THURSDAY IN HISTORY

Today is Thursday, June 29, the 180th day of 2017. There are 185 days left in the year.

Highlight in History:

On June 29, 1767, Britain approved the Townshend Revenue Act, which imposed import duties on glass, paint, oil, lead, paper and tea shipped to the American colonies. (Colonists bitterly protested, prompting Parliament to repeal the duties— except for tea.)

On this date:

In 1613, London’s original Globe Theatre, where many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed, was destroyed by a fire sparked by a cannon shot during a performance of “Henry VIII.”

In 1880, France annexed Tahiti, which became a French colony on Dec. 30, 1880.

In 1967, Jerusalem was re-unified as Israel removed barricades separating the Old City from the Israeli sector.

In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a trio of death sentences, saying the way they had been imposed constituted cruel and unusual punishment. (The ruling prompted states to effectively impose a moratorium on executions until their capital punishment laws could be revised.)

In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Morrison v. Olson, upheld the independent counsel law in a 7-1 decision (the sole dissenter was Justice Antonin Scalia).

In 1995, the space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Mir space station linked in orbit, beginning a historic five-day voyage as a single ship.

Ten years ago: The first generation of Apple iPhones went on sale.

Five years ago: A day after the House voted to find Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department said Holder’s decision to withhold information about a bungled gun-tracking operation from Congress did not constitute a crime, and that hewould not be prosecuted.

One year ago: President Barack Obama and the leaders of Mexico and Canada pushed back forcefully against the isolationist and anti-immigrant sentiments roiling Britain and championed by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Today’s Birthdays: Movie producer Robert Evans is 87. Singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys is 74. Actor Gary Busey is 73. Comedian Richard Lewis is 70. Actress Maria Conchita Alonso is 62. Rap DJ Shadow is 45. Comedian-writer Colin Jost is 35. Rhythm-and-blues singer Aundrea Fimbres is 34.

Thought for Today: “I have many regrets, and I’m sure everyone does. The stupid things you do, you regret if you have any sense, and if you don’t regret them, maybe you’re stupid.” — Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003).