Fidel Castro steps down as Cuba's president. Castro was 81 years old at the time and had been in power for 49 years.

The “Mir” Space Station is launched. The Soviet vehicle was the world's first modular space station and remained in orbit for 15 years.

Iberia Airlines Flight 610 crashes. All 148 people on board died in the accident that was blamed on pilot error.

U.S. troops land on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. The photo showing 4 marines erecting a U.S. flag on the island has become one of the best-known images of World War II.

Thomas Edison patents the phonograph. It was the first machine able to reproduce recorded sound.