Today is Thursday, Dec. 5, the 340th day of 2024. There are 26 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’s first Black president, died at age 95.

Also on this date:

In 1848, in an address to Congress, President James K. Polk sparked the Gold Rush of ’49 by confirming that gold had been discovered in California.

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In 1933, national Prohibition came to an end as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment.

In 1952, the Great Smog of London descended on the British capital; the unusually thick fog, which contained toxic pollutants, lasted five days and was blamed for causing thousands of deaths.

In 1955, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL-CIO under its first president, George Meany.

In 1994, Republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades.

In 2009, a jury in Perugia, Italy, convicted American student Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, of murdering Knox’s British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced them to long prison terms. (After a series of back-and-forth rulings, Knox and Sollecito were definitively acquitted in 2015 by Italy’s highest court.)

In 2017, Democratic Congressman John Conyers of Michigan resigned from Congress after a nearly 53-year career, becoming the first Capitol Hill politician to lose his job amid the sexual misconduct allegations sweeping through the nation’s workplaces.

In 2019, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she had asked the relevant House committee chairs to begin drawing up articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, saying his actions left them “no choice” but to act swiftly. (Trump would be impeached by the House on charges of obstruction and abuse of power, but the Senate voted to acquit in the first of two Trump impeachment trials.)

Today’s Birthdays:

Author Calvin Trillin is 89.
Opera singer Jose Carreras is 78.
Musician Jim Messina is 77.
Golf Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins is 75.
Football Hall of Famer Art Monk is 67.
Rock singer-musician John Rzeznik (REZ’-nihk) (The Goo Goo Dolls) is 59.
Country singer Gary Allan is 57.
Comedian-actor Margaret Cho is 56.
Actor Paula Patton is 49.
Singer-songwriter Keri Hilson is 42.
Actor Frankie Muniz is 39.

After surviving a tough childhood and spending a decade fronting going-nowhere bar bands, Cyndi Lauper emerged in 1983 with her aptly named debut album “She’s So Unusual” and a fully formed persona perfectly fit for the MTV age. Her goofy fashion sense and deceptively dippy single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” may have suggested she’d be a flash in the pan, but some 41 years later she’s on the road for her final tour, which hit Minneapolis’ Target Center on Wednesday night.

The outing is officially called the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, but the 71-year-old Lauper has made it clear she’s only saying goodbye to headlining arenas and wanted to hit the road while she was still physically up for it. After opening with a blast of rainbow-colored confetti and her infectiously bawdy smash “She Bop,” Lauper told the crowd: “If this is my farewell, I wanted to go big.” She’s added that she already has her next project lined up. Her long-in-the-works musical based on the film “Working Girl” is set to debut next year in San Diego before moving to Broadway in 2026.

While Lauper stood right up there among the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Prince in the early ’80s, her Top 40 career burned hot and fast, with 10 chart entries that ended with 1989’s “I Drove All Night.” She performed them all Wednesday night, save for “All Through the Night,” which was somewhat of a surprise at it was her fourth consecutive single to hit the Top 5.

Those enduring classics bookended the set list, with her soundtrack hit “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” and savvy Prince cover “When You Were Mine” (which technically wasn’t a hit, but is fondly remembered) joining “She Bop” to open the show. She saved “True Colors” and “Money Changes Everything” for the end and wrapped with — what else? — “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

In between, Lauper sauntered through the decades she spent following her artistic muse. While not well known beyond her fans, “Who Let in the Rain,” “Sally’s Pigeons” and the fiery rockabilly number “Funnel of Love” (made famous by Wanda Jackson) all proved to be highlights.

For much of the show, Lauper impressed with her still-strong and supple vocals, although she hit a wall during the majestic epic “I’m Gonna Be Strong.” Dramatically dressed in a black Christian Siriano gown and a matching wig cap (sans wig), she stopped and started the song several times due to a cough. It did kill the momentum a bit, but she reminded the crowd this show was, indeed, live. That, plus a fan yelled out: “Take your time, Cyndi!” Clearly frustrated, she eventually ditched the song and crooned an impromptu take on “Fearless,” an album cut from 1997’s “Sisters of Avalon.” After a costume change, she returned to belt out that record’s title track.

During “Time After Time” — with special guest Lucinda Williams! — Lauper’s cough returned once again, although she powered through and held onto Williams’ arm throughout. It was a touching and utterly human moment.

Lauper also spoke extensively, sharing stories about the songs, her career, her band and the designers who created her looks for the tour. She came across as a little kooky, but genuine, and utterly charming. She’s always been a staunch, but not strident, feminist, and she talked about women’s rights and how they’ve changed over her lifetime. The colorful wigs sold at her merch table, she said, raise money for her Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights Fund.

Also this: “This was always such a great place because of Prince. I just wish that mural went up when he was alive so he knew how much we all loved him.” Wednesday, she played for an arena full of people who all loved her, too.

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The Gophers men’s basketball team’s Big Ten opener against Michigan State was put out of its reach within the opening 10 minutes on Wednesday night.

A massive 21-3 run from the Spartans was too much for Minnesota to overcome in a 90-72 loss at Williams Arena.

The game resembled a bigger, older kid extending his palm onto his little brother’s forehead. The elder’s wingspan alone keeps the feisty little one from making much contact, no matter how many swings he musters.

The Gophers (6-4, 0-1 Big Ten) had one of the best statitstical defenses in the conference coming into Wednesday but went quietly against five-point favorite Michigan State (7-2, 1-0).

The Gophers’ top point guard, Mike Mitchell, returned from a seven-game absence due to an ankle injury. He came off the bench early in the first half, got into a flow with three 3-pointers in a two minute stretch and finished with 17 points, including 5 of 8 from deep.

But the return of Minnesota’s best shooter and a game-high 18 points from Dawson Garcia didn’t really ding Michigan State’s lead. That’s because the Spartans — the worst 3-point shooting team in the conference (22%) — made 50% on Wednesday (11 of 22).

The Spartans started strong with a 9-2 lead in the first three minutes. They pushed the pace in transition for a bucket, made the extra pass for a 3-pointer and converted a 3-point play to take the early lead.

Minnesota responded with a 10-0 run. Lu’Cye Patterson and Garcia each hit a trey during the spurt to take a 12-9 lead.

Those mini-runs were nothing compared to Michigan State’s 21-3 burst over six minutes to take a 33-17 lead. The Spartans held onto it and were up 42-30 at the half and never looked back

The Spartans owned the glass, with a 24-8 rebounding advantage at the half. The Gophers were concerned by Michigan State’s ability to get out in transition, but that doesn’t explain a 9-2 disadvantage on the U’s defensive glass. The discrepancy evened out in the second half, but the damage was done.

Three Gophers dealt with foul trouble in the first half; Parker Fox and Femi Odukale each picked up two, while Patterson got three.

Last season, the Spartans won two of three games against Minnesota, with the U earring one of its best victories of the season, 59-56 over Michigan State in February.

There was no repeat performance to start Big Ten play this season.

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