This day in history

[May 04, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, May 4, the 124th day of 2010. There are 241 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others. (Two of the students who died, Allison Krause and Jeffrey Miller, had been participating in the demonstration while the other two, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder, were passersby en route to their next classes.)

On this date:

In 1626, Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on present-day Manhattan Island.

In 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago, a labor demonstration for an 8-hour work day turned into a deadly riot when a bomb exploded.

In 1904, the United States took over construction of the Panama Canal.

In 1916, responding to a demand from President Woodrow Wilson, Germany agreed to limit its submarine warfare. (However, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare the following year.)

In 1932, mobster Al Capone, convicted of income-tax evasion, entered the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. (Capone was later transferred to Alcatraz Island.)

In 1945, during World War II, German forces in the Netherlands, Denmark and northwest Germany agreed to surrender.

In 1946, a two-day riot at Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay ended, the violence having claimed five lives.

In 1960, actress-comedian Lucille Ball divorced her husband, Desi Arnaz, after 20 years of marriage.

In 1961, a group of "Freedom Riders" left Washington, D.C. for New Orleans to challenge racial segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals.

In 1980, Marshal Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia, died three days before his 88th birthday.

Ten years ago: The "ILOVEYOU" e-mail virus infected computer networks and hard drives across the globe, spawning various imitations. Londoners chose political maverick Ken Livingstone to be their first elected mayor.

Five years ago: A military judge at Fort Hood, Texas, threw out Pfc. Lynndie England's guilty plea to abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, saying he was not convinced the Army reservist knew her actions were wrong at the time. (England was later convicted in a court-martial and sentenced to three years in prison -- she served half that time.) A suicide bombing at a police recruitment center in Irbil, Iraq, killed 60 people. Prosecutors rested their case in the molestation trial of Michael Jackson, who ended up being acquitted. ABC aired a segment of "Primetime Live" in which former "American Idol" contestant Corey Clark claimed an affair with judge Paula Abdul, who denied the allegation. (Fox TV cleared Abdul of any wrongdoing.)

One year ago: President Barack Obama promised to crack down on companies "that ship jobs overseas" and duck U.S. taxes with offshore havens. Jeff Kepner, of Augusta, Ga., underwent the nation's first double-hand transplant at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Mexican officials lowered their swine flu alert level in their capital. Cleveland's LeBron James was named the NBA's MVP. Actor, comedian and director Dom DeLuise died in Santa Monica, Calif. at 75.

Today's birthdays: The president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, is 82. Opera singer Roberta Peters is 80. Jazz musician Ron Carter is 73. Rock musician Dick Dale is 73. Singer-songwriter Nick Ashford is 68. Pop singer Peggy Santiglia (The Angels) is 66. Actor Richard Jenkins is 63. Country singer Stella Parton is 61. Actor-turned-clergyman Hilly Hicks is 60. Irish musician Darryl Hunt (The Pogues) is 60. Singer Jackie Jackson (The Jacksons) is 59. Rhythm-and-blues singer Oleta Adams is 57. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sharon Jones is 54. Country singer Randy Travis is 51. Actress Mary McDonough is 49. Comedian Ana Gasteyer is 43. Actor Will Arnett is 40. Rock musician Mike Dirnt (Green Day) is 38. Contemporary Christian singer Chris Tomlin is 38. TV personality and fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons is 35. Rock musician Jose Castellanos is 33. Singer Lance Bass ('N Sync) is 31. Actor Alexander Gould is 16.

Thought for today: "The greater the number of laws and enactments, the more thieves and robbers there will be." -- Lao-tzu (low dzu), Chinese philosopher (c.604-531 B.C.)

[Associated Press]

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