Unix Timestamp: 1051142400
Thursday, April 24. 2003, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Swine influenza kills at least 68 people and infects at least 1,000 more in Mexico. //www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/24/swine.flu/index.html?eref=rss_topstories (CNN)

The World Health Organization expresses concern at the spread of influenza from Mexico and the United States to other countries.ref name=who_statement_2009-04-25 International cases and resulting deaths are confirmed.

Northern Mariana Islands Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Villagomez is convicted of fraud, wire fraud, and bribery. //www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=89717cat=1 ("Saipan Tribune")

Kevin Tillman, brother of former American football player Pat Tillman, who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan, accuses the U.S. military of manipulating his death during testimony to the U.S. Congress. //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6588611.stm (BBC)

Gliese 581 c, a potentially Earth-like extrasolar planet habitable for life, is discovered in the constellationLibra.

Referendums on the Annan Plan for Cyprus, which proposes to re-unite the island, take place in both the Greek-controlled and the Turkish-controlled parts. Although the Turkish Cypriots vote in favour, the Greek Cypriots reject the proposal.

At the urging of Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Liberation Organization drops its clause calling for the removal of Israel. The Israeli government responds by dropping a similar clause concerning the existence of Palestine.

A Unabomber bomb kills lobbyist Gilbert Murray in Sacramento, California.

German singer Nicole wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 for Germany, with the song "Ein Bisschen Frieden".

Pennsylvania Lottery Scandal: the Pennsylvania Lottery is rigged by 6 men including the host of the live TV drawing, Nick Perry.

April 25 ndash Operation Eagle Claw, a commando mission in Iran to rescue American embassy hostages, is aborted after mechanical problems ground the rescue helicopters. Eight United States troops are killed in a mid-air collision during the failed operation.

Six Red Army Faction terrorists take over the West German embassy in Stockholm, take 11 hostages and demand the release of the group's jailed members shortly after, they are captured by Swedish police. (See West German embassy siege)

Stephen King publishes "Carrie", his first novel under his own name.

China's first satellite ("Dong Fang Hong 1") is launched into orbit using a Long March-1 Rocket (CZ-1).

Recently formed British Leyland launches their first new model, the Austin Maxi in Portugal .

"Soyuz 1": Vladimir Komarov becomes the first Soviet cosmonaut to die, when the parachute of his space capsule fails during re-entry.

Uniform daylight saving time is first observed in most parts of North America.

The Swedishwarship "Vasa", sunk in 1628, is raised from the waters of Stockholm harbor.

Sierra Leone becomes independent from the United Kingdom.

President Kennedy delivers a revealing speech: "The President and the Press: Address before the American Newspaper Publishers Association"//www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Speeches/JFK/003POF03NewspaperPublishers04271961.htm JFK Library.org

The Swedish ship "Regalskeppet Vasa" is removed from the water after being sunk 333 years earlier.

Patrick Moore presents the first episode of "The Sky at Night", a BBC television programme for astronomy enthusiasts.

In Yokohama, Japan a fire on a train kills more than 100.

Britain formally recognises Israel.

Apartheid: In South Africa, the Group Areas Act is passed, formally segregating the races.

Jordan formally annexes the West Bank.

The Costa Rican Civil War ends.

Retreating German troops destroy all the bridges over the Adige in Verona, including the historical Ponte di Castelvecchio and Ponte Pietra.

Founding negotiations for the United Nations begin in San Francisco.

April ndash The British/Canadian front enters Breman.

WWII ndash Elbe Day: United States and Soviet troops link up at the Elbe River, cutting Germany in two.

Konstantin Päts becomes president of Estonia.

William Christian Bullitt, Jr., the US ambassador to Moscow, hosted the elaborately prepared Spring Ball of the Full Moon which is said to have surpassed all other embassy parties in Moscow's history.

Treaty of Berlin: Germany and the Soviet Union each pledge neutrality in the event of an attack on the other by a third party for the next five years.

Polish–Soviet War: Polish and anti-Soviet Ukrainian troops attack the Red Army in Soviet Ukraine.

April 30 ndash The Easter Rising occurs in Ireland.

Beginning of the Armenian Genocide.

The first ever Challenge Cup final is played at Headingley.

Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878: the Russian Empire declares war on the Ottoman Empire.

Murder of servant girl Jane Clouson in Eltham.

Greek War of Independence ndash Battle of Phaleron: Ottoman troops defeats the Greek rebels.

The U.S. Library of Congress is founded.

Highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier becomes the first person executed by guillotine.

"La Marseillaise", the French national anthem, is composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle.

The guillotine is first used experimentally in France.

War of the Austrian Succession: A congress assembles at Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) with the intent to conclude the war.

August ndash The Camberwell Beauty butterfly is named after specimens found at Camberwell in London.

The first regular newspaper in British North America, "The Boston News-Letter", is published.

The massacre of the Waldensians by Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy, memorialized in a poem.

Encouraged by Charles d'Albert, the seventeen-year-old Louis XIII, king of France, forces his mother Marie de Medici, who has held "de facto" power, into retirement and has her favourite, Concino Concini, assassinated.

Encouraged by Charles d\\'Albert, the seventeen-year-old Louis XIII, king of France, forces his mother Marie de Medici, who has held "de facto" power, into retirement and has her favourite, Concino Concini, assassinated.

Battle of Sangju: The Japanese are victorious over the Koreans.

Pope Sixtus V succeeds Pope Gregory XIII as the 227th pope.

Mary, Queen of Scots, marries Francis II of France.

Battle of Mühlberg: Emperor Charles V defeats the Lutheran forces of the Schmalkaldic League.

Battle of Sahart: The Emperor of Ethiopia defeated an attack by the forces of ImamAhmad Gragn.

Revolt of the Comuneros ndash Battle of Villalar: Castilian royalists defeat the rebels and execute their three leaders.

Pope Nicholas I succeeds Pope Benedict III as the 105th pope.