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Raúl Castro steps down

Castro was appointed the Cuban President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers. He stepped down as President, but remains the first secretary of the Communist Party, holding ultimate power and authority over state and government.

Castro resigns

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008. In 2011, Castro resigned from the Communist Party central committee thus stepping down as party leader. His brother Raúl was selected as his successor.

Drug firms gave up a landmark court battle over cheap AIDS cure

The 39 pharmaceutical firms contesting a South African law that could provide cheaper versions of branded Aids drugs unconditionally dropped the case. The case was seen as a landmark battle in the effort to secure medication for Africa's 26 million HIV carriers.

American Broadcasting Company TV network debuts

The American Broadcasting Company TV network made its debut with WFIL-TV in Philadelphia. The 1st program ever broadcast on the network was On the Corner, featuring satirist Henry Morgan. Other stations carrying the initial broadcast were WMAR-TV in Baltimore, and WMAL-TV in Washington, D.C.

US Founding Father Roger Sherman is born

Sherman was born in Newton, Massachusetts, into a family of farmers. After his father's death, Sherman and the rest of the family moved to New Milford in Connecticut where he eventually became town clerk. He is remembered for signing all four great state papers, which yielded him the name Founding Father of the US.

Anniversaries of the (in)famous

born 1978

James Franco

born 1957

Mukesh Ambani

died 1824

Lord Byron