June 24 -Today in History

Today in History - June 24 By
The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday, June 24, the 176th day of 2008. There are 190 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 24, 1948, Communist forces cut off all land and water routes between West Germany and West Berlin, prompting the western allies to organize the massive Berlin Airlift.

On this date:

In 1314, the forces of Scotland's King Robert I defeated the English in the Battle of Bannockburn.

In 1497, John Cabot claims eastern Canada for England (believes he found Asia in Nova Scotia)

In 1509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England.

In 1793, the first republican constitution in France was adopted.

In 1807, a grand jury in Richmond, Va., indicted former Vice President Aaron Burr on charges of treason and high misdemeanor (he was later acquitted).

In 1908, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, died in Princeton, N.J., at age 71.

In 1940, France signed an armistice with Italy during World War II.

In 1948, the Republican National Convention, meeting in Philadelphia, nominated New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey for president.

In 1957, "I Love Lucy," last airs on CBS-TV

In 1968, "Resurrection City," a shantytown constructed as part of the Poor People's March on Washington, D.C., was closed down by authorities.

In 1975, 113 people were killed when an Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 crashed while attempting to land during a thunderstorm at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

In 1983, the space shuttle Challenger — carrying America's first woman in space, Sally K. Ride — coasted to a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Ten years ago:

President Clinton left on a nine-day visit to China amid a swirl of controversy over his policy toward the Beijing government. AT&T Corp. struck a deal to buy cable TV giant Tele-Communications for $31.7 billion.

Five years ago:

Six British soldiers were killed by Iraqis in a police station in southern Iraq and eight were wounded in a nearby ambush. President Vladimir Putin arrived in London on the first state visit to Britain by a Russian leader since the 19th century. An Air France Concorde bound for a German museum landed in Germany.

One year ago:

Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam Hussein's cousin known as "Chemical Ali," and two other ex-officials in Saddam's were sentenced by the Iraqi High Tribunal to hang for slaughtering up to 180,000 Kurdish men, women and children two decades earlier.

Charles W. Lindberg, one of the U.S. Marines who raised the first American flag over Iwo Jima during World War II, died in Edina, Minn., at age 86.

Today's Birthdays:

Actor Al Molinaro is 89.

Comedian Jack Carter is 85.

Movie director Claude Chabrol is 78.

Actress Michele Lee is 66.

Actor-director Georg Stanford Brown is 65.

Rock musician Jeff Beck is 64.

Singer Arthur Brown is 64.

Rock singer Colin Blunstone (The Zombies) is 63.

Musician Mick Fleetwood is 61.

Actor Peter Weller is 61.

Rock musician John Illsley (Dire Straits) is 59.

Actress Nancy Allen is 58.

Reggae singer Derrick Simpson (Black Uhuru) is 58.

Actor Joe Penny is 52.

Reggae singer Astro (UB40) is 51.

Singer-musician Andy McCluskey (Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark) is 49.

Rock singer Curt Smith is 47.

Actress Danielle Spencer is 43.

Actress Sherry Stringfield is 41.

Singer Glenn Medeiros is 38.

Actress-producer Mindy Kaling is 29.

Actress Minka Kelly (TV: "Friday Night Lights") is 28.

Singer Solange Knowles is 22.

Thought for Today:

"Self-denial is indulgence of a propensity to forego."

— Ambrose Bierce, American author-journalist
(1842-1914?).