Editorials

Today’s Highlight in History: 

Forty years ago, on July 10, 1962, the Telstar communications satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. 

On this date: 

In 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state. 

In 1940, during World War II, the 114-day Battle of Britain began as Nazi forces began attacking southern England by air. 

In 1943, U.S. and British forces invaded Sicily. 

In 1973, the Bahamas became independent after three centuries of British colonial rule. 

In 1991, Boris N. Yeltsin took the oath of office as the first elected president of the Russian republic. 

Ten years ago: A federal judge in Miami sentenced former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega to 40 years in prison. A judge later cut Noriega’s sentence by 10 years. 

Five years ago: President Clinton, visiting Poland, told cheering Poles in Warsaw that “never again will your fate be decided by others” following his successful drive to bring Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic into NATO by 1999.  

One year ago: The White House backed off a plan to let religious groups that receive federal money, such as the Salvation Army, ignore local laws that ban discrimination against gays and lesbians.  

Today’s Birthdays: Former NBC and ABC News correspondent David Brinkley is 82. Eunice Kennedy Shriver is 81. Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins is 75.