Today In History

Today is Friday, July 10, the 192nd day of 2020. There are 174 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1940: During World War II, the Battle of Britain began as the Luftwaffe started attacking southern England. (The Royal Air Force was ultimately victorious.)

ON THIS DATE

› 1925: Jury selection took place in Dayton, Tennessee, in the trial of John T. Scopes, charged with violating the law by teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. (Scopes was convicted and fined, but the verdict was overturned on a technicality.)

› 1973: The Bahamas became fully independent after three centuries of British colonial rule.

› 1991: Boris N. Yeltsin took the oath of office as the first elected president of the Russian republic. President George H.W. Bush lifted economic sanctions against South Africa.

› 1999: The United States women’s soccer team won the World Cup, beating China 5-4 on penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless play at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

› 2004: President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address that legalizing gay marriage would redefine the most fundamental institution of civilization, and that a constitutional amendment was needed to protect traditional marriage.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins is 93. Actor William Smithers is 93. International Tennis Hall of Famer Virginia Wade is 75. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 73. Rock musician Dave Smalley is 71. Country-folk singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler is 69. Rock singer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) is 66. Banjo player Bela Fleck is 62. Country musician Shaw Wilson (BR549) is 60. Bluegrass singer-musician Tim Surrett (Balsam Range) is 57. Actor Gale Harold is 51. Country singer Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts) is 50. Actor Aaron D. Spears is 49. Actress Sofia Vergara is 48. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is 43. Actress Gwendoline Yeo is 43. Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas is 40. Singer-actress Jessica Simpson is

40. Rock musician John Spiker is 39. Actress Heather Hemmens is 36. Actress Emily Skeggs (TV: “When We Rise”) is

30. Rapper/singer Angel Haze is 29. Pop singer Perrie Edwards (Little Mix) is 27.