Today is Sunday, June 5, the 156th day of 2011. There are 209 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On June 5, 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles’ Ambassador Hotel after claiming victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary. Gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was immediately arrested.

On this date

In 1884, Civil War hero General William T. Sherman refused the Republican presidential nomination, saying, “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.”

In 1916, the Arab Revolt against Turkish Ottoman rule began during World War I.

In 1933, the United States went off the gold standard.

In 1940, during the World War II Battle of France, Germany attacked French forces along the Somme line.

In 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall gave a speech at Harvard University in which he outlined an aid program for Europe that came to be known as The Marshall Plan.

In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, struck down racially segregated railroad dining cars.

In 1967, war erupted in the Mideast as Israel raided military aircraft parked on the ground in Egypt; Syria, Jordan and Iraq entered the conflict.

In 1976, 14 people were killed when the Teton Dam in Idaho burst.

In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control reported that five homosexuals in Los Angeles had come down with a rare kind of pneumonia; they were the first recognized cases of what later became known as AIDS.

In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Ten years ago: Tropical Storm Allison made landfall on the Texas coast (the storm resulted in severe flooding and tornadoes blamed for 41 deaths). Senate Republicans spent their last full day in power before turning control over to Democrats, a change that came about because of a decision by Vermont Sen. James Jeffords to leave the GOP and become an independent.

Five years ago

More than 50 National Guardsmen from Utah became the first unit to work along the U.S.-Mexico border as part of President George W. Bush’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Serbian lawmakers proclaimed their Balkan republic a sovereign state after Montenegro decided to split from a union and dissolve the remnants of what was once Yugoslavia.

One year ago

Israeli forces seized a Gaza-bound aid vessel, the Rachel Corrie, without meeting resistance days after a similar effort turned bloody. Finance ministers and central bankers from the world’s leading economies meeting in Busan, South Korea, agreed on the need to cooperate in fending off financial market turmoil and keeping the world economic recovery on track. Francesca Schiavone beat Samantha Stosur of Australia, 6-4, 7-6 (2), to win the French Open, giving Italy its first female champion at a Grand Slam tournament. Drosselmeyer pulled off an upset in the Belmont Stakes.

Today’s Birthdays

Actor-singer Bill Hayes is 86. Broadcast journalist Bill Moyers is 77. Author Margaret Drabble is 72. Country singer Don Reid (The Statler Brothers) is 66. Rock musician Fred Stone (AKA Fred Stewart) (Sly and the Family Stone) is 65. Rock singer Laurie Anderson is 64. Country singer Gail Davies is 63. Author Ken Follett is 62. Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, is 60. Rock musician Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is 59. Jazz musician Kenny G is 55. Rock singer Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) is 55. Actor Jeff Garlin is 49. Actress Karen Sillas is 48. Actor Ron Livingston is 44. Singer Brian McKnight is 42. Rock musician Claus Norreen (Aqua) is 41. Actor Mark Wahlberg is 40. Actor Chad Allen is 37. Rock musician P-Nut (311) is 37. Actress Navi Rawat is 34. Actress Liza Weil is 34. Rock musician Seb Lefebvre (Simple Plan) is 30. Actress Amanda Crew is 25.

Thought for Today

“Dare to be naive.”

American inventor and philosopher (1895-1983)