In History, Today on May 24

A Belarusian fighter jet forced a Ryanair flight to land in Minsk so that authorities could arrest dissident journalist Roman Protasevich and his companion Sofia Sapega. The incident prompted international outrage and was widely condemned as a case of state-sponsored hijacking.

British Prime Minister Theresa May announces her resignation as leader of the Conservative Party, effective June 7, amid Brexit negotiations.

The European Parliament election takes place, with significant gains for Eurosceptic parties across Europe.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's ruling party, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, won a landslide victory in the country's parliamentary elections, which were criticized by opposition groups and international observers for alleged irregularities.

The United States Senate passes the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, which includes significant tax cuts.

Israel withdraws its forces from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation, marking the end of the South Lebanon conflict.

Eritrea gains independence from Ethiopia after a 30-year war.

Ecuadorian President Jaime Roldós Aguilera died in a plane crash.

The Judgement of Paris wine tasting takes place, where French judges conduct a blind tasting of top-quality wines from France and California, leading to a surprise victory for the American wines.

Astronaut Scott Carpenter orbits the Earth three times in the Aurora 7 space capsule, becoming the second American to orbit the Earth.

The first Eurovision Song Contest is held in Lugano, Switzerland, with Switzerland winning the inaugural competition.

The German battleship Bismarck sinks the British battlecruiser HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, resulting in the loss of 1,415 lives.

Amy Johnson becomes the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, landing in Darwin after a flight of 11,000 miles.

Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary, entering World War I on the side of the Allies.

Warrnambool Football Club, one of the oldest football clubs in Australia, was founded.

The Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City, opens to traffic after 14 years of construction.

Samuel Morse sends the first telegraph message from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Maryland, reading 'What hath God wrought.'

Mary Had a Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale is published.

General Andrew Jackson captures Pensacola, Florida, effectively ending the First Seminole War.

The Irish Rebellion of 1798 against British rule began with the Battle of Carlow.

John Wesley experiences a spiritual rebirth at a Moravian meeting in Aldersgate Street, London, leading to the Methodist movement.

The English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration, granting freedom of worship to Nonconformists under certain conditions.

Peter Minuit, a Dutch colonial governor, is credited with purchasing the island of Manhattan from Native Americans for goods valued at 60 guilders.

One hundred English settlers disembark in Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in America.

Nicolaus Copernicus, the renowned Renaissance-era mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center, known as heliocentrism, passed away.

The ten-year-old Lambert Simnel is crowned in Dublin as "King Edward VI" of England, in a Yorkist attempt to threaten Henry VII's reign.

Philip VI of France invaded the English-held territory of Aquitaine, marking a pivotal moment leading to the Hundred Years' War.

The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt.

During the reign of King Alfonso VI of León and Castile, the Battle of Zallaqah took place, where Muslim forces led by Almoravid general Yusuf ibn Tashfin defeated Christian forces near Sagrajas, reinforcing the Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula.

Henry the Fowler was elected as King of East Francia, marking the beginning of the Ottonian dynasty.

Germanicus Julius Caesar, a prominent general of the Roman Empire, triumphantly concluded his campaign against the Germanic tribes, consolidating Roman influence in the region. He celebrated this achievement by being honored with a triumph in Rome.