Ten years ago: U.S. officials published online a selection of letters from Osama bin Laden’s last hideaway; the documents portrayed a network that was weak, inept and under siege — and its leader seemingly near wit’s end about the passing of his global jihad’s supposed glory days.
Five years ago: President Donald Trump met at the White House with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (mahk-MOOD’ ah-BAHS’), promising “to do whatever is necessary” to forge an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
One year ago: An elevated section of the Mexico City metro collapsed as subway cars were passing over it, killing 26 people; investigations found that the failure was caused by construction defects. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the New York City subways would begin 24-hour service again in mid-May; they’d been shut down for cleaning during overnight hours since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Bill and Melinda Gates said they were divorcing after 27 years of marriage; the Microsoft co-founder and his wife said they would continue to work together at the world’s largest private charitable foundation. Singer-songwriter Lloyd Price, an early rock ’n roll star and rock Hall of Fame member whose hits included “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” died in suburban New York at the age of 88.