Unix Timestamp: 1021334400
Tuesday, May 14. 2002, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Scientists at California's Stanford University invent a working bionic eye powered only by focused light. Though currently a prototype, the device could eventually restore the sight of millions of people suffering from eye diseases such as macular degeneration and retinal pigmentosa. //www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18061174 (BBC)

The President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, commences the first official visit by a South Korean leader to Myanmar since 1983, when North Korean commandos attempted to assassinate the then-President, Chun Doo-hwan, in a bomb attack. //www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/lee-making-1st-visit-by-south-korean-leader-to-myanmar-since-1983-assassination-attempt/2012/05/14/gIQASFZqNU_story.html (AP via "Washington Post")

NASA announces the discovery of Supernova remnant G1.9+0.3.

The discovery of G1.9+0.3, the youngest known supernova remnant in the Milky Way Galaxy, is announced. //chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2008/g19/ (NASA)

Ahmat Mahamat Bachir, the president of the Chadian Independent National Election Commission, announces that incumbent President of Chad Idriss Déby won the 2006 Chadian presidential election held on May 3 with 77.5% of the vote. The official turnout was 61%, though international observers estimated turnout at 4ndash10%. //english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F04B7CC9-AAD5-4CDD-B47B-CEDF04405C65.htm (Al Jazeera)

The IDF killed Elias al-Ashkar, the senior Islamic Jihad commander in the Jenin area who was accused of planning several suicide attacks that killed nearly 30 people, including US high-school student Daniel Wultz. Six other Palestinians were also killed. //www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/715651.html (Haaretz), //www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14581043.htm (Miami Herald)

Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, marries Australian Mary Donaldson in Copenhagen.

The bodies of 17 Hispanics, suspected Mexican illegal immigrants, were found by police in Victoria, Texas. One more person, a man, died in a hospital, raising the death total to 18. 13 of the bodies were found inside a locked truck, and four of them outside it. A man was later arrested in Houston on suspicion of being the smuggler who led the 18 persons to their deaths.

SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: Apparently noticing the incongruity of their selling a Linux distribution while suing IBM for stealing their intellectual property and giving it to the developers of that operating system, the SCO Group (formerly Caldera International and Caldera Systems) announces they will no longer distribute Linux. According to their press release, SCO will continue to support existing SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux customers and hold them harmless from any SCO intellectual property issues regarding SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux products.

A female suicide bomber blows up explosives strapped to her waist in a crowd of thousands of Muslim pilgrims, killing at least 18 people in Chechnya.

The Star Alliance is formed between Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines System, Thai Airways International and United Airlines.

Elizabeth II arrives in Washington, D.C. for a 13-day royal visit to the U.S.

Bus collision near Carrollton, Kentucky: A drunk driver going the wrong way on Interstate 71, hits a converted school bus carrying a church youth group from Radcliff, Kentucky. The resulting fire kills 27, making it tied for 1st in the U.S. for most fatalities involving 2 vehicles to the present day. Coincidentally, the other 2-vehicle accident involving a bus that also killed 27 occurred in Prestonburg, Kentucky on February 28, 1958.

Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka executes a bloodless coup in Fiji.

The one dollar coin is introduced in Australia.

Internal conflict in Peru: On the eve of presidential elections, Maoistguerrilla group Shining Path attacks a polling location in the town of Chuschi, Ayacucho.

Botswana recognizes the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

Ian Curtis, singer/songwriter of acclaimed post punk band Joy Division, is found hanged.

A Ta, Florida court acquits 4 white police officers of killing Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance executive, provoking 3 days of race riots in Miami.

Mount St. Helenserupts in Washington, killing 57 and causing US$3 billion in damage.

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi visits Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The Beatles announce the creation of Apple Records in a New York press conference.

The legendary album "Pet Sounds" by The Beach Boys is released.

The Communist Party of China issues the 'May 16 Notice', marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.

In New York City, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. makes his first public speech on the Vietnam War.

Indonesia asks Malaysia for peace negotiations.

The South Vietnamese army besieges Da Nang.

Tens of thousands of anti-war demonstrators again picket the White House, then rally at the Washington Monument.

Turkey and Greece intend to start negotiations about the situation in Cyprus.

A seamen's strike is called in Britain.

Bob Dylan's seminal album, "Blonde on Blonde" is released in the U.S.

American civil rights movement: A Freedom Riders bus is fire-bombed near Anniston, Alabama and the civil rights protestors are beaten by an angry mob.

The Kenyan African National Congress Party is founded in Kenya, when 3 political parties join forces.

Eight Communist Bloc countries, including the Soviet Union, sign a mutual defence treaty in Warsaw, Poland, that is called the Warsaw Pact.

The Boeing 707 is released after about two years of development.

The first volunteer-run passenger trains run on Talyllyn Railway, Wales.

The Huntsville Times runs the headline, "Dr. von Braun Says Rocket Flights Possible to Moon."

1948 Arab-Israeli War: The British Mandate of Palestine is officially terminated expeditionary forces from Egypt, Transjordan, Syria and Iraq invade Israel and clash with Israeli forces.

