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Today in history: June 10

Celebrity birthdays, highlights in history, plus more facts about this day
/ Source: The Associated Press

Today is Saturday, June 10, the 161st day of 2006. There are 204 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:
On June 10, 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in Akron, Ohio.

On this date:
In 1801, the north African state of Tripoli declared war on the United States in a dispute over safe passage of merchant vessels through the Mediterranean.

In 1865, the Richard Wagner opera “Tristan und Isolde” premiered in Munich, Germany.

In 1940, Italy declared war on France and Britain; Canada declared war on Italy.

In 1942, the Gestapo massacred 173 male residents of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in retaliation for the killing of a Nazi official.

In 1946, Italy replaced its abolished monarchy with a republic.

In 1964, the Senate voted to limit further debate on a proposed civil rights bill, shutting off a filibuster by Southern states.

In 1967, the Middle East War ended as Israel and Syria agreed to observe a United Nations-mediated cease-fire.

In 1978, “Affirmed” won the Belmont Stakes and with it, horse racing’s Triple Crown.

In 1981, in Frascati, Italy, six-year-old Alfredo Rampi fell down an artesian well; the story ended tragically as efforts to rescue him proved futile.

In 1985, socialite Claus von Bulow was acquitted by a jury in Providence, Rhode Island, at his retrial on charges he’d tried to murder his heiress wife, Martha “Sunny” von Bulow.

Ten years ago: The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Florida Panthers 1-to-0 in triple overtime to win the Stanley Cup in a four-game sweep.

Five years ago: The Supreme Court, without comment, turned down a request to allow the videotaping of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh’s execution, scheduled for the following day. The death toll from the flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Allison rose to 16 in Texas and Louisiana. Defending champion Gustavo Kuerten won his third French Open title, beating Alex Corretja in four sets, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-2, 6-0.

One year ago: President Bush and visiting South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun pressed North Korea to rejoin deadlocked talks on its nuclear weapons program while trying to minimize their own differences over how hard to push the reclusive communist regime. Democrat Jim Exon, a two-term Nebraska governor and three-term senator, died at age 83.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Barry Morse is 88. Britain’s Prince Philip is 85. Columnist Nat Hentoff is 81. Actor-director Lionel Jeffries is 80. Author Maurice Sendak is 78. Attorney F. Lee Bailey is 73. Actress Alexandra Stewart is 67. Singer Shirley Alston Reeves (The Shirelles) is 65. Actor Jurgen Prochnow is 65. Media commentator Jeff Greenfield is 63. Country singer-songwriter Thom Schuyler is 54. Actor Andrew Stevens is 51. Singer Barrington Henderson is 50. Rock musician Kim Deal is 45. Singer Maxi Priest is 45. Actress Gina Gershon is 44. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn is 43. Rock musician Jimmy Chamberlin is 42. Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley is 41. Rock musician Joey Santiago is 41. Actor Doug McKeon is 40. Rock musician Emma Anderson is 39. Country musician Brian Hofeldt (The Derailers) is 39. Rapper The D.O.C. is 38. Rock singer Mike Doughty is 36. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jo-Jo is 35. Rhythm-and-blues singer Faith Evans is 33. Rhythm-and-blues singer Lemisha Grinstead (702) is 28. Actor Shane West is 28. Singer Hoku is 25. Actress Leelee Sobieski is 24. Olympic gold medal figure skater Tara Lipinski is 24.

Thought for Today: “If you play with a thing long enough, you will surely break it.” — Corollary to “Murphy’s Law.”