Chinese republic proclaimed in Tibet

April 5th 1896

1st modern Olympic Games officially opens in Athens

April 6th 1991

Argentine soocer star Diego Maradona suspended for 15 month by Italian League for testing positive for cocaine use

April 7th 2009

Former President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, receives 25 years in prison for ordering killings and kidnappings by security forces

April 8th 1990

King Birendra of Nepal lifts 30-year ban on political parties

April 9th 1912

The Titanic leaves Queenstown, Ireland for New York

April 10th 2010

Bronislaw Komorowski becomes Acting President of Poland after a plane carrying President Lech Kaczynski and top Polish officials crashes, leaving no survivors

April 11th 1986

Dodge Morgan sailed solo nonstop around world in 150 days

April 12th 1961

Yuri Gagarin becomes 1st person to orbit Earth in Vostok 1

April 13th 1964

New Zealand’s Colin Bosher shears a record 565 sheep in 1 work day

April 14th 1958

Sputnik 2 (with dog Laika) burns up in atmosphere

April 15th 1959

Fidel Castro begins U.S. goodwill tour

April 16th 1986

To dispel rumors he’s dead, Moammar Gadhafi appears on TV

April 17th 1492

Christopher Columbus signs contract with Spain to find Indies

April 18th 1986

Titan rocket explodes seconds after liftoff from Vandenberg AFB

April 19th 1956

U.S. actress Grace Kelly marries Monaco’s Prince Rainier III

April 20th 1992

All star concert in memory of Freddie Mercury held at Wembley Stadium

April 21st 1526

First Battle of Panipat: Mogol Emperor Babur beats sultan Ibrahim Lodi

April 22nd 1994

The world’s largest lollipop is made in Denmark weighing 3,011 pounds

April 23rd 1994

Graeme Obree bicycles world record 10 km (11:28)

April 24th 1989

Thousands of students strike in Beijing China 

April 25th 2010

At least 80 schoolgirls attending different Kunduz schools are poisoned in a week; an inquiry is launched and the Taliban, opposed to female education, deny any involvement

April 26th 1982

Rod Stewart is mugged as a gunman steals his $50,000 Porsche

April 27th 1940

Himmler orders establishment of Auschwitz Concentration Camp

April 28th 1967

Muhammad Ali refuses induction into army and is stripped of his boxing title

April 29th 1990

Wrecking cranes began tearing down Berlin Wall at Brandenburg Gate

April 30th 1904

Ice cream cone makes its debut