This day in history

[July 10, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, July 10, the 191st day of 2010. There are 174 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On July 10, 1940, during World War II, the Battle of Britain began as Nazi forces began attacking southern England by air. (The Royal Air Force was ultimately victorious.)

On this date:

In 1509, theologian John Calvin, a key figure of the Protestant Reformation, was born in Noyon, Picardy, France.

In 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson personally delivered the Treaty of Versailles (vehr-SY') to the Senate, and urged its ratification. (However, the Senate rejected it.)

In 1929, American paper currency was reduced in size as the government began issuing bills that were approximately 25 percent smaller.

In 1951, armistice talks aimed at ending the Korean War began at Kaesong.

In 1962, the Telstar 1 communications satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral.

In 1973, the Bahamas became fully independent after three centuries of British colonial rule.

In 1985, the Greenpeace protest ship Rainbow Warrior was sunk with explosives in Auckland, New Zealand by French intelligence agents; one activist was killed. Bowing to pressure from irate customers, the Coca-Cola Co. said it would resume selling old-formula Coke, while continuing to sell New Coke.

In 1991, Boris N. Yeltsin took the oath of office as the first elected president of the Russian republic.

In 1999, the United States women's soccer team won the World Cup, beating China 5-4 on penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless play at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Ten years ago: Texas Governor George W. Bush, facing a skeptical audience, told the NAACP convention in Baltimore that "the party of Lincoln has not always carried the mantle of Lincoln," and promised to work to improve relations. Israeli President Ezer Weizman resigned, effectively ending a seven-year term that turned sour when he was found to have acted improperly by accepting gifts while in office.

Five years ago: A search-and-rescue team found the body of a missing U.S. commando in eastern Afghanistan, bringing an end to the desperate search for the last member of an ill-fated, four-man special forces unit that had disappeared the previous month. Nineteen-month-old Suzie Marie Pena (PAYN'-yah) was struck and killed by a SWAT team bullet during a shootout between Los Angeles police and her father, who was using the toddler as a shield; Jose Raul Pena also died. Hurricane Dennis roared quickly through the Florida Panhandle and Alabama coast with blinding squalls and crashing waves.

One year ago: General Motors completed an unusually quick exit from bankruptcy protection with promises of making money and building cars people would be eager to buy. Pope Benedict XVI stressed the Catholic church's opposition to abortion and embryonic stem cell research in his first meeting with President Barack Obama at the Vatican. Embattled Illinois Sen. Roland Burris announced he would not run for a full term in 2010. Jonathan Sanchez pitched the majors' first no-hitter of the season in San Francisco's 8-0 win over the San Diego Padres. British conductor Sir Edward Downes, 85, and his wife, Joan, 74, ended their lives together at an assisted suicide clinic in Zurich, Switzerland.

Today's birthdays: Former boxer Jake LaMotta is 89. Writer-producer Earl Hamner Jr. is 87. Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins is 83. Actor William Smithers is 83. Broadway composer Jerry Herman is 79. Director Ivan Passer is 77. Actor Lawrence Pressman is 71. Singer Mavis Staples is 71. Actor Mills Watson is 70. Actor Robert Pine is 69. Rock musician Jerry Miller (Moby Grape) is 67. International Tennis Hall of Famer Virginia Wade is 65. Actor Ron Glass is 65. Actress Sue Lyon is 64. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 63. Rock musician Dave Smalley is 61. Country-folk singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler is 59. Rock singer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) is 56. Banjo player Bela Fleck is 52. Country musician Shaw Wilson (BR549) is 50. Country singer-songwriter Ken Mellons is 45. Rock musician Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros) is 45. Country singer Gary LeVox (leh-VOH') (Rascal Flatts) is 40. Actress Sofia Vergara is 38. Actor Adrian Grenier (grehn-YAY') is 34. Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas is 30. Singer-actress Jessica Simpson is 30. Rock musician John Spiker is 29.

Thought for today: "One can pay back the loan of gold, but one dies forever in debt to those who are kind." -- Malayan proverb

[Associated Press]

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