Today in History

Today in History

Today is Sunday, June 5, the 157th day of 2016. There are 209 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 5, 1916, the Arab Revolt against Turkish Ottoman rule began during World War I.

On this date:

In 1794, Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited Americans from taking part in any military action against a country that was at peace with the United States.

In 1884, Civil War hero Gen. William T. Sherman refused the Republican presidential nomination, saying, "I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected."

In 1933, the United States went off the gold standard.

In 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall gave a speech at Harvard University in which he outlined an aid program for Europe that came to be known as The Marshall Plan.

In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, struck down racially segregated railroad dining cars.

In 1963, Britain's Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, resigned after acknowledging an affair with call girl Christine Keeler, who was also involved with a Soviet spy, and lying to Parliament about it.

In 1967, war erupted in the Mideast as Israel raided military aircraft parked on the ground in Egypt; Syria, Jordan and Iraq entered the conflict.

In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated after claiming victory in California's Democratic presidential primary; gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested.

In 1976, 14 people were killed when the Teton Dam in Idaho burst.

In 1986, a federal jury in Baltimore convicted Ronald W. Pelton of selling secrets to the Soviet Union. (Pelton was sentenced to three life prison terms plus ten years.)

In 1997, former CIA officer Harold J. Nicholson was sentenced to 23 1/2 years in prison for selling defense secrets to Russia after the Cold War.

In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

Ten years ago: More than 50 National Guardsmen from Utah became the first unit to work along the U.S.-Mexico border as part of President George W. Bush's crackdown on illegal immigration. Serbian lawmakers proclaimed their Balkan republic a sovereign state after Montenegro decided to split from a union and dissolve the remnants of what was once Yugoslavia. The Paris Hilton single "Stars Are Blind" was released by Warner Bros. Records.

Five years ago: The departure of Yemen's battle-wounded president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, for treatment in Saudi Arabia set off wild street celebrations in the capital. Israeli troops battled hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who tried to burst across Syria's frontier with the Golan Heights, killing a reported 20 people. Rafael Nadal won his record-equaling sixth French Open title, beating Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1.

One year ago: The Social Security Administration's inspector general found that disability beneficiaries had been overpaid by nearly $17 billion over the previous decade, raising alarms about the massive program. A broken bat flew into the stands at Fenway Park during an Oakland Athletics-Boston Red Sox game, seriously injuring fan Tonya Carpenter. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, 79, died in Nasiriyah of a heart attack while in captivity.

Today's Birthdays: Actor-singer Bill Hayes is 91. Broadcast journalist Bill Moyers is 82. Former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark is 77. Author Margaret Drabble is 77. Country singer Don Reid (The Statler Brothers) is 71. Rock musician Fred Stone (AKA Fred Stewart) (Sly and the Family Stone) is 69. Rock singer Laurie Anderson is 69. Country singer Gail Davies is 68. Author Ken Follett is 67. Financial guru Suze Orman is 65. Rock musician Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is 64. Jazz musician Kenny G is 60. Rock singer Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) is 60. Actor Jeff Garlin is 54. Actress Karen Sillas is 53. Actor Ron Livingston is 49. Singer Brian McKnight is 47. Rock musician Claus Norreen (Aqua) is 46. Actor Mark Wahlberg is 45. Actor Chad Allen is 42. Rock musician P-Nut (311) is 42. Actress Navi Rawat (RO'-waht) is 39. Actress Liza Weil is 39. Rock musician Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) is 37. Rock musician Seb Lefebvre (Simple Plan) is 35. Actress Amanda Crew is 30. Actress Sophie Lowe is 26.

Thought for Today: "What is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents." -- Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. senator (1925-1968).