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The 100th episode of 'The Flash' airs on CW

"What's Past Is Prologue" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of the American television series The Flash, based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flas. The episode was written by Todd Helbing and Lauren Certo, directed by Tom Cavanagh, and is the series' 100th episode.

'Dear Evan Hansen' opens on Broadway

Dear Evan Hansen is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Steven Levenson. The musical opened on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in 2016. It tells the story of Evan Hansen, a high school senior with severe social anxiety that inhibits his ability to connect with other people and make friends.

China pledged to invest $60bn in Africa

During the December 2015 FOCAC meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $60 billion over a three-year deal in loans and assistance to the African continent. China's effort is to support factories manufacturing goods for export.

Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas divorce

According to the petition filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the couple had "irreconcilable differences" that led to the divorce. Banderas has stated that he will always love Griffith, and Griffith appeared alongside Banderas in the 2014 science fiction film Autómata, which they filmed amidst their divorce proceedings.

'China Doll' opens at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

China Doll is a two-act play by David Mamet about political corruption and brutal violence. The play opened on Broadway at the end of 2015 with a short run scheduled to close at the end of the following month. The two-act play contains only two characters who appear on stage throughout the play, Mickey and Carson.

2011

100th Davis Cup final

The 2011 Davis Cup, also known as the 2011 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas for sponsorship purposes, was the 100th edition of a tournament between national teams in men's tennis. Spain was the championship team, winning the final over Argentina, 3–1.

Rihanna is at #1 on the US singles chart

"Only Girl (In the World)" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her fifth album, Loud. The album's lead single, it was released in 2010. Crystal Johnson wrote the song in collaboration with producers Stargate and Sandy Vee. Rihanna contacted Stargate before Loud's production and asked them to create lively, uptempo music.

Sea monster is caught on video

The mysterious giant squid was caught on video near the Ogasawara Islands, 1,000 km south of Tokyo. The captured individual was a small female, just 3.5 meters long. But it definitely belonged to the strange species. It is still very little explored because it usually dwells in great depths. it is believed to reach a size of up to 13 meters.

President Bush pulls back from steel trade war with EU

The Section 201 steel tariff is a political issue in the United States regarding a tariff that President Bush placed on imported steel. The United States backed down and withdrew the tariffs, which drew political criticism from steel producers and supporters of protectionism, but was cheered by proponents of free trade and steel importers.

Whitney Houston admits that drink and drugs nearly killed her

Although she is considered one of the best-selling music artists of all-time she admitted using drugs including cocaine, alcohol, marijuana at different points during her career. However, she told the interviewer, Diane Sawyer, that the problem is in the past. The interview was meant to be a promotion for her upcoming album.

ISS assembly is launched

The process of assembling the International Space Station (ISS) has been underway since the 1990s. Zarya, the first ISS module, was launched by a Proton rocket on 20 November 1998. The STS-88 shuttle mission followed two weeks after Zarya was launched, bringing Unity, the first of three node modules, and connecting it to Zarya. This bare 2-module core of the ISS remained unmanned for the next one and a half years, until in July 2000 the Russian module Zvezda was added, allowing a maximum crew of two astronauts or cosmonauts to be on the ISS permanently.

1997

NBA suspends Latrell Sprewell for 1 year

A significant blemish on Latrell Sprewell's career was an incident that took place in 1997 when he attacked head coach P. J. Carlesimo during a Warriors practice. Sprewell threatened to kill him and dragged him backward by his throat, choking him for 7–10 seconds before his teammates and assistant coaches pulled Sprewell off his coach.

Revival of 'The Diary of Anne Frank' opens on Broadway

The Diary of Anne Frank was presented in 1997, in a revision of the Goodrich and Hackett adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, directed by James Lapine. Otto Frank was played by George Hearn, Anne by Natalie Portman, Mrs. Van Daan by Linda Lavin, Mr. Van Daan by Harris Yulin and Edith Frank by Sophie Hayden.

Multi-instrumentalist Frank Zappa dies of prostate cancer

Frank Vincent Zappa is best known for his innovative approach to rock music in his era although he was a self-taught composer. In 1990, Zappa was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. When Zappa was told about his diagnose he decided to devote his remaining life to modern orchestral and Synclavier work.

Terry Anderson is freed in Lebanon

Terry A. Anderson is an American journalist. He was taken hostage by Shiite Hezbollah militants who were supported by Iran in supposed retaliation for Israel's use of U.S. weapons and aid in its strikes against Muslim and Druze targets in Lebanon. Anderson was released in December and says he has forgiven his captors.

Neil Simon's 'Chapter Two' premieres in NYC

Chapter Two is a semi-autobiographical play written by Neil Simon and focuses on his struggle to escape the memory of his recently deceased wife, Joan Baim. Its premiere in NY was at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway from which it later transferred to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.

Bokassa crowns himself in a lavish ceremony

Jean-Bédel Bokassa, also known as Bokassa I of Central Africa and Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa, was the ruler of the Central African Republic and its successor state, the Central African Empire, from his coup d'état in 1966 until overthrown in a subsequent coup in 1979. The coronation ceremony cost US$20 million, one-third of the nation's budget.

Sartre visits Red Army Faction leader Andreas Baader in prison

Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher, writer, political activist and one of the leading figures in 20th-century French Philosophy and Marxism. During a collective hunger strike in 1974, he visited Andreas Baader in Stammheim Prison, later criticizing the harsh conditions of imprisonment that Baader endured.

The Byrds are at #1 on the US singles chart

"Turn! Turn! Turn!" is a song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s. The lyrics, except for the title, which is repeated throughout the song, and the final two lines, are adapted word-for-word from the English version of the first eight verses of the third chapter of the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes.

The first Burger King is opened

The company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based restaurant chain. After Insta-Burger King ran into financial difficulties, its two Miami-based franchisees David Edgerton and James McLamore purchased the company and renamed it "Burger King". They opened their first restaurant at 3090 NW 36th Street in Miami.

SS Kiangya is destroyed in an explosion near Shanghai

SS Kiangya or Jiangya was a Chinese passenger steamship that was destroyed in an explosion near the mouth of the Huangpu River, 50 miles north of Shanghai. It is thought that between 2,750 and 3,920 died, with 700 survivors being picked up by other vessels.

The US Senate passes the United Nations Participation Act

The United Nations Participation Act was a law passed by the United States Congress, dealing with the process of United States joining the newly created United Nations and related bodies of the United Nations. This act also dealt with immigration issues in regard to immigration policy be conducted in a fair manner and non-discriminatory fashion.

1909

NHL team Montreal Canadiens is founded

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the NHL. The club's official name is le Club de hockey Canadien. The team is frequently referred to in English and French as the Habs.

Anniversaries of the (in)famous

born 1969

Jay-Z

born 1964

Marisa Tomei

born 1966

Fred Armisen