This day in history

[September 03, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Sept. 3, the 246th day of 2011. There are 119 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 3, 1861, during the Civil War, Confederate forces invaded the border state of Kentucky, which had declared its neutrality in the conflict; the incursion prompted the legislature to seek assistance from the Union.

On this date:

In 1189, England's King Richard I (the Lion-Hearted) was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

In 1783, representatives of the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War.

In 1923, the United States and Mexico resumed diplomatic relations.

In 1939, Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany, two days after the Nazi invasion of Poland.

In 1943, the British Eighth Army invaded Italy during World War II, the same day Italy signed a secret armistice with the Allies.

In 1951, the television soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" made its debut on CBS.

In 1971, Qatar became independent of British rule.

In 1976, America's Viking 2 lander touched down on Mars to take the first close-up, color photographs of the planet's surface.

In 1978, Pope John Paul I was formally installed as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. (However, he died less than a month later.)

In 1991, Academy Award-winning director Frank Capra died in La Quinta, Calif., at age 94.

Ten years ago: Four days into a world conference against racism, the United States and Israel walked out of the U.N. meeting in Durban, South Africa, accusing Arab nations of hijacking the summit as a platform to embarrass the Jewish state. It was announced that high-tech giant Hewlett-Packard was buying Compaq Computer for about $25 billion. Movie critic Pauline Kael died in Great Barrington, Mass., at age 82. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bud Smith became the 16th rookie in modern history to throw a no-hitter, shutting down San Diego, 4-0.

Five years ago: Authorities announced the capture of al-Qaida in Iraq's No. 2 leader (Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi). An apartment fire in Chicago killed six children ages 3 to 14. Andre Agassi retired from tennis after losing the third-round match at the U.S. Open to 112th-ranked Benjamin Becker, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5.

One year ago: Defense Secretary Robert Gates toured U.S. bases and war zones in Afghanistan, saying he saw and heard evidence that the American counterinsurgency strategy was taking hold in critical Kandahar province. The Fox network announced that Kara DioGuardi was stepping down as one of the judges on "American Idol," following the departures of Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres.

Today's birthdays: "Beetle Bailey" cartoonist Mort Walker is 88. Actress Anne Jackson is 85. Actress Eileen Brennan is 79. Country singer Tompall Glaser is 78. Actress Pauline Collins is 71. Rock singer-musician Al Jardine is 69. Actress Valerie Perrine is 68. Rock musician Donald Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad) is 63. Rock guitarist Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols) is 56. Actor Steve Schirripa is 54. Actor Holt McCallany is 47. Rock singer-musician Todd Lewis is 46. Actor Charlie Sheen is 46. Singer Jennifer Paige is 38. Actress Ashley Jones is 35. Actress Nichole Hiltz is 33. Actor Nick Wechsler is 33. Actor Garrett Hedlund is 27. Olympic gold medal snowboarder Shaun White is 25.

Thought for today: "In the arts, the critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising." -- Pauline Kael, American movie critic (1919-2001)

[Associated Press]

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