Today in History

Today is Sunday, June 17, the 169th day of 2012. There are 197 days left in the year. This is Father's Day.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon's eventual downfall began with the arrest of five burglars inside Democratic national headquarters in Washington, D.C.'s Watergate complex.

On this date:

In 1397, the Treaty of Kalmar was signed, creating a union between the kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

In 1775, the Revolutionary War Battle of Bunker Hill resulted in a costly victory for the British, who suffered heavy losses.

In 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor aboard the French ship Isere.

In 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which boosted U.S. tariffs to historically high levels, prompting foreign retaliation.

In 1940, France asked Germany for terms of surrender in World War II.

In 1942, the U.S. Army began publishing "Yank, the Army Weekly," featuring the debut of the cartoon character G.I. Joe.

In 1944, the republic of Iceland was established.

In 1957, mob underboss Frank Scalice was shot to death at a produce market in the Bronx, N.Y.

In 1961, Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West while his troupe was in Paris.

In 1971, the United States and Japan signed a treaty under which Okinawa would revert from American to Japanese control the following year, with the U.S. allowed to maintain military bases there. President Richard M. Nixon declared a "war" against drug abuse in America in a message to Congress.

In 1987, Charles Glass, a journalist on leave from ABC News, was kidnapped in Lebanon. (Glass escaped his captors in August 1987.)

In 1992, President George H.W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a breakthrough arms-reduction agreement.

Ten years ago: A judge in San Francisco tossed out the second-degree murder conviction of Marjorie Knoller for the dog-mauling death of neighbor Diane Whipple, but let stand Knoller's conviction for involuntary manslaughter. (However, Knoller's murder conviction was reinstated in 2008.) The U.S. Supreme Court, by a vote of 8-1, struck down a law in the Ohio village of Stratton that required door-to-door solicitors to register with authorities and carry a permit.

Five years ago: Thirty-five people were killed in the bombing of a police academy bus in Kabul, Afghanistan; the Taliban claimed responsibility. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new government and outlawed Hamas militias. Angel Cabrera held off Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by a stroke to capture the U.S. Open. Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre, known as the "architect of fashion," died in Milan at age 62.

One year ago: The United Nations endorsed the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people for the first time ever, passing a resolution hailed as historic by the U.S. and other backers and decried by some African and Muslim countries. A Saudi woman defiantly drove through Riyadh while others brazenly cruised by police patrols in the first forays of a challenge to Saudi Arabia's male-only driving rules. Rory McIlroy (MAK'-ihl-roy) became the first player in the 111-year history of the U.S. Open to reach 13-under par.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Peter Lupus is 80. Actor William Lucking is 71. Singer Barry Manilow is 69. Comedian Joe Piscopo is 61. Actor Mark Linn-Baker is 58. Musician Philip Chevron (The Pogues) is 55. Actor Jon Gries is 55. Movie producer-director-writer Bobby Farrelly is 54. Actor Thomas Haden Church is 51. Actor Greg Kinnear is 49. Actress Kami Cotler (TV: "The Waltons") is 47. Olympic gold-medal speed skater Dan Jansen is 47. Actor Jason Patric is 46. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kevin Thornton is 43. Actor-comedian Will Forte is 42. Latin pop singer Paulina Rubio is 41. Tennis player Venus Williams is 32. Actor-rapper Herculeez (AKA Jamal Mixon) is 29. Actor Damani Roberts is 16.

Thought for Today: "Becoming a father is easy enough, but being one can be tough." -- Wilhelm Busch, German illustrator and poet (1832-1908).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.