This day in history

[April 29, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, April 29, the 119th day of 2010. There are 246 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On April 29, 1945, during World War II, American soldiers liberated the Dachau concentration camp; the same day, Adolf Hitler married Eva Braun and designated Adm. Karl Doenitz (DUHR'-nihtz) president.

On this date:

In 1429, Joan of Arc entered the besieged city of Orleans to lead a French victory over the English.

In 1798, Joseph Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" was rehearsed in Vienna, Austria, before an invited audience.

In 1861, Maryland's House of Delegates voted against seceding from the Union.

In 1901, Japanese Emperor Hirohito was born in Tokyo.

In 1916, the Easter Rising in Dublin collapsed as Irish nationalists surrendered to British authorities.

In 1946, 28 former Japanese officials went on trial in Tokyo as war criminals; seven ended up being sentenced to death.

In 1968, the counterculture musical "Hair" opened on Broadway following limited engagements off-Broadway.

In 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announced he was releasing edited transcripts of some secretly made White House tape recordings related to Watergate.

In 1983, Harold Washington was sworn in as the first black mayor of Chicago.

In 1992, deadly rioting erupted in Los Angeles after a jury in Simi Valley, Calif. acquitted four Los Angeles police officers of almost all state charges in the videotaped beating of Rodney King.

Ten years ago: Tens of thousands of angry Cuban-Americans marched peacefully through Miami's Little Havana, protesting the raid in which armed federal agents yanked 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez from the home of relatives. Lennox Lewis knocked out Michael Grant in the second round at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles.

Five years ago: Insurgents unleashed a series of car bombings and other attacks across Iraq, killing at least 41 people, including three U.S. soldiers. NASA again delayed the first space shuttle launch since the Columbia disaster, worrying that ice falling off fuel tank could doom Discovery.

One year ago: During a prime-time news conference marking his 100th day in office, President Barack Obama pledged "to do whatever it takes" to battle the spread of swine flu. The World Health Organization raised its alert level for swine flu to its next-to-highest notch. Twin car bombs ravaged a popular shopping area in Baghdad's biggest Shiite district, killing at least 51 people.

Today's birthdays: Actress Celeste Holm is 93. Rhythm-and-blues singer Carl Gardner (The Coasters) is 82. Poet Rod McKuen is 77. Actor Keith Baxter is 77. Bluesman Otis Rush is 76. Conductor Zubin Mehta is 74. Pop singer Bob Miranda (The Happenings) is 68. Country singer Duane Allen (The Oak Ridge Boys) is 67. Singer Tommy James is 63. Movie director Phillip Noyce is 60. Country musician Wayne Secrest (Confederate Railroad) is 60. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 56. Actor Leslie Jordan is 55. Actress Kate Mulgrew is 55. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 53. Actress Michelle Pfeiffer is 52. Actress Eve Plumb is 52. Rock musician Phil King is 50. Country singer Stephanie Bentley is 47. Singer Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips) is 42. Actress Uma Thurman is 40. Tennis player Andre Agassi is 40. Rapper Master P is 40. Country singer James Bonamy is 38. Gospel/rhythm-and-blues singer Erica Campbell (Mary Mary) is 38. Rock musician Mike Hogan (The Cranberries) is 37. Actor Tyler Labine is 32. NFL player Tommie Harris is 27. Actor Zane Carney is 25.

Thought for today: "An intellectual hatred is the worst." -- William Butler Yeats, Irish poet and playwright (1865-1939)

[Associated Press]

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