Today in History

Today is Friday, June 29, the 181st day of 2012. There are 185 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 29, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Furman v. Georgia, Jackson v. Georgia and Branch v. Texas, struck down a trio of death sentences, saying the way they had been imposed constituted cruel and unusual punishment. (The ruling prompted states to effectively impose a moratorium on executions until their capital punishment laws could be revised.)

On this date:

In 1613, the original Globe Theatre in London was destroyed by a fire.

In 1767, Britain approved the Townshend Revenue Act, which imposed import duties on glass, paint, oil, lead, paper and tea shipped to the American colonies. (Colonists bitterly protested, prompting Parliament to repeal the duties -- except for tea.)

In 1911, the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers had its beginnings as Pope Pius X gave his blessing for the formation of The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America.

In 1927, the first trans-Pacific airplane flight was completed as Lt. Lester J. Maitland and Lt. Albert F. Hegenberger arrived at Wheeler Field in Hawaii aboard the Bird of Paradise, an Atlantic-Fokker C-2, after flying 2,400 miles from Oakland, Calif., in 25 hours, 50 minutes.

In 1941, Polish statesman, pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski died in New York at age 80.

In 1954, the Atomic Energy Commission voted against reinstating Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer's access to classified information.

In 1956, actress Marilyn Monroe married playwright Arthur Miller in a civil ceremony in White Plains, N.Y. (the marriage lasted 41/2 years).

In 1966, the United States bombed fuel storage facilities near the North Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Haiphong.

In 1967, Jerusalem was re-unified as Israel removed barricades separating the Old City from the Israeli sector.

In 1970, the United States ended a two-month military offensive into Cambodia.

In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Morrison v. Olson, upheld the independent counsel law in a 7-1 decision (the sole dissenter was Justice Antonin Scalia).

In 1992, the remains of Polish statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski, interred for five decades in the United States, were returned to his homeland in keeping with his wish to be buried only in a free Poland.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush transferred his presidential powers to Vice President Dick Cheney for more than two hours during a routine colon screening that ended in a clean bill of health. Singer Rosemary Clooney died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 74.

Five years ago: British police defused two car bombs left to blow up near packed nightclubs and pubs in central London. The first Apple iPhones went on sale. Death claimed movie critic Joel Siegel at age 63 and George McCorkle, a founding member of the Marshall Tucker Band.

One year ago: In the first ruling by a federal appeals court on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, a panel in Cincinnati handed the administration a victory by agreeing that the government could require a minimum amount of insurance for Americans. Greece fended off bankruptcy as lawmakers backed austerity measures in the face of riots that left more than 100 injured.

Today's Birthdays: Movie producer Robert Evans is 82. Songwriter L. Russell Brown is 72. Actor Gary Busey is 68. Comedian Richard Lewis is 65. Actor-turned-politican-turned-radio personality Fred Grandy is 64. Rock musician Ian Paice (Deep Purple) is 64. Singer Don Dokken (Dokken) is 59. Rock singer Colin Hay (Men At Work) is 59. Actress Maria Conchita Alonso is 55. Actress Sharon Lawrence is 51. Actress Amanda Donohoe is 50. Rhythm-and-blues singer Stedman Pearson (Five Star) is 48. Actress Kathleen Wilhoite is 48. Producer-writer Matthew Weiner is 47. Musician Dale Baker is 46. Actress Melora Hardin is 45. Rap DJ Shadow is 40. Country musician Todd Sansom (Marshall Dyllon) is 34. Singer Nicole Scherzinger is 34.

Thought for Today: "Words can sting like anything, but silence breaks the heart." -- Phyllis McGinley, American poet and author (1905-1978).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.