Monday, May 11, 1998
Today's events
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Today is the scheduled deadline for U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to decide whether to seek an independent counsel to investigate Labor
Secretary Alexis Herman.
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On the horizon
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On Tuesday, May 12, the Cannes Film Festival opens in France.
On Wednesday, May 13, a hearing on whether convicted Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols should pay restitution to bombing survivors and victims' famililies will be held in Denver.
On Thursday, May 14, the final episode of "Seinfeld" will air on NBC.
On Friday, May 15, the presentation of the annual Daytime Emmy Awards is to be held. For the 18th time, "All My Children" actress Susan Lucci has been nominated for best actress.
On Saturday, May 16, it's the running of the Preakness, the second in horse-racing's Triple Crown.
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On this day
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In 330, Constantinople was dedicated as the new capital of the Roman Empire. Named after the Emperor Constantine, it was built over the ancient city of Byzantium.
In 1686, Otto von Guericke, German physicist who demonstrated the vacuum, died. He also invented the first air pump.
In 1778, William Pitt the Elder, British statesman, died. He conducted most of the Seven Years' War (1756-63) which secured Britain a huge new empire.
In 1812, British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated by a bankrupt broker, John Bellingham, as he entered the House of Commons.
In 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state of the Union.
In 1867, the European powers guaranteed the independence and neutrality of the duchy of Luxembourg under the Treaty of London.
In 1871, British astronomer Sir John Herschel died. He added over 500 nebulae and clusters of stars to the known universe.
In 1888, Irving Berlin, U.S. composer, born. He wrote music for several stage shows, including "Annie Get Your Gun," and also wrote "Alexander's Ragtime Band."
In 1904, Salvador Dali, Spanish surrealist painter, born.
In 1943, two U.S. amphibious forces landed on Attu in the Aleutians, the first American territory to be recaptured from the Japanese in World War II.
In 1949, Siam changed its name to Thailand.
In 1967, Britain, Denmark and Ireland formally applied to join the European Economic Community.
In 1968, the French government bowed to Paris student demands, premier Georges Pompidou announcing concessions in an effort to end more than a week of the worst street fighting since World War II.
In 1981, Bob Marley, Jamaican-born singer who popularized reggae with his group The Wailers, died of cancer.
In 1985, 56 people died and more than 200 were injured when fire engulfed the main stand at Bradford City's football ground in northern England.
In 1991, Ho Dam, senior member of North Korea's Communist Party, died. As foreign minister in 1977, he was the first senior North Korean official to visit the United States.
In 1994, South African President Nelson Mandela named his main black political rival, Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and his estranged wife Winnie, to his new government of national unity.
In 1996, a ValuJet Airlines DC-9 jet with 110 people on board crashed in the swampy Everglades near Miami International Airport. There were no survivors.
In 1997, IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue made chess history by defeating Gary Kasparov, the first time a reigning world champion had been bested in a match by a machine.
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Newslink
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"Deep Impact" made a huge wave at the box office this weekend. Visit its site by clicking
here.
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Holidays and more
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Singapore and Sri Lanka mark Vesak Day.
It's Victory Day in Ukraine.
Singer Peter Gabriel is 48.
Actor Harvey Keitel (Mean Streets) is 59.
NBA star Dennis "The Worm" Rodman is 37.
Singer Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish) is 30.
Singer Stevie Wonder is 47.
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Sources: Associated Press,
Chase's Calendar of Events 1998, J.P. Morgan
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