This day in history

[July 29, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, July 29, the 210th day of 2010. There are 155 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On July 29, 1981, Britain's Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. (However, the couple divorced in 1996.)

On this date:

In 1030, the patron saint of Norway, King Olaf II, was killed in battle.

In 1588, the English attacked the Spanish Armada in the Battle of Gravelines, resulting in an English victory.

In 1890, artist Vincent van Gogh, 37, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

In 1914, transcontinental telephone service began with the first test phone conversation between New York and San Francisco.

In 1948, Britain's King George VI opened the Olympic Games in London.

In 1957, the International Atomic Energy Agency was established. Jack Paar made his debut as host of NBC's "Tonight Show."

In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, creating NASA.

In 1967, an accidental rocket launch aboard the supercarrier USS Forrestal in the Gulf of Tonkin resulted in a fire and explosions that killed 134 servicemen.

In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford became the first U.S. president to visit the site of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz in Poland as he paid tribute to the victims.

In 1985, the space shuttle Challenger began an eight-day mission that got off to a shaky start -- the spacecraft achieved a safe orbit even though one of its main engines shut down prematurely after liftoff.

Ten years ago: Yasser Arafat set off on a multi-country tour to drum up support for the Palestinians in the Middle East peace process.

Five years ago: The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a U.S.-sponsored resolution expanding U.N. sanctions against al-Qaida terrorists and Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers to affiliates and splinter groups. Cabaret singer Hildegarde, whose career spanned almost seven decades, died in New York at age 99.

One year ago: Microsoft and Yahoo announced a 10-year Internet search partnership, taking on the overwhelming dominance of Google in the online advertising market.

Today's birthdays: Comedian "Professor" Irwin Corey is 96. Actor Robert Horton is 86. Former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum-Baker is 78. Actor Robert Fuller is 76. Former Sen. Elizabeth H. Dole is 74. Actor David Warner is 69. Rock musician Neal Doughty (REO Speedwagon) is 64. Marilyn Tucker Quayle, wife of former Vice President Dan Quayle, is 61. Actor Mike Starr is 60. Documentary maker Ken Burns is 57. Style guru Tim Gunn (TV: "Project Runway") is 57. Rock singer-musician Geddy Lee (Rush) is 57. Rock singer Patti Scialfa (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band) is 57. Actress Alexandra Paul is 47. Country singer Martina McBride is 44. Rock musician Chris Gorman is 43. Actor Rodney Allen Rippy is 42. Actor Tim Omundson is 41. Actor Wil Wheaton is 38. Rhythm-and-blues singer Wanya Morris (Boyz II Men) is 37. Country singer-songwriter James Otto is 37. Actor Stephen Dorff is 37. Actor Josh Radnor is 36. Hip-hop DJ/music producer Danger Mouse is 33. Actress Rachel Miner is 30. Actress Allison Mack is 28. Actor Matt Prokop is 20.

Thought for today: "Charity looks at the need and not at the cause." -- German proverb

[Associated Press]

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