The murder of a 3-year-old girl in Blackburn, England leads to the fingerprinting of more than 40,000 men in the city in an attempt to find the murderer.//www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-brutal-murder-begins-an-unusual-investigation

he Declaration of Independence of Israel is made.

15 ndash WWII ndash Battle of Poljana: The last battle of the War in Europe is fought at Poljana near Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia.

Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" is performed for the first time by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Sweden, Norway, and Finland refuse Germany's offer of non-aggression pacts.

The British government issues the White Paper of 1939, sharply restricting Jewish immigration to the Palestine Mandate.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrive in Quebec City to begin the first-ever tour of Canada by Canada's monarch.

Lina Medina, a 5-year old Peruvian girl, gives birth to a baby boy, becoming the youngest confirmed mother in medical history.

Chile withdraws from the League of Nations.

Northtonshire gains (over Somerset at Taunton by 48 runs) what proves to be their last victory for 99 matches, easily a record in the County Chionship. Their next Chionship win is not until "29 May 1939".

Woodrow Wilson signs a Mother's Day proclamation.

New York Governor William Sulzer approves the charter for the Rockefeller Foundation, which begins operations with a $100,000,000 donation from John D. Rockefeller.

The second Modern Olympic Games opens in Paris (as part of the Paris World Exhibition).

Second Boer War: The British Army relieves the Siege of Mafeking.

Boxer Rebellion: Boxers destroy three villages near Peking and kill sixty Chinese Christians.

Three times world chion Nacional is founded.

The cornerstone of the new Stanford University, in northern California, is laid (the college opens in 1891).

The first group of 463 Indian indentured labourers arrive in Fiji abroad the "Leonidas".

The first rugby match is played in New Zealand, between the Nelson Football Club and Nelson College.

American Civil War ndash Battle of Jackson (MS): Union General Ulysses S. Grant defeats Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, opening the way for the Siege of Vicksburg.

After a 2-month siege, the French army of Bazaine takes Puebla, Mexico.

Opening of Salon des Refusés in Paris draws attention to paintings by modern artists, notably Manet's "Le déjeuner sur l’herbe".

The Canellas meteorite, an 859 gram chondrite type meteorite, strikes Earth near Barcelona, Spain.

Dr David Livingstone's 6-year Second Zambesi Expedition arrives at the African coast.

A committee of Vigilance is founded in San Francisco, California. It lynches two gangsters, arrests most Democratic Party officials and disbands itself on August 18.

Paraguay declares independence from Spain.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition departs from C Dubois and begins their historic journey by traveling up the Missouri River.

Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox vaccination.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, delegates begin arriving to write a new Constitution for the United States.

Charles III of Spain sends Spanish missionaries, who found California missions in San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Monterey and begin the settlement of California.

War of the Austrian Succession ndash First battle of Cape Finisterre: The British Navy defeats a French fleet.

In Louisiana (New France), at war with Spain, Bienville, from Mobile, captures Pensacola, but Pensacola is later recaptured by the Spanish, and again re-taken by Bienville.ref name=CBLe Moyne de Bienville, Jean-Baptiste, University of Toronto, 2000, webpage://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?BioId=35608 biog-ca-Bienville.

Louis XIV succeeds Louis XIII as King of France at age five. His rule will last until his death at age 77 in 1715, a total of 72 years, which will be the longest reign of any European monarch in recorded history.

May 28 ndash Huguenot rebellions: After a 15-day siege, Louis XIII captures Privas.

Francois Ravaillac assassinates Henry IV of France.

The Protestant Union is founded in Auhausen.

Jamestown, is settled as what would become the first permanent English colony in North America.

Battle of Agnadello: French forces defeat the Venetians.

Henry VIII of England marries Catherine of Aragon.

Luca Pacioli's De divina proportione, concerning the golden ratio, is published in Venice, with illustrations by Leonardo da Vinci.

Charles VIII of France ("Charles l'Affable") is crowned.

Second Siege of Sfetigrad (1449): Garrison surrenders and Ottomans seize the fortress.

The French first attempt to relieve the Siege of Compiègne.

Sephardi Jewish philosopher Judah Halevi sets off from Alexandria on a pilgrimage to Palestine.

Henry I is crowned king of France at Reims Cathedral.

"approx. date" ndash Ealdred becomes abbot of Tavistock in England.

The troops of the vizir Al-Mansur sack the Catalan city of Manresa.ref name=french crusades

Pope John XVIII (1004–1009).

Henry II is crowned Holy Roman Emperor at Pavia. A quarrel between his German companions and the Pavese erupts into a full-scale battle.

Henry II launches war against Boleslav of Poland. It lasts until 1018.

Sweyn I of Denmark destroys Norwich.

Sancho III becomes king of Navarre, Aragon and Castille.

Aberdeen becomes a bishopric.

Boleslaus I of Poland loses Bohemia after having become duke the previous year. He is succeeded as duke of Bohemia by Jaromir.

Arabs sack Pisa.