 Today's highlight in history:
On May 8, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced on radio that
Nazi Germany's forces had surrendered, and that "the flags of
freedom fly all over Europe."
On this date:
In 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi
River.
In 1794, Antoine Lavoisier (lah-vwahz-YAY'), the father of modern
chemistry, was executed on the guillotine during France's Reign of
Terror.
In 1884, the 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman,
was born in Lamar, Mo.
In 1886, Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton invented the flavor syrup
for Coca-Cola.
In 1921, Sweden's Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty.
In 1958, Vice President Richard Nixon was shoved, stoned, booed and
spat upon by anti-American protesters in Lima, Peru.
In 1961, New York's recently created National League baseball team
announced that it would be known as the Mets.
In 1962, the musical comedy "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to
the Forum" opened on Broadway.
In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon announced that he had ordered
the mining of Haiphong Harbor during the Vietnam War.
In 1973, militant American Indians who'd held the South Dakota
hamlet of Wounded Knee for 10 weeks surrendered.
In 1984, the Soviet Union announced it would boycott the upcoming
Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In 1987, Gary Hart, dogged by questions about his personal life,
including his relationship with Miami model Donna Rice, withdrew
from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
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Ten years ago: FBI Director Robert Mueller (MUHL'-ur) told
the Senate Judiciary Committee an FBI memo from Phoenix warning that
several Arabs were suspiciously training at a U.S. aviation school
wouldn't have led officials to the Sept. 11 hijackers even if they'd
followed up the warning with more vigor. Eleven French engineers,
their Pakistani driver and a passer-by were killed in a suicide
bombing in Karachi.
Five years ago: The Pentagon announced that it had notified
more than 35,000 Army soldiers to be prepared to deploy to Iraq
beginning in the fall. Bitter enemies from Northern Ireland's bloody
past joined forces atop a new Northern Ireland government.
One year ago: Relations between Egypt's Muslims and
Christians reached a new low after overnight riots left 12 people
dead and a church burned. Fox television announced that Paula Abdul
would be one of the judges on "The X Factor," reuniting her with
former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell (however, Abdul's stint
did not last beyond the premiere season of the new talent show).
Today's birthdays: Comedian Don Rickles is 86. Naturalist Sir
David Attenborough is 86. Singer Toni Tennille is 72. Actor James
Mitchum is 71. Country singer Jack Blanchard is 70. Jazz musician
Keith Jarrett is 67. Singer Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire) is
61. Rock musician Chris Frantz (Talking Heads) is 61. Rockabilly
singer Billy Burnette is 59. Rock musician Alex Van Halen is 59.
Actor David Keith is 58. Actor Stephen Furst is 58. Actress Melissa
Gilbert is 48. Rock musician Dave Rowntree (Blur) is 48. Country
musician Del Gray is 44. Rock singer Darren Hayes is 40. Singer
Enrique Iglesias is 37. Actor Matt Davis is 34. Singer Ana Maria
Lombo (Eden's Crush) is 34. Actress Julia Whelan (WAY'-lan) is 28.
Thought for today: "What you see is news, what you know is
background, what you feel is opinion." -- Lester Markel,
American editor (1894-1977)
[Associated Press]
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