Today is Thursday, May 26, the 146th day of 2005. There are 219 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On May 26, 1940, the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, began during World War II.
On this date:
In 1521, Martin Luther was banned by the Edict of Worms because of his religious beliefs and writings.
In 1805, 200 years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned King of Italy in Milan.
In 1865, arrangements were made in New Orleans for the surrender of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi.
In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on all remaining charges.
In 1913, Actors’ Equity Association was organized.
In 1960, U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge accused the Soviets of hiding a microphone inside a wood carving of the Great Seal of the United States that had been presented to the U.S. embassy in Moscow.
In 1969, the Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moon landing.
In 1978, the first legal casino in the eastern United States opened in Atlantic City, N.J.
In 1991, a Lauda Air Boeing 767 crashed in Thailand, killing all 223 people aboard.
In 1994, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley were married in the Dominican Republic. (The marriage, however, ended in 1996.)
Ten years ago: In the tobacco industry’s largest recall ever, Philip Morris U.S.A. halted sales of several cigarette brands, including some versions of top-selling Marlboro, because some filters were contaminated.
Five years ago: Barry Grunow, 35, an English teacher at Lake Worth Community Middle School in Florida, was shot to death by Nathaniel Brazill, a seventh grader, after the teacher refused to let him talk with two girls in his classroom. (Brazill was convicted of second-degree murder and is serving a 28-year sentence.)
One year ago: Nearly a decade after the Oklahoma City bombing, Terry Nichols was found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the attack. (Nichols later received 161 consecutive life sentences.) Fantasia Barrino was crowned the latest American Idol in the Fox network’s talent contest.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor James Arness is 82. Actor Alec McCowen is 80. Sportscaster Brent Musberger is 66. Rock singer-musician Levon Helm (The Band) is 65. Country musician Gates Nichols (Confederate Railroad) is 61. Rock musician Garry Peterson (Guess Who) is 60. Singer Stevie Nicks is 57. Actress Pam Grier is 56. Actor Philip Michael Thomas is 56. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 56. Former astronaut Sally K. Ride is 54. Actress Margaret Colin is 48. Country singer-songwriter Dave Robbins (BlackHawk) is 46. Actor Doug Hutchison is 45. Actress Genie Francis is 43. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is 43. Singer Lenny Kravitz is 41. Actress Helena Bonham Carter is 39. Rock musician Phillip Rhodes is 37. Actor Joseph Fiennes is 35. Rhythm-and-blues singer Joey Kibble (Take 6) is 34. Actor-producer-writer Matt Stone is 34.
Thought for Today: “Life is a tragedy full of joy.” — Bernard Malamud, American author (1914-1986).
