This day in history

[May 14, 2009]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, May 14, the 134th day of 2009. There are 231 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On May 14, 1948, according to the current-era calendar, the independent state of Israel was proclaimed in Tel Aviv.

On this date:

In 1509, the Republic of Venice suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of French forces in the Battle of Agnadello.

In 1643, Louis XIV became King of France at age 4 upon the death of his father, Louis XIII.

In 1787, delegates were to gather in Philadelphia for a convention to draw up the U.S. Constitution. (However, only a few of the delegates had arrived by this time, and the convention did not get under way until May 25.)

In 1796, English physician Edward Jenner succeeded in inoculating 8-year-old James Phipps against smallpox by using cowpox matter.

In 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the Louisiana Territory as well as the Pacific Northwest left camp near present-day Hartford, Ill.

In 1900, the Olympic Games opened in Paris, held as part of the 1900 World's Fair.

In 1942, Congress voted to establish the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" was first performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

In 1973, the United States launched Skylab 1, its first manned space station.

In 1988, 27 people, mostly teens, were killed when their church bus collided with a pickup truck going the wrong way on a highway near Carrollton, Ky. (Truck driver Larry Mahoney served 9 1/2 years in prison for manslaughter.)

In 1998, singer-actor Frank Sinatra died at a Los Angeles hospital at age 82. The hit sitcom "Seinfeld" aired its final episode after nine years on NBC.

Ten years ago: His previous calls rebuffed, President Bill Clinton finally got through to Chinese President Jiang Zemin; Clinton expressed hope the two countries could repair the damage to their relations since the U.S. bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade.

Five years ago: Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper published a front-page apology after photographs purportedly showing British forces abusing Iraqi prisoners turned out to be fakes. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to step in and block gay marriages in Massachusetts. A South Korean court reinstated impeached President Roh Moo-hyun. Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik married Australian commoner Mary Donaldson. Actress Anna Lee died at age 91.

One year ago: President Bush opened a celebratory visit to Israel, which was marking the 60th anniversary of its birth. John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination during a surprise appearance at a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Interior Department declared the polar bear a threatened species because of the loss of Arctic sea ice. Justine Henin, 25, became the first woman to retire from tennis while atop the WTA rankings.

Today's birthdays: Opera singer Patrice Munsel is 84. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., is 67. Rock singer-musician Jack Bruce (Cream) is 66. Movie producer George Lucas is 65. Actress Meg Foster is 61. Rock singer David Byrne (Talking Heads) is 57. Movie director Robert Zemeckis is 57. Actor Tim Roth is 48. Rock singer Ian Astbury (The Cult) is 47. Rock musician C.C. (aka Cecil) DeVille is 47. Actor Danny Huston is 47. Rock musician Mike Inez (Alice In Chains) is 43. Fabrice Morvan (ex-Milli Vanilli) is 43. R&B singer Raphael Saadiq is 43. Actress Cate Blanchett is 40. Singer Danny Wood (New Kids on the Block) is 40. Movie writer-director Sofia Coppola is 38. Singer Natalie Appleton (All Saints) is 36. Singer Shanice is 36. Rock musician Henry Garza (Los Lonely Boys) is 31. Rock musician Mike Retondo (Plain White T's) is 28. Actress Amber Tamblyn is 26. Actress Miranda Cosgrove is 16.

Thought for today: "Sometimes there is greater lack of communication in facile talking than in silence." -- Faith Baldwin, American romance novelist (1893-1978)

[Associated Press]

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