May 25th

A judge in Tucson, Ariz., ruled that Jared Lee Loughner, the man accused of wounding U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killing six in a shooting rampage, was mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Former Enron Corp. chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted in Houston of conspiracy and fraud for the company's downfall. (Skilling faces resentencing after his original 24-year sentence was overturned; Lay died before sentencing.).

Carrie Underwood won the fourth season of "American Idol.".

A China Airlines jumbo jet breaks apart in mid-air. The Boeing 747 aircraft crashed into the Taiwan Strait, leaving no survivors among the 225 people on board. The accident was caused by improper repairs 22 years earlier, and the airplane was far beyond the serviceable life recommended by Boeing in terms of the number of flights, total hours in the air, and the number of years in service.

Jay Leno debuted as host of NBC's "Tonight Show," succeeding Johnny Carson.

An estimated 7 million people participated in "Hands Across America," forming a line across the country to raise money for the nation's hungry and homeless.

Daredevil Dan Goodwin, wearing a Spiderman costume, scaled the outside of Chicago's Sears Tower in 71/2 hours.

The worst air disaster in U.S. history (excluding the Sept. 11 attacks) occurred when a DC-10 crashed at Chicago's O'Hare airport, killing over 270 people.

The science-fiction movie "Star Wars" was released.

Midnight Cowboy, the only x-rated film to win a best picture Oscar, was released.

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis was dedicated.

Muhammad Ali knocked Sonny Liston out cold in the first round, after 1 minute and 56 seconds, for the world heavyweight title.

32 African countries form a coalition against white rule. The Organisation of African Unity was founded to promote decolonization and end white minority governments in Africa. The OAU was replaced by the African Union in 2002.

Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays made his major league debut with the New York Giants.

Transjordan became a kingdom as it proclaimed its new monarch, Abdullah I.

Track and field athlete Jesse Owens equals or breaks 4 world records in 45 minutes at a Big Ten meet at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Remembered as 'the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport'.

John Scopes was indicted for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.

British House of Commons passes the Irish Home Rule Bill.

Playwright Oscar Wilde was convicted of a morals charge in London and sentenced to prison.

Song-and-dance man Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was born in Richmond, Va.

In the May Revolution, citizens of Buenos Aires expel the Spanish Viceroy Cisneros during Semana de Mayo.

The Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia under the leadership of George Washington, in order to establish a new U.S. government.

The Ship 'Le Grand St Antoine' reaches Marseille, bringing Europe's last major plague outbreak. Kills around 100,000.