This day in history

[June 04, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, June 4, the 155th day of 2010. There are 210 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On June 4, 1940, during World War II, the Allied military evacuation from Dunkirk, France, involving more than 338,000 troops, ended.

On this date:

In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers first publicly demonstrated their hot-air balloon, which did not carry any passengers, over Annonay, France.

In 1784, opera singer Elizabeth Thible became the first woman to fly aboard a Montgolfier hot-air balloon, over Lyon, France.

In 1892, the Sierra Club was incorporated in San Francisco.

In 1910, the Ballets Russes premiered its dance adaptation of the Rimsky-Korsakov suite "Scheherazade" in Paris.

In 1919, Congress approved the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing citizens the right to vote regardless of their gender, and sent it to the states for ratification.

In 1939, the German ocean liner St. Louis, carrying more than 900 Jewish refugees from Germany, was turned away from the Florida coast by U.S. officials.

In 1942, the Pacific Battle of Midway began during World War II.

In 1954, French Premier Joseph Laniel and Vietnamese Premier Buu Loc signed treaties in Paris according "complete independence" to Vietnam.

In 1979, Joe Clark of the Progressive Conservatives became the 16th prime minister of Canada.

In 1989, Chinese army troops stormed Beijing to crush a pro-democracy movement, killing hundreds, possibly thousands, of people.

Ten years ago: President Bill Clinton and Russian President Putin (POO'-tihn) ended their summit by conceding differences on missile defense, agreeing to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium and pledging early warning of missile and space launches. A powerful earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing at least 100 people. "Copenhagen" was chosen best play, "Contact" best musical and "Kiss Me, Kate" best musical revival at the Tony Awards.

Five years ago: The White House downplayed a Pentagon report detailing incidents in which U.S. guards at Guantanamo Bay prison had desecrated the Quran, saying in a statement, "It is unfortunate that some have chosen to take out of context a few isolated incidents by a few individuals." Justine Henin-Hardenne beat Mary Pierce 6-1, 6-1 to win the French Open women's singles title.

One year ago: Speaking at Cairo University, President Barack Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" and said together, they could confront violent extremism across the globe. Actor David Carradine, 72, was found dead in a Bangkok, Thailand, hotel room.

Today's birthdays: Actor Bruce Dern is 74. Musician Roger Ball is 66. Actress-singer Michelle Phillips is 66. Jazz musician Anthony Braxton is 65. Rock musician Danny Brown (The Fixx) is 59. Actor Parker Stevenson is 58. Actor Keith David is 54. Actress Julie Gholson is 52. Actor Eddie Velez is 52. Singer-musician El DeBarge is 49. Actress Julie White is 49. Tennis player Andrea Jaeger is 45. Rhythm-and-blues singer Al B. Sure! is 42. Actor Scott Wolf is 42. Comedian Horatio Sanz is 41. Actor Noah Wyle is 39. Rock musician Stefan Lessard (The Dave Matthews Band) is 36. Actor-comedian Russell Brand is 35. Actress Angelina Jolie is 35. Alt-country singer Kasey Chambers is 34. Rock musician JoJo Garza (Los Lonely Boys) is 30. Model Bar Refaeli (ruh-FEHL'-lee) is 25. Rock musician Zac Farro is 20.

Thought for today: "As people used to be wrong about the motion of the sun, so they are still wrong about the motion of the future. The future stands still; it is we who move in infinite space." -- Rainer Maria Rilke (RY'-nur mah-REE'-ah RIHL'-kuh), German poet (1875-1926)

[Associated Press]

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