UPI Almanac for Friday, June 9, 2023

Today is Friday, June 9, the 160th day of 2023 with 205 to follow.

The moon is waning. Morning stars are Jupiter, Mercury, Neptune and Saturn. Evening stars are Mars and Venus.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini. They include Russian Czar Peter the Great in 1672; composer Cole Porter in 1891; composer/conductor/inventor Fred Waring in 1900; guitarist/recording pioneer Les Paul in 1915; Robert S. McNamara, former U.S. defense secretary/World Bank president, in 1916; journalist Marvin Kalb in 1930 (age 93); comedian Jackie Mason in 1931; soul singer Jackie Wilson in 1934; sportscaster Dick Vitale in 1939 (age 84); writer Patricia Cornwell in 1956 (age 67); religious leader T. D. Jakes in 1957 (age 66); writer/producer Aaron Sorkin in 1961 (age 62); actor Michael J. Fox in 1961 (age 62); actor Johnny Depp in 1963 (age 60); actor Gloria Reuben in 1964 (age 59); actor Tamela Mann in 1966 (age 57); rock musician Matthew Bellamy in 1978 (age 45); actor Natalie Portman in 1981 (age 42); actor Mae Whitman in 1988 (age 35); actor Logan Browning in 1989 (age 34); U.S. Olympic gold medal gymnast Laurie Hernandez in 2000 (age 23); actor Xolo Maridueña in 2001 (age 22).

On this date in history:

In 1534, French navigator Jacques Cartier became the first European explorer to discover the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec.

In 1898, Britain leased Hong Kong from China for 99 years. The territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

In 1934, Donald Duck made his first screen appearance in "The Wise Little Hen."

In 1973, Secretariat, having won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, captured racing's Triple Crown with a spectacular victory in the Belmont Stakes. The big chestnut colt, ridden by Ron Turcotte, was the first horse to do so since Citation in 1948.

In 1982, Gen. Efrain Rios Montt declared himself president of Guatemala. He overthrew the government in a coup d'etat in March 1982, and was himself overthrown in August 1983 by Defense Minister Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores.

In 1993, Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito married former diplomat Masako Owada in Tokyo in a Shinto ceremony.

In 1997, recognizing the findings of The National Bioethics Advisory Commission, which unanimously recommended a new federal law banning the creation of human babies through cloning, President Bill Clinton urged Congress to ban human cloning, saying it reflects ''our humanity and it is the right thing to do."

In 1998, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar was sworn in as Nigeria's military ruler, one day after the death of Gen. Sani Abacha of a heart attack.

In 2005, after weeks of protests, Bolivian President Carlos Mesa resigned.

In 2008, Internet providers Verizon, Sprint and Time Warner agreed to block access to websites that distribute child pornography.

In 2014, actor Laverne Cox became the first transgender person to appear on the cover of Time. "People need to be willing to let go of what they think they know about what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman. Because that doesn't necessarily mean anything inherently," she told the magazine.

In 2018, Justify won the Belmont Stakes, becoming the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown and only the second to do so while still undefeated.

In 2019, Ali Stroker became the first actor who uses a wheelchair to win an acting Tony Award. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Oklahoma!

In 2020, the Senate voted unanimously to make Gen. Charles Q. Brown the Air Force's 22nd chief of staff, the first Black official to lead a U.S. military branch.

In 2021, Carrie Underwood took home the top prize at the 2021 CMT Music Awards.

A thought for the day: "It seems to me like Mother Nature's mercy and forgiveness have run dry, as we ceaselessly abuse her and take her for granted in order for us to continue our addiction to using fossil fuels. I've gotta say, I don't blame her. Not one bit." -- American actor/activist Gloria Reuben