April 8th

Congressional and White House negotiators struck a last-minute budget deal ahead of a midnight deadline, averting a federal shutdown and cutting billions in spending.

Somali pirates hijacked the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama. (The crew retook the cargo ship, and Navy sharpshooters killed two pirates holding the ship's American captain.).

World leaders joined pilgrims and prelates in St. Peter's Square for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

Darfur conflict: The Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups.

Rock singer-musician Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was found dead in Seattle at age 27 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Tennis player Arthur Ashe announced that he had AIDS.

Ryan White, an AIDS patient whose battle for acceptance gained national attention, died at age 18.

The Clash's self-titled debut album was released in Britain.

Artist Pablo Picasso died at age 91.

The Senate rejected President Richard Nixon's nomination of G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court.

One of the first modern programming languages is created. The Common Business-Oriented Language or COBOL was primarily designed by a woman, Grace Hopper. Also known as Amazing Grace, she is regarded as one of the pioneers in the field.

Jomo Kenyatta is sentenced to 7 years hard labor. Kenyatta led the Mau Mau movement against the British colonialists. He is considered to be Kenya's founding father and became the country's first President in 1964.

President Harry S. Truman seized the steel industry to avert a nationwide strike.

The Works Progress Administration was approved by Congress.

First lady Betty Ford was born Elizabeth Bloomer in Chicago.

The 17th amendment to the Constitution, providing for the popular election of U.S. senators, was ratified.

France and the United Kingdom sign the Entente cordiale. The treaty, which was initially designed to regulate the countries' colonial interests in Africa, later evolved into the Triple Entente to fight Germany in World War I.

Battle of Atbara River, Anglo-Egyptian forces crush 6,000 Sudanese.

William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons.

Ayutthaya kingdom falls to Burmese invaders.

Explorer Juan Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain.