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Final episode of 'Castle' airs

Castle is an American crime-comedy-drama television series which aired on ABC for a total of eight seasons. The eighth season consisted of 22 episodes. There was some speculation the show would not run for a ninth season and in the end, despite several cast members having signed on for another season, it was canceled; the final episode aired in May 2016.

'The Vegetarian' wins the Man Booker International Prize

In 2016, it won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize. The Vegetarian thus became the first recipient of the award after its reconfiguration in 2015, prior to which it was awarded to an author's body of work rather than a single novel.

2015

Dean Potter dies in a BASE jumping accident

D.S. Potter was an American free climber, BASE jumper, BASEliner, and highliner. He and his friend Graham Hunt were killed while attempting an illegal proximity wingsuit flight from Taft Point above Yosemite Valley. They had made this flight before, but it "still required precision to make it through a small notch. Hunt hit a side wall. Potter had cleared the notch and then crashed. They both died on impact."

Ibbenbüren train collision

A passenger train collided with a tractor and trailer obstructing a level crossing at Ibbenbüren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Two people were killed and 41 were injured, six seriously. Most of the injured were treated for shock. One of those killed was a passenger. The train driver was the other fatality.

Gikomba bombings

two improvised explosive devices were detonated simultaneously in the Gikomba market in Nairobi, Kenya, killing at least 12 people and injuring 70. The first blast came from a minibus and the second from within the market. Two people were reportedly arrested at the site of the explosions.

Bill Gates once again becomes the world's richest man

From 1995 to 2017, Gates has held the Forbes title of richest person in the world for all but four of those years, holding it consistently from March 2014 – July 2017 with an estimated net worth of US$89.9 billion as of October 2017.

Moscow hosts the 54th Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest is the longest-running annual international TV song competition, held since 1956. Norway won the 54th Eurovision Song Contest when singer Alexander Rybak beat 24 other contestants with his song "Fairytale". Rybak scored a record 387 points, beating Iceland with 218 points and Azerbaijan with 207 points.

Nicolas Sarkozy takes office as President of France

Nicolas Sarkozy is a French politician who served as the President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra from 16 May 2007 until 15 May 2012. During his term, he faced the late-2000s financial crisis and the Arab Spring. In the 2012 election, the Socialist François Hollande defeated Sarkozy by 3.2%.

Casablanca bombings kill 45

The Casablanca bombings were a series of suicide bombings. The attacks were the deadliest terrorist incident in the country's history, leaving forty-five people dead. The suicide bombers came from the shanty towns of Sidi Moumen, a poor suburb of Casablanca. In response, a large demonstration was organized through the streets of Casablanca.

'Attack of the Clones' opens in cinemas

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera movie directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. The movie premiered as part of the inaugural Tribeca Film Festival at the BMCC Performing Arts Center in New York City in May 2002.

1996

Sammy Sosa becomes first Chicago Cub to hit 2 homeruns in 1 inning

Samuel Kelvin Peralta Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. He joined the Chicago Cubs in 1992 and became one of the game's best hitters. In 1995, he was named to his first All-Star team and by 1996, he was batting .273 with 40 home runs and 100 RBIs. That year, he scored two homeruns in the seventh inning while playing the Houston Astros.

Space Shuttle Endeavour lands after her maiden flight

Endeavour was the fifth and final operational space shuttle. Built as a replacement for Challenger, the primary goal of her first mission was to catch a broken Intelsat VI satellite. Success was reached on the fourth attempt when, for the first time in history, three people from the same spacecraft walked in space at the same time.

U2's 'With or Without You' single goes #1 on the US charts

'With or Without You' is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree. The song was the group's most successful single at the time, becoming their first number-one hit in both the United States and Canada by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.

'Top Gun' premieres

'Top Gun' is a 1986 American romantic military action drama film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. It debuted in 1 028 theaters throughout the U.S. and quickly became the highest-grossing movie of the year, hitting number one in only its first weekend when it raked in $8,193,052 gross.

Bobby Ewing comes back from the dead on TV soap 'Dallas'

Bobby had been killed off in the final episode of the 1984–85 season, and Patrick Duffy left the show for a year. Bobby returned to the show in the famous "shower scene" right at the end of the 1985–86 season.

1985

Michael Jordan is named NBA Rookie of Year

Micheal Jordan is an American retired professional basketball player. During his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, he averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting. He quickly became a fan favorite even in opposing arenas and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star Is Born" just over a month into his professional career.

Michael Jackson debuts his moonwalk

The moonwalk is a dance move in which the dancer moves backwards while seemingly walking forwards. A popping move, it became popular around the world after Michael Jackson, an American singer, songwriter and dancer, performed the dance move during a performance of 'Billie Jean'.

1982

Islanders win their third straight Stanley Cup

The 1982 Stanley Cup Finals was played between the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders. The Islanders won the best-of-seven series four games to none, to win their third straight and third overall Stanley Cup. This is also the most recent time that a Stanley Cup Champion has won three in a row.

Kim Carnes' 'Bette Davis Eyes' hits #1 on the US charts

Bette Davis Eyes is a song written and composed by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, and made popular by American singer Kim Carnes. DeShannon recorded it in 1974; Carnes's 1981 version spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Billboard's biggest hit of 1981.

