By The Associated Press
- Today is Tuesday, June 15, the 166th day of 1999. There are 199 days
left in the year.
- Today's Highlight in History: On June 15, 1215, King John put his
seal to Magna Carta ("the Great Charter") at Runnymede, England,
granting his barons more liberty.
- In 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to
appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army.
- In 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state.
- In 1844, Charles Goodyear received a patent for his process to
strengthen rubber.
- In 1846, the United States and Britain signed a treaty settling a
boundary dispute between Canada and the U.S. in the Pacific
Northwest.
- In 1849, James Polk, the 11th U.S. president, died in Nashville,
Tenn.
- In 1864, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order
establishing a military burial ground, which became Arlington
National Cemetery.
- In 1904, more than 1,000 died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat
General Slocum in New York's East River.
- In 1944, American forces began their successful invasion of Saipan
during World War II.
- In 1978, King Hussein of Jordan married 26-year-old American Lisa
Halaby, who became Queen Noor.
- In 1993, former Texas Gov. John Connally, who was wounded in the
gunfire that killed President Kennedy, died at age 76.
- Ten years ago: Three Chinese workers in Shanghai were sentenced to
death for helping to set fire to a train during recent pro-democracy
protests.
- Five years ago: Israel and the Vatican established full diplomatic
relations. Former President Jimmy Carter arrived in North Korea on
a private mission to try to reduce tensions with the communist
nation.
- One year ago: NATO fighter jets staged a show of force meant to
pressure Yugoslav forces to end their attacks on ethnic Albanians in
Kosovo province. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that state
prison inmates are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
*Happy Birthday*
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- Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo is 67.
- Country singer Waylon Jennings is 62.
- Actor Aron Kincaid is 56.
- Actor-director Simon Callow ("Shakespeare in Love") is 50.
- Actor Jim Varney (Ernest P. Worrell) is 50.
- Singer Russell Hitchcock (Air Supply) is 50.
- Rock singer Steve Walsh (Kansas) is 48.
- Comedian-actor Jim Belushi is 45.
- Actress Helen Hunt is 36.
- Rock musician Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche) is 36.
- Actress Courteney Cox is 35.
- Country musician Tony Ardoin is 35.
- Country musician Michael Britt (Lonestar) is 33.
- Actor-rapper Ice Cube is 30.