Today in History

Historical Events

2010

Oil rig Deepwater Horizon is declared sealed after a 5-month long spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Thought to be one of the biggest accidents in the oil and gas industry, the Deepwater Horizon spill or the BP oil spill began on April 20, 2010, when an explosion destroyed the rig and killed 11 people.

2006

A Military coup overthrows the elected government in Thailand. Forces loyal to General Sonthi Boonyaratglin overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and dissolved the parliament and the constitution.

1983

Saint Kitts and Nevis gain their Independence from the British Crown. The first Europeans set foot on the Island country in the West Indies in the late 15th century during an expedition led by Columbus. In 1713, the control over the islands was passed from the French to the British.

1973

Carl XVI Gustaf succeeds his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf as the King of Sweden. Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch is the ceremonial head of state. In 1980, Swedish law was changed to allow the firstborn of a monarch to become the crown's heir apparent, irrespective of their gender.

1944

The Moscow Armistice ends the Continuation War. The peace treaty was signed between the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and Finland. It put an end to the conflict between the USSR and Finland between 1941 and 1944.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Ashot Nadanian

Ashot Nadanian

1972

Armenian chess player, coach

Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood

1964

American singer-songwriter, actress

Brian Epstein

Brian Epstein

1934

English talent manager

William Golding

William Golding

1911

English author, poet, playwright, Nobel Prize laureate

Lajos Kossuth

Lajos Kossuth

1802

Hungarian journalist, lawyer, politician

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Orville Redenbacher

Orville Redenbacher

1995

American farmer, businessman

Italo Calvino

Italo Calvino

1985

Italian journalist, author

Chester Carlson

Chester Carlson

1968

American physicist, invented Xerography

Guy Gibson

Guy Gibson

1944

English aviator, Victoria Cross recipient

James A. Garfield

James A. Garfield

1881

American politician, 20th President of the United States