Discover · History

On this day — May 7

A hand-curated thread of what happened on this date, across centuries.

2025

Milestone

The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force conduct surgical strikes code-named Operation SINDOOR on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam Attack that killed 26 people.

2023

Disaster

2023 Tanur boat disaster

At least 22 people are killed when a boat carrying tourists capsizes in Tanur, Malappuram, Kerala, India.

2004

Milestone

American businessman Nick Berg is beheaded by Islamist militants

The act is recorded on videotape and released on the Internet.

2002

Milestone

An EgyptAir Boeing 737-500 crashes on approach to Tunis–Carthage International Airport

killing 14 people.

2002

Milestone

A China Northern Airlines MD-82 plunges into the Yellow Sea

killing 112 people.

2000

Politics

Vladimir Putin is inaugurated as president of Russia.

1999

Milestone

Pope John Paul II travels to Romania

becoming the first pope to visit a predominantly Eastern Orthodox country since the Great Schism in 1054.

1999

Politics

Kosovo War: Three Chinese citizens are killed and 20 wounded when a NATO aircraft inadvertently bombs the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Serbia.

1999

Politics

In Guinea-Bissau

President João Bernardo Vieira is ousted in a military coup.

1998

Milestone

Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for US$40 billion and forms DaimlerChrysler in the largest industrial merger in history.

1994

Milestone

Edvard Munch's painting The Scream is recovered undamaged after being stolen from the National Gallery of Norway in February.

1992

Milestone

Michigan ratifies a 203-year-old proposed amendment to the United States Constitution making the 27th Amendment law. This amendment bars the U.S. Congress from giving itself a mid-term pay raise.

1992

Milestone

Space Shuttle program

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on its first mission, STS-49.

1992

Milestone

Three employees at a McDonald's Restaurant in Sydney

Nova Scotia, Canada, are brutally murdered and a fourth permanently disabled after a botched robbery. It is the first "fast-food murder" in Canada.

1991

Disaster

A fire and explosion occurs at a fireworks factory at Sungai Buloh

Malaysia, killing 26.