1975

Muhammad Ali beats Ron Lyle for heavyweight boxing title

Boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, and Ron Lyle fought a boxing match in May, 1975. Ali won the bout through a technical knockout in the 11th round. Lyle was known for his punching power, crowd-pleasing fighting style, as well as courage and determination inside the ring.

Britten's opera 'Owen Wingrave' premieres in Aldwych, London

Owen Wingrave is an opera originally written for a televised performance. The opera has two acts with music by Benjamin Britten. The libretto is by Myfanwy Piper, based on a short story by Henry James. The premiere was recorded at Snape Maltings in November 1970 and first broadcast on BBC2.

The Venera 5 Soviet space probe lands on Venus

Venera 5 was a space probe in the Soviet space program, Venera, used to explore Venus. It was launched into a parking orbit around Earth in January 1969, and then boosted towards Venus by a Tyazheliy Sputnik launch platform. Following a mid-course maneuver in March 1969, the probe was released from the bus at a distance of 23,000 mi from Venus.

Prague spring peaks before Soviet invasion

The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of Soviet domination that occurred after World War II. The Prague Spring reforms were a strong attempt by Dubček to grant additional rights to the citizens of Czechoslovakia in an act of partial decentralization of the economy and democratization.

Bob Dylan releases album 'Blonde on Blonde'

Blonde on Blonde is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on Columbia Records. The album completed the trilogy of rock albums that Dylan recorded in 1965 and 1966 and critics often rank Blonde on Blonde as one of the greatest albums of all time.

The Communist Party of China issues the 'May 16 Notice'

The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was a sociopolitical movement that took place in China from 1966 to 1976. Set in motion by Mao Zedong, its stated goal was to preserve 'true' Communist ideology in the country by purging the remnants of capitalism and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Maoist thought as the dominant ideology within the Party.

Beach Boys release album 'Pet Sounds'

'Pet Sounds' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys and was produced and arranged by Brian Wilson, who also wrote and composed almost all of its music. It is widely considered to be one of the most influential albums in music history.

Laser operated for the first time

American physicist Ted Maiman successfully tested his laser. Its core was made of synthetic ruby which other scientists seeking to make a laser felt would not work. Maiman patented the laser. However, Columbia University graduate student Gordon Gould had simultaneously completedhis own laser design, and it is not clear who was first.

1955

Rocky Marciano fights vs. Don Cockell for heavyweight boxing title

Rocco Francis Marchegiano, best known as Rocky Marciano, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955. It was in 1955 that he faced British and European Champion Don Cockell, knocking him out in the ninth round. He announced his retirement the following year at age 32, completing his career at 49–0.

End of Warsaw ghetto uprising

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the 1943 act of Jewish resistance that arose within the Warsaw Ghetto in German-occupied Poland during World War II, and which opposed Nazi Germany's final effort to transport the remaining Ghetto population to Treblinka. A total of 13,000 Jews died, about half of them burnt alive or suffocated.

American structural engineer Joseph Strauss dies

Joseph Strauss was an American structural engineer who revolutionized the design of bascule bridges. His greatest achievement was the Golden Gate Bridge. Strauss began his career as a draftsman and within a few years, had worked his way up to principal assistant engineer. By 1904 he had established his own Strauss Bascule Bridge Company which constructed hundreds of drawbridges around the U.S.

The Oscars are born

The first Academy Awards ceremony took place at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. It was attended by 270 people and lasted 15 minutes. Awards, designed and created by Louis B. Mayer, were presented in 12 categories. It was the only Academy Awards ceremony not broadcasted on either radio or television.

Joan of Arc is canonized

Joan of Arc is considered a heroine of France for her role during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years' War. In the 16th century she became a symbol of the Catholic League, and in 1803 she was declared a national symbol of France by the decision of Napoleon Bonaparte. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.

Antonín Dvořák's 'Slavonic Dances' premieres

The Slavonic Dances are a series of 16 orchestral pieces composed by Antonín Dvořák in 1878 and 1886 and published in two sets as Op. 46 and Op. 72 respectively. Originally written for piano four hands, the Slavonic Dances were inspired by Johannes Brahms's own Hungarian Dances and were orchestrated at the request of Dvořák's publisher soon after composition. The pieces, lively and full of national character, were well received at the time and today are considered among the composer's most memorable works.

Bedřich Smetana's opera 'Dalibor' premieres in Prague

Dalibor is a Czech opera in three acts. The libretto was written in German by Josef Wenzig, and translated into Czech by Ervin Špindler. It was first performed at the New Town Theatre in Prague. At the time, the opera was criticized for being overly influenced by German opera, including that of Richard Wagner.

Serial killer H. H. Holmes is born

H. H. Holmes was a 19th century American serial killer commonly said to have killed as many as 200 people. While he confessed to 27 murders, only nine could be plausibly confirmed and several of the people whom he claimed to have murdered were found to be still alive. Besides being a serial killer, Holmes was also a con artist and a bigamist, and the subject of more than 50 lawsuits.

Anniversaries of the (in)famous

born 1986

Megan Fox

born 1961

Jakub Skiba

died 1992

Leon Jensz