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Contested area during Operation Brevity

Operation Brevity was an offensive conducted in May 1941, during the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, against Axis front-line forces in the Sollum–Capuzzo–Bardia area of the border between Egypt and Libya (map pictured). British Middle East Command general Archibald Wavell defined Operation Brevity's main goals as the acquisition of territory from which to launch a further planned offensive toward Tobruk. On 15 May, Brigadier William Gott attacked in three columns with a mixed infantry and armoured force. The Halfaya Pass was taken against stiff Italian opposition, and Fort Capuzzo deeper inside Libya was captured, but German counter-attacks under Colonel Maximilian von Herff regained the fort during the afternoon. Gott conducted a staged withdrawal to the Halfaya Pass on 16 May, and Operation Brevity ended. The Halfaya Pass was recaptured 11 days later during Operation Skorpion, a German counter-attack. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Lawrence Weston Wind Turbine

... that the tallest onshore wind turbine in England (pictured) is owned by the community of Lawrence Weston?
... that a pulp mill was fined by the state of Washington for its greenhouse gas emissions, even though it had been closed for the past two years?
... that the Crusader castle of Smar Jbeil was built atop a Roman-period necropolis?
... that "tank-resembling" Bubo Barnett was "unstopped by anything but a pastry window"?
... that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that plans for a New York City office tower could be rejected?
... that William Bramwell Smith Jr. composed music for the presidential inauguration of John F. Kennedy?
... that the camp song "Little Sir Echo" has been recorded in big-band, punk, country, and French versions, and from performances by Jerry Lewis and the Wiggles?
... that an Idaho TV station warned businesses, "The rumors of our going dark are not unfounded"?
... that Henry Patenson threw rocks at aggravating courtiers while at the Holy Roman Emperor's court?

In the news

Philip Davis

The Progressive Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Philip Davis (pictured), wins a second term in the Bahamian general election.
Passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius disembark in Tenerife after being quarantined due to a hantavirus outbreak.
The education platform Canvas goes offline, affecting thousands of educational institutions, after a ransomware attack by the group ShinyHunters.
American media proprietor and philanthropist Ted Turner dies at the age of 87.
Wu Yize defeats Shaun Murphy to win the World Snooker Championship.

On this day

May 15: Feast day of Saint Carthage (Catholicism); Nakba Day in Palestinian communities

Baily's beads observed during a solar eclipse in 2019

1836 – English astronomer Francis Baily observed Baily's beads (example pictured), a phenomenon during a solar eclipse in which the rugged topography of the lunar limb allows sunlight to shine through.
1891 – Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Rerum novarum, which addressed the condition of the working classes and is considered to be the foundation of modern Catholic social teaching.
1966 – Disapproving of General Tôn Thất Đính's handling of the Buddhist Uprising, South Vietnamese prime minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ ordered an attack on his forces and ousted Đính from his post.
2001 – A runaway train loaded with hazardous chemicals traveled driverless for 66 miles (106 km) through Ohio before being stopped near Kenton.
2010 – Three days before her seventeenth birthday, Jessica Watson arrived in Sydney after sailing non-stop and unassisted around the world.

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (bapt. 1633)
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (b. 1689)
Ousmane Dembélé (b. 1997)
Haerin (b. 2006)

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From today's featured list

The 2013 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards were presented by MultiChoice. The ceremony took place on 9 March 2013 at the Exhibition Center, Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. The awards honour excellence in television, film, and digital content creation in the African entertainment industry. Otelo Burning had 14 nominations, closely followed by The Mirror Boy with 11, and Man on Ground with 10. Otelo Burning won four awards including Best Picture. Other notable winners included OC Ukeje, who won Best Actor in a Drama for his role in Two Brides and a Baby, and Jackie Appiah, who won Best Actress in a Drama for her performance in Perfect Picture. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

Malta is an island country in southern Europe, located in the central Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and North Africa. The archipelago's main inhabited islands are Malta, Gozo and Comino, with the capital at Valletta. It has a population of 574,250, spread over an area of 316 km² (122 sq mi). Malta has been inhabited since prehistoric times and has been ruled by many powers, including the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, the Knights Hospitaller and the British Empire. It played an important strategic role during World War II and was awarded the George Cross in 1942. The country gained its independence in 1964 and became a republic in 1974. Malta is a parliamentary republic and a member of the European Union and Commonwealth of Nations. The official languages are Maltese and English and it is predominantly Catholic. The country is known for its strategic location, tourism industry, and its architectural and historical monuments, several of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This map of Malta was produced by Dutch cartographer Nicolaes Visscher II around 1690.

Map credit: Nicolaes Visscher II

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