July 06, 2008 03:05 EDT

Today is Sunday, July 6th, the 188th day of 2008. There are 178 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 6th, 1928, the first all-talking feature, "The Lights of New York," had its gala premiere in New York.

On this date:

In 1535, Sir Thomas More was executed in England for high treason.

In 1777, during the American Revolution, British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga.

In 1917, during World War I, Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence and Auda Abu Tayi captured the port of Aqaba from the Turks.

In 1933, the first All-Star baseball game was played, at Chicago's Comiskey Park; the American League defeated the National League, 4-2.

In 1944, 168 people died in a fire that broke out in the main tent of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in Hartford, Connecticut.

In 1945, President Truman signed an executive order establishing the Medal of Freedom.

In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first black tennis player to win a Wimbledon singles title, defeating fellow American Darlene Hard 6-3, 6-2.

In 1967, war erupted as Nigeria sent troops into the secessionist state of Biafra. War, which lasted 2-and-a-half years and resulted in a Nigerian victory, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.)

In 1988, 167 North Sea oil workers were killed when a series of explosions and fires destroyed a drilling platform.

In 1988, medical waste and other debris began washing up on New York City-area seashores, forcing the closing of several popular beaches.

Ten years ago: Protestants rioted in many parts of Northern Ireland after British authorities blocked an Orange Order march in Portadown. Singing cowboy star Roy Rogers died in Apple Valley, California, at age 86. Se Ri Pak, a 20-year-old rookie from South Korea, became the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Open, defeating American amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn in sudden death.

Five years ago: Liberian leader Charles Taylor accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria. Roger Federer became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title, defeating Mark Philippoussis 7-6 , 6-2, 7-6 in the Wimbledon final. Actor Buddy Ebsen died in Torrance, California, at age 95.

One year ago: A man on a balcony over the New York-New York casino floor in Las Vegas opened fire on the gamblers below, wounding four people before he was tackled by off-duty military reservists. Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, pioneer of the modern historical romance novel, died in Princeton, Minnesota, at age 68.

Today's Birthdays: Former first lady Nancy Reagan is 87. Actor William Schallert is 86. Actor Donal Donnelly is 77. Singer-actress Della Reese is 77. Actor Ned Beatty is 71. Singer Gene Chandler is 71. Country singer Jeannie Seely is 68. Actor Burt Ward is 63. President Bush is 62. Actor-director Sylvester Stallone is 62. Actor Fred Dryer is 62. Actress Nathalie Baye is 60. Actor Geoffrey Rush is 57. Rock musician John Bazz is 56. Actor Grant Goodeve is 56. Country singer Nanci Griffith is 55. Actress Allyce Beasley is 54. Jazz musician Rick Braun is 53. Country musician John Jorgenson is 52. Former first daughter Susan Ford Bales is 51. Hockey player Ron Duguay is 51. Actor Brian Posehn is 42. Rapper Inspectah Deck is 38. Rapper 50 Cent is 32. Actress Tamera Mowry is 30. Actress Tia Mowry is 30. Actress Eva Green is 28. Actor Gregory Smith is 25. Rock singer Kate Nash is 21. Actor Jeremy Suarez is 18.

Thought for Today: "Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a busy man has no time to form." -- Andre Maurois, French author .

Copyright 2008, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.