Davis Cup final third singles match in Melbourne, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003. Philippoussis beat Ferrero, 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-0, to bring Australia the Davis Cup victory. (AP Photo/Tony Feder)

2008 — Keith Tkachuk reaches 1,000 career points with the tying goal late in the second period in St. Louis’ 4-2 victory over Atlanta.

St. Louis Blues center Keith Tkachuk, bottom right, slides after scoring his 1000th career point while the rest of his team celebrates in action against the Atlanta Thrashers during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Atlanta, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Stanley Leary)

2008 — Oakland has only one catch by a wide receiver in its 20-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and that officially was for 0 yards by Ronald Curry on a hook-and-lateral play.

Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell reacts after he was unable to complete a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 20-13. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

2012 — NBA Commissioner David Stern fines the San Antonio Spurs $250,000 for “a disservice to the league and our fans” when they don’t bring Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili or Danny Green to Miami for the final game of a six-game trip.

This Jan. 22, 2011 file photo shows San Antonio Spurs, from left, guard Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, Richard Jefferson, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, of France, watching action from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Hornets in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

2012 — Georgetown and Tennessee hold each other scoreless over the final four minutes, and the Hoyas beat the Volunteers 37-36 in a display of abysmal shooting in the SEC/Big East Challenge. The teams combine to make just 7 of 20 shots — from the free throw line. The field-goal shooting is just as horrid, with the Vols hitting 33 percent and the Hoyas 36 percent.

Georgetown forward Mikael Hopkins (3) battles for the ball against Tennessee forward Kenny Hall (20) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, in Washington. Georgetown won 37-36. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

2013 — Chris Davis races 100-plus yards with a missed field-goal attempt for a touchdown on the final play to lift No. 4 Auburn to a 34-28 victory over No. 1 Alabama. Davis catches the ball about 9 yards deep in the end zone after freshman Adam Griffith’s 57-yard attempt falls short. He sprints down the left sideline and cuts back with nothing but teammates around him in a second straight hard-to-fathom finish for the Tigers.

In this Nov. 30, 2013, file photo, Auburn cornerback Chris Davis (11) returns a field goal attempt 109-yards to score the winning touchdown over Alabama during the second half of the Iron Bowl NCAA college football game in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)