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UPI Almanac for Wednesday, May 2, 2018

On May 2, 2008, Tropical Cyclone Nargis slammed into densely populated southern Myanmar. The death toll was eventually raised to nearly 140,000 people.

By United Press International
Myanma service members form a line to unload water supplies from a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft at Rangoon International Airport in Myanmar on May 12, 2008. The shipment of water, mosquito nets and blankets arrived on the first of three planned relief flights to provide aid to citizens devastated by Tropical Cyclone Nargis. File Photo by Andres Alcaraz/U.S. Marine Corps
Myanma service members form a line to unload water supplies from a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft at Rangoon International Airport in Myanmar on May 12, 2008. The shipment of water, mosquito nets and blankets arrived on the first of three planned relief flights to provide aid to citizens devastated by Tropical Cyclone Nargis. File Photo by Andres Alcaraz/U.S. Marine Corps | License Photo

Today is Wednesday, May 2, the 122nd day of 2018 with 243 to follow.

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

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Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus. They include Catherine the Great, empress of Russia, in 1729; Gen. Henry Robert, author of Robert's Rules of Order, in 1837; gossip columnist Hedda Hopper in 1885; German fighter ace Manfred "The Red Baron" von Richthofen in 1892; Broadway composer Lorenz Hart in 1895; child-care specialist Dr. Benjamin Spock in 1903; singer/actor Theodore Bikel in 1924; singer Engelbert Humperdinck, born Arnold Dorsey, in 1936 (age 82); activist/singer Bianca Jagger in 1945 (age 73); actor David Suchet in 1946 (age 72); pop singer Lesley Gore in 1946; country singer Larry Gatlin in 1948 (age 70); actor Christine Baranski in 1952 (age 66); fashion designer Donatella Versace in 1955 (age 63); actor/former professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in 1972 (age 46); soccer star David Beckham in 1975 (age 43); actor Ellie Kemper in 1980 (age 38); actor Robert Buckley in 1981 (age 37); NASCAR driver Kyle Busch in 1985 (33); singer Lily Allen in 1985 (age 33); Princess Charlotte of Cambridge in 2015 (3).

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On this date in history:

In 1519, Leonardo da Vinci, Italian artist, scientist and inventor, died at age 67.

In 1611, a new translation of the Bible in England, popularly called the King James Bible after King James I, was published.

In 1863, Confederate Gen. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was mistakenly shot by his own soldiers. He died eight days later.

In 1913, the United States formally recognized President Yuan Shikai and his Republic of China.

In 1941, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved the regular scheduling of commercial television broadcasts.

In 1972, 91 people were killed in a mine fire in Kellogg, Idaho.

In 1972, J. Edgar Hoover died at the age of 77 after nearly five decades as director of the FBI.

In 1995, the Clinton administration announced that Cuban boat people seeking asylum in the United States would be henceforth returned to Cuba.

In 2004, Nigerian Christian militants attacked the Muslim town of Yelwa with firearms and machetes. The Nigerian Red Cross put the death toll at 630.

In 2008, Tropical Cyclone Nargis, with winds up to 120 mph, slammed into densely populated southern Myanmar. The death toll was eventually raised to nearly 140,000 people.

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In 2010, Greece was saved from defaulting on its debts by the International Monetary Fund and the 16 European countries of the eurozone, which agreed on a $146 billion loan package for the struggling country.

In 2014, a landslide struck a remote village in north Afghanistan, killing more than 2,000 people. An international official called the massive mud and rock collapse "absolutely devastating."

In 2015, Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision after 12 rounds for the welterweight world championship in Las Vegas.


A thought for the day: "If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." -- Anatole France

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