On This Day: 18 April

18 April in world history

• 2023Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems a $787 million settlement over defamation claims related to the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
• 2019The United States Department of Justice released a redacted version of the Mueller report about the investigation of Russian influence on the U.S. presidential election to Congress and the public.
• 1996Operation Grapes of Wrath: Israeli forces shelled Qana, Lebanon, killing at least 100 civilians and injuring more than 110 others at a United Nations compound.
• 1980The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency.
• 1972East African Airways Flight 720 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 43.
• 1949The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 came into force, describing Ireland as a republic and ending its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
• 1947The Operation Big Bang, the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion to that time, destroys bunkers and military installations on the North Sea island of Heligoland, