TODAY IN HISTORY

• Jackie Robinson Day ( US)

• World Art Day

• 2019 - France

Notre- Dame de Paris cathedral went up in flames, which devastated the Parisian landmark.

• 2015 - Nigeria

A mysterious disease broke out in Ode- Irele town, Ondo State that left 18 people dead The disease, whose symptoms include headache, weight loss, blurred vision and loss of consciousness, killed the victims within 24 hours of their falling ill. On April 20, health authorities said ethanol poisoning from a local gin was responsible for the deaths. By April 27 the toll reached 23.

• 2014 - Nigeria

20 girls escaped from Boko Haram abduction at the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School, Borno State. A military spokesman said all but eight of the girls were freed, but the school principal insisted the girls were still missing. The number of kidnapped girls was later raised to 276

• 2009 - Nigeria

Federal Government set up a panel to probe a multimillion dollar cash- forcontract scandal involving US giant Halliburton and reportedly implicating three former presidents.

• 2004 - Finland

Tim Berners- Lee, inventor of the world wide web www, became the first recipient of Finland’s Millennium Technology Prize.

• 1998 - Cambodia

Dictator Pol Pot ( 73) of the Khmer Rouge genocide died of a heart attack in Anlong Veng, northern Cambodia. His body was cremated. It was later reported that he killed himself with malaria pills and tranquilizers after learning that an aide planned to hand him over to the US. In 2001 the place of his death was designated as historic site and plans made to make it a tourist attraction

• 1989 - UK

Hillsborough disaster: A human crush occured at Hillsborough Stadium, home of Sheffield, in the FA Cup Semi- final, resulting in the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans

• 1947 - USA

Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking baseball's colour line as the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era. His fast- paced runs led to the coinage of the word: “Before you say Jack Robinson.”

• 1912 - UK

British passenger liner RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic at 2: 20a. m., two hours and 40 minutes after hitting an iceberg. 710 of 2,227 passengers and crew on board survived.