This day in history

[June 17, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, June 17, the 168th day of 2010. There are 197 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On June 17, 1775, the Revolutionary War Battle of Bunker Hill took place near Boston. The battle (which actually occurred on Breed's Hill) was a costly victory for the British, who suffered heavy losses while dislodging the rebels.

On this date:

In 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor aboard the French ship Isere (ee-SEHR').

In 1928, Amelia Earhart embarked on a trans-Atlantic flight from Newfoundland to Wales with pilots Wilmer Stultz and Louis Gordon, becoming the first woman to make the trip as a passenger.

In 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which boosted U.S. tariffs to historically high levels, prompting foreign retaliation.

In 1940, France asked Germany for terms of surrender in World War II.

In 1944, the republic of Iceland was established.

In 1957, mob underboss Frank Scalice was shot to death at a produce market in the Bronx, N.Y.

In 1961, Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West while his troupe was in Paris.

In 1971, the United States and Japan signed a treaty under which Okinawa would revert from American to Japanese control the following year, with the U.S. allowed to maintain military bases there.

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon's eventual downfall began with the arrest of five burglars inside Democratic national headquarters in Washington D.C.'s Watergate complex.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan announced the retirement of Chief Justice Warren Burger, who was succeeded by William Rehnquist.

Ten years ago: In Cuba, more than 300,000 people turned out to protest the continued stay of Elian Gonzalez in the United States; it was the largest such demonstration since the previous December, when Cuba launched a national campaign of mass gatherings demanding the boy's return.

Five years ago: The nation's Roman Catholic bishops agreed to a five-year extension on their unprecedented policy of permanently barring sexually abusive clergy from church work. Marcus Wesson, the domineering patriarch of a large clan he'd bred through incest, was convicted in Fresno, Calif. of murdering nine of his children. (Wesson was later sentenced to death.) Former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski and a second executive, Mark H. Swartz, were convicted of looting their company of more than $600 million. Iran's presidential election was thrown into a run-off after no candidate won over 50 percent of the vote. (Tehran's conservative mayor, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad (mahk-MOOD' ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhadh), emerged the winner.)

One year ago: President Barack Obama extended some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Nevada Sen. John Ensign resigned from the GOP leadership a day after admitting an affair with a former campaign staffer. John Houghtaling (HUHF'-tay-ling), the inventor of the "Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed" for hotels, died in Fort Pierce, Fla. at age 92.

Today's birthdays: Actor Peter Lupus is 78. Singer Barry Manilow is 64. Comedian Joe Piscopo is 59. Actor Mark Linn-Baker is 56. Musician Philip Chevron (The Pogues) is 53. Actor Jon Gries (gryz) is 53. Movie producer-director-writer Bobby Farrelly is 52. Actor Thomas Haden Church is 49. Actor Greg Kinnear is 47. Actress Kami Cotler (TV: "The Waltons") is 45. Olympic gold-medal speed skater Dan Jansen is 45. Actor Jason Patric is 44. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kevin Thornton is 41. Actor-comedian Will Forte is 40. Latin pop singer Paulina Rubio is 39. Tennis player Venus Williams is 30. Actor-rapper Herculeez (Herculeez and Big Tyme) is 27. Actor Damani Roberts is 14.

Thought for today: "A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually." -- Abba Eban, Israeli statesman (1915-2002)

[Associated Press]

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