Timeline May 2026

Events in May 2026 15

• 1930 – 2026 Sonny Rollins (1930-2026) Died 25 May 2026, aged 95 American tenor saxophonist, among the greatest improvisers jazz has produced since the mid-1950s.
• 1938 – 2026 Ted Turner (1938-2026) Died 6 May 2026, aged 87 American broadcasting entrepreneur who built a media empire and founded CNN, the first 24-hour television news network.
• 1940 – 2026 Barney Frank (1940-2026) Died 19 May 2026, aged 86 American Democratic congressman from 1981 to 2013, one of the first openly gay members of Congress and co-sponsor of the Dodd-Frank Act.
• 1989 – 2026 Lauren Bennett (1989–2026) Lauren Diane Bennett (24 June 1989 – 29 May 2026) was a British singer, dancer and model who rose from talent contests in Kent to become an internationally recognised pop voice. She was a founding member of the girl groups Paradiso Girls and G.R.L., and is best known worldwide as the featured vocalist on LMFAO's 2011 global number-one hit "Party Rock Anthem" -- one of the defining pop songs of the early 2010s, which topped the charts in more than 20 countries and sold over five million digital downloads in the United States alone. Throughout her career she collaborated with LMFAO, CeeLo Green, will.i.am, Pitbull, Robin Antin and the Pussycat Dolls. She died in Kent, England, on 29 May 2026, aged 36. Her death was not publicly announced until 6 July 2026, when her G.R.L. bandmates shared the news on Instagram. An inquest is scheduled for 30 October 2026.
• 2026 India holds state elections in four states and a union territory Governments change in three states India held elections between 9 and 29 April 2026. Counting on 4 May produced dramatic results: the BJP unseated Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, actor Vijay made a blockbuster debut in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala voted out its communist-led coalition.
• 2026 Viktor Orban defeated in Hungary's general election Peter Magyar succeeds him in May Hungarian leader Viktor Orban was defeated in the general election of 12 April 2026 amid corruption allegations and mounting frustration with his right-wing populist government. Peter Magyar succeeded him on 9 May.
• 2026 2026 World Snooker Championship Crucible Theatre Centennial Tournament in progress or recently concluded. Winner: TBD; Runner-up: TBD. Score: TBD.
• 2026 Lakers eliminated by OKC Thunder The Lakers are swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals; LeBron enters free agency for what may be the final time.
• 2026 Memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning" published In May 2026, Panettiere published her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, reflecting on her childhood fame, the costs of growing up in the spotlight, motherhood, addiction, mental health, and the loss of her brother. She described being groomed into the industry and spoke with unflinching honesty about giving up custody of Kaya.
• 2026 United Arab Emirates withdraws from OPEC A founding-era member leaves the cartel The United Arab Emirates withdrew from OPEC on 1 May 2026, leaving the organisation that coordinates petroleum policy among its members.
• 2026 Golden Tempo wins the Kentucky Derby First Derby winner trained by a woman Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on 2 May 2026, the first time a horse trained by a woman -- Cherie DeVaux -- finished first in the race.
• 2026 WHO declares a public health emergency over Ebola in Central Africa Outbreak spreads in the DRC and Uganda The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency on 17 May 2026 as an Ebola outbreak grew in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
• 2026 Felix Rosenqvist wins the closest Indianapolis 500 in history A margin of 0.0233 seconds Sweden's Felix Rosenqvist won the Indianapolis 500 on 24 May 2026, edging David Malukas by 0.0233 seconds -- the closest finish in the race's history.
• 2026 Pope Leo XIV releases Magnifica humanitas A first encyclical warning about artificial intelligence Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, Magnifica humanitas, on 25 May 2026. The 42,300-word document warned about the risks of artificial intelligence and its potential to harm humanity, especially workers.
• 2026 Lauren Bennett dies in Kent Lauren Bennett dies in Kent, England, on 29 May 2026, aged 36 -- 26 days before her 37th birthday. She is registered under her full married name Lauren Bennett-Wormald in the Kent and Medway Coroner's records. The cause of death is not released publicly. An inquest into the circumstances of her death is scheduled for 30 October 2026 at Kent and Medway Coroner's Court. Her family, close friends and former bandmates are present at an intimate memorial service held in London roughly a week and a half after her death, where guests write messages on balloons and release them in her memory.