Unix Timestamp: 1208649600
Sunday, April 20. 2008, 12:00:00 AM UTC

The Deepwater Horizon oil platformexplodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers. The resulting Horizon oil spill, one of the largest in history, spreads for several months, damaging the waters and the United States coastline, and prompting international debate and doubt about the practice and procedures of offshore drilling.

The Transocean-owned oil rig Deepwater Horizon explodes, leaking about 4,900,000 barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. At least seven people were injured and over a dozen were missing at sea. //www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36683314 ("MSNBC")

Iran announces a deal with Russia, involving a joint uranium enrichment firm on Russian soil 9 days later Iran announces that it will not move all activity to Russia, thus leading to a de-facto termination of the deal.

May – Human Genome Project publishes the last chromosome sequence, in "Nature".

An earthquake (5.8 on the Richter scale) hits Fukuoka and Kasuga, Fukuoka, Prefecture, Japan, injuring 56.

In Iraq, 12 mortars are fired on Abu Ghraib Prison by insurgents 22 detainees are killed and 92 wounded. //www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-20-iraq_x.htm

Columbine High School massacre: Two Littleton, Colorado teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, open fire on their teachers and classmates, killing 12 students and 1 teacher, and then themselves.

Paul Touvier is found guilty of ordering the execution of 7 Jews when he served in the Vichy FranceMilice.

Noboru Takeshita resigns as Prime Minister of Japan in the wake of a stock-trading scandal.

NATO debates modernising short range missiles although the U.S. and U.K. are in favour, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl obtains a concession deferring a decision.

Sultan Azlan Muhibbudin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuff Izzudin Shah Ghafarullahu-lahu, Sultan of Perak, becomes the 9th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

Zaid al-Rifai resigns as Prime Minister of Jordan in the wake of riots over government imposed price hikes that began on April 18.

The term of Baginda Almutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail as the 8th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia ends.

Motorola introduces the Motorola MicroTAC Personal Cellular Telephone, then the world's smallest mobile phone.

Zaid ibn Shaker succeeds Zaid al-Rifai as Prime Minister of Jordan.

Students from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, and Nanjing begin protesting in Tiananmen Square.

President Jimmy Carter is attacked by a sw rabbit while fishing in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, USA.

An Indian Pacific train en route to Perth, derails near Broken Hill, New South Wales, destroying a quarter mile of track.

In Quebec, Canada, members of the terrorist group Front de libération du Québec, bomb a Canadian Army recruitment center, killing night watchman Wilfred V. O'Neill.

May ndash The Hulk debuts with "The Incredible Hulk" #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

New Orleans Citizens Co gives free 1-way ride to blacks to move North.

Dayton Hudson Corporation opens the first of its Target discount stores in Roseville, Minnesota.

Norwich City wins the English League Cup, beating Rochdale in the final.

Fidel Castro announces that the Bay of Pigs invasion has been defeated.

Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley cup after a defeating the Boston Bruins in 6 games.

The Royal Navyfrigate\\'\\'Amethyst\\'\\' goes up the Yangtze River to evacuate British Commonwealth refugees escaping the advance of Mao's Communist forces. Under heavy fire, she grounds off Rose Island. After an abortive rescue attempt on April 26, she anchors 10 miles upstream. Negotiations with the Communists to let the ship leave drag on for weeks.

The Royal Navy frigate "Amethyst" goes up the Yangtze River to evacuate British Commonwealth refugees escaping the advance of Mao's Communist forces. Under heavy fire, she grounds off Rose Island. After an abortive rescue attempt on April 26, she anchors 10 miles upstream. Negotiations with the Communists to let the ship leave drag on for weeks.

Billie Holiday records Strange Fruit, the first anti-lynching song.

A fire in an elementary school in Kilingi-Nõmme, Estonia, kills seventeen students and injures fifty.

Scopes Trial: Dayton, Tennessee, biology teacher John Scopes is arrested for teaching Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

The General Election Law is passed in Japan.

Iranian forces of Rezā Shāh occupy Ahwaz, and arrest Sheikh Khaz'al.

The Chicago Cubs play their first game at Weeghman Park (currently Wrigley Field), defeating the Cincinnati Reds 7–6 in 11 innings.

Colorado coalfield Massacre or Ludlow Massacre: The Colorado National Guard attacks a tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners in Ludlow, Colorado, killing 24 people.

Comet Halley is visible from Earth.

Occidental College is founded.

The Stawell Gift is run for the first time.

U.S President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Civil Rights Act.

American Civil War ndash The Battle of Washington ends inconclusively in Beaufort County, North Carolina.

American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia.

"A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens is published.

Ramón Castilla loses power in Peru.

Ramón Castilla becomes president of Peru.

May ndash Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" written by himself is published by the Boston Anti-Slavery Society.

The Territory of Wisconsin is created.

France declares war against Austria.

Georgian king Erekle II defeats Persians in battle of Aspindza, though Russian General Totleben betrays him.

The future King George III of the United Kingdom succeeds his father as heir-apparent to the British throne (later that year, he's named Prince of Wales). His mother Augusta of Saxe-Gotha becomes DowagerPrincess of Wales.

Battle of Villafranca (1744): A joint French and Spanish force defeats Britain and Sardinia.

Oliver Cromwell expels the Rump Parliament in England.

Pope Boniface VIII founds the University of Rome La Sapienza.

beginning of the Rintfleisch-Pogrom, the Jews of Röttingen are burned en masse, other Jewish communities destroyed later in the year

Guntherus becomes Bishop of Cologne.

The Council of Laodicea, which deals with constricting the conduct of church members, is held. The major canon approved by this council is Canon 29, which prohibits resting on the Sabbath (Saturday), restricting Christians to honoring the Lord on Sunday.