On This Day — 14 April

2024

Flooding in the Persian Gulf starts, killing 19 in Oman.

2024 Persian Gulf floods

2023

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is launched by the European Space Agency.

Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer

2022

Russian invasion of Ukraine: The Russian warship Moskva is struck by two anti-ship missiles and sinks into the Black Sea.

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

2016

The foreshock of a major earthquake occurs in Kumamoto, Japan.

2016 Kumamoto earthquakes

2014

Two bombs detonate at a bus station in Nyanya, Nigeria, killing at least 88 people and injuring hundreds. Boko Haram claims responsibility.

April 2014 Nyanya bombing

2014

Boko Haram abducts 276 girls from a school in Chibok, Nigeria.

Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping

2006

Twin blasts triggered by crude bombs during Asr prayer in the Jama Masjid mosque in Delhi injure 13 people.

2006 Jama Masjid bombings

2005

The Oregon Supreme Court nullifies marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples a year earlier by Multnomah County.

Oregon Supreme Court

2003

The Human Genome Project is completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%.

Human Genome Project

2003

U.S. troops in Baghdad capture Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian group that killed an American on the hijacked cruise liner MS Achille Lauro in 1985.

Baghdad

2002

Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez returns to office two days after being ousted and arrested by the country's military.

Venezuela

2001

Series of bombings at Ramna Park in Dhaka during the Bengali New Year celebrations leave 10 people dead and dozens other injured.

2001 Ramna Batamul bombings

1999

NATO mistakenly bombs a convoy of ethnic Albanian refugees. Yugoslav officials say 75 people were killed.

NATO

1999

A severe hailstorm strikes Sydney, Australia causing A$2.3 billion in insured damages, the most costly natural disaster in Australian history.

1999 Sydney hailstorm

1997

Pai Hsiao-yen, daughter of Taiwanese artiste Pai Bing-bing, is kidnapped on her way to school, preceding her murder.

Murder of Pai Hsiao-yen

1994

In a friendly fire incident during Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq, two U.S. Air Force aircraft mistakenly shoot-down two U.S. Army helicopters, killing 26 people.

Friendly fire

1991

The Republic of Georgia introduces the post of President following its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.

Georgia (country)

1988

The USS Samuel B. Roberts strikes a mine in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will.

USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58)

1988

In a United Nations ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Soviet Union signs an agreement pledging to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

United Nations

1986

The heaviest hailstones ever recorded, each weighing 1 kilogram (2.2 lb), fall on the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh, killing 92.

Hail

1981

STS-1: The first operational Space Shuttle, Columbia, completes its first test flight.

STS-1

1979

The Progressive Alliance of Liberia stages a protest, without a permit, against an increase in rice prices proposed by the government, with clashes between protestors and the police resulting in over 70 deaths and over 500 injuries.

Progressive Alliance of Liberia

1978

Tbilisi demonstrations: Thousands of Georgians demonstrate against Soviet attempts to change the constitutional status of the Georgian language.

1978 Georgian demonstrations

1967

Gnassingbé Eyadéma overthrows Nicolas Grunitzky and installs himself as the new President of Togo, a title he will hold for the next 38 years.

Gnassingbé Eyadéma

1958

The Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission duration of 162 days. This was the first spacecraft to carry a living animal, a female dog named Laika, who likely lived only a few hours.

Soviet Union

1945

World War II: In what becomes known as the Razing of Friesoythe, the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division deliberately destroys the German town of Friesoythe on the orders of Major General Christopher Vokes.

Razing of Friesoythe

1941

World War II: German and Italian forces attack Tobruk, Libya.

Siege of Tobruk

1940

World War II: Royal Marines land in Namsos, Norway, preceding a larger force which will arrive two days later.

World War II

1935

The Black Sunday dust storm, considered one of the worst storms of the Dust Bowl, sweeps across the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and neighboring areas.

Black Sunday (storm)

1931

The Second Spanish Republic is proclaimed and King Alfonso XIII goes into exile. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Francesc Macià proclaims the Catalan Republic.

Second Spanish Republic

1929

The inaugural Monaco Grand Prix takes place in the Principality of Monaco. William Grover-Williams wins driving a Bugatti Type 35.

1929 Monaco Grand Prix

1912

The British passenger liner RMS Titanic hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic and begins to sink.

Titanic

1909

Muslims in the Ottoman Empire begin a massacre of Armenians in Adana.

Ottoman Empire

1908

Hauser Dam, a steel dam on the Missouri River in Montana, fails, sending a surge of water 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 m) high downstream.

Hauser Dam

1906

The first meeting of the Azusa Street Revival, which will launch Pentecostalism as a worldwide movement, is held in Los Angeles.

Azusa Street Revival

1900

The world's fair Exposition Universelle opens in Paris.

Exposition Universelle (1900)

1895

The 1895 Ljubljana earthquake, both the most and last destructive earthquake in the area, occurs.

1895 Ljubljana earthquake

1894

The first ever commercial motion picture house opens in New York City, United States. It uses ten Kinetoscopes, devices for peep-show viewing of films.

Film

1890

The Pan-American Union is founded by the First International Conference of American States in Washington, D.C.

Organization of American States

1881

The Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight occurs in El Paso, Texas.

Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight

1865

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth; Lincoln dies the following day.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

1865

William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State, and his family are attacked at home by Lewis Powell.

William H. Seward

1858

The 1858 Christiania fire severely destroys several city blocks near Stortorvet in Christiania, Norway, and about 1,000 people lose their homes.

1858 Christiania fire

1849

Hungary declares itself independent of Austria with Lajos Kossuth as its leader.

Hungarian Declaration of Independence

1816

Bussa, a slave in British-ruled Barbados, leads a slave rebellion, for which he is remembered as the country's first national hero.

Bussa's rebellion

1793

The French troops led by Léger-Félicité Sonthonax defeat the slaves settlers in the Siege of Port-au-Prince.

Léger-Félicité Sonthonax

1775

The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, the first abolition society in North America, is organized in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush.

Pennsylvania Abolition Society

1639

Thirty Years' War: Forces of the Holy Roman Empire and Electorate of Saxony are defeated by the Swedes at the Battle of Chemnitz, ending the military effectiveness of the Saxon army for the rest of the war and allowing the Swedes to advance into Bohemia.

Thirty Years' War

1561

A celestial phenomenon is reported over Nuremberg, described as an aerial battle.

1561 celestial phenomenon over Nuremberg

1471

In England, the Yorkists under Edward IV defeat the Lancastrians under the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet; the Earl is killed and Edward resumes the throne.

House of York

1395

Tokhtamysh–Timur war: At the Battle of the Terek River, Timur defeats the army of the Golden Horde, beginning the khanate's permanent military decline.

Tokhtamysh–Timur war

1205

Combined Bulgarian and Cuman army under Kalojan ambushes and defeats forces of the Latin Empire of Constantinople in the Battle of Adrianople.

Kaloyan of Bulgaria

972

Otto II, Co-Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, marries Byzantine princess Theophanu. She is crowned empress by Pope John XIII in Rome the same day.

Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor

966

Following his marriage to the Christian Doubravka of Bohemia, the pagan ruler of the Polans, Mieszko I, converts to Christianity, an event considered to be the founding of the Polish state.

Doubravka of Bohemia

69

Vitellius, commanding Rhine-based armies, defeats Roman emperor Otho in the First Battle of Bedriacum to take power over Rome.

AD 69

-43

Legions loyal to the Roman Senate, commanded by Gaius Pansa, defeat the forces of Mark Antony in the Battle of Forum Gallorum.

Roman Senate