Nicosia, Cyprus. A range of major political, diplomatic and cultural events have occurred on May 14 across different countries and decades.
1948
The state of Israel was proclaimed by David Ben-Gurion, eight hours before the British mandate in Palestine was to end.
1955
The Warsaw Pact was signed by the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania.
1987
American film actress Rita Hayworth died. She was best known for her roles in “Blood and Sand” and “Gilda”.
1989
Tens of thousands demonstrated for democratic reforms in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on the eve of a visit to China by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
1998
American singer and entertainer Frank Sinatra died.
2001
Silvio Berlusconi won a general election at the head of a centre-right alliance that formed Italy’s 59th government since 1945.
2003
Algerian armed forces freed 17 European tourists who had been kidnapped by outlawed Islamist militants and held for two months in the Sahara Desert.
2004
The South Korean Constitutional Court reinstated President Roh Moo-hyun by overturning parliament’s vote to impeach him.
2005
Former European Union trade chief Pascal Lamy was proclaimed the next head of the World Trade Organisation after his only remaining rival pulled out.
Which of these May 14 events do you consider the most significant today?