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May 5, 1961

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from May 5, 1961

GOVERNOR PLANS INQUIRY ON BINGO AND LICENSE UNIT; Will Name Moreland Act Investigator in Wake of Testimony on Graft LOTTERY CHIEF CHIDED Rockefeller Says Hannah Tries to Shift Blame for Shortcomings in Work Governor Sets Inquiry on Bingo And Control of Games by State

By Warren Weaver Jr. Special To the New York Times

Gov Rockefeller to order probe of bingo laws and their adm; will name investigator under provisions of Moreland Act; doubts need to repeal bingo laws; charges Lottery Control Comm chmn Hannah seeks to shift responsibility for failure to adm laws; Hannah charged Rockefeller rejected plan to license commercial bingo halls and limit play there

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TITO AND NASSER AIM TO PUT LATINS IN NEUTRAL BLOC; Call Cairo Meeting in July to Prepare Conference of Heads of State TITO AND NASSER OPEN LATIN DRIVE

By Jay Walz Special To the New York Times

Presidents Tito and Nasser set conf of neutralist and Latin-Amer nations in Cairo, July, to prepare for heads-of-state conf; speculation on motives

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EICHMANN JUDGE REBUKES HAUSNER; Tells Prosecutor to Omit Testimony That Digresses From Trial Objective EICHMANN JUDGE REBUKES HAUSNER

By Homer Bigart Special To the New York Times

A Kovner, Dr A Peretz testify on atrocities in Poland and Lithuania, including round-up of 1,300 children in Kovno for transport to death camps; Landau rebukes Hausner for extended testimony on atrocities which does not directly implicate Eichmann; Hausner offers documents showing Eichmann more relentless toward Jews in E Eur than A Rosenberg; also offers rept by Maj Gen Stroop on Warsaw Ghetto uprising

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Laotian Armistice Parley Scheduled to Open Today; New Dispute Looms Over Rebel Bid to Take Up Political Issues -- Attack by Pro-Red Troops Is Charged LAOS TRUCE TALKS SCHEDULED TODAY

By Jacques Nevard Special To the New York Times

conf set between rebels and Govt reprs; rebels want to discuss formation of coalition Govt, Boun Oum reprs want to work out truce details; Laotian Cabinet goes to Luang Prabang to conf with Savang Vathana

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FULBRIGHT HINTS U.S. WEIGHS USE OF TROOPS IN ASIA; Senator Indicates President Is Studying Intervention in Vietnam and Thailand MORE AID WILL BE SENT Rusk Says Saigon Is to Get Increased Arms Help to Counteract Red Threat Fulbright Hints U.S. Weighing Use of Troops in South Vietnam

By Special to The New York Times

Sen Fulbright indicates US weighs mil intervention to counter Communist threat; says he will back move if considered necessary and if Thailand wants it; map

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Notable Births

1961Marg Downey, Australian actress^[†]

Marg Downey is an Australian comedian and actress, best known for her roles in The D Generation, Fast Forward and Full Frontal

1961Hiroshi Hase, Japanese wrestler and politician^[†]

Hiroshi Hase is a Japanese politician and semi-retired professional wrestler who is currently the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture. As a professional wrestler, Hase primarily worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and also for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Stampede Wrestling. During his affiliation with AJPW, he also served as the chairman for the Pacific Wrestling Federation (PWF), which is the governing body for all championships in the promotion. Among his numerous title wins, Hase held the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship once, making him a one-time world champion.

Historical Events

1961Project Mercury: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into outer space, on a sub-orbital flight.^[†]

Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Union. Taken over from the U.S. Air Force by the newly created civilian space agency NASA, it conducted 20 uncrewed developmental flights, and six successful flights by astronauts. The program, which took its name from Roman mythology, cost $2.76 billion. The astronauts were collectively known as the "Mercury Seven", and each spacecraft was given a name ending with a "7" by its pilot.

Historical Context for May 5, 1961

In 1961, the world population was approximately 3,064,869,675 people^[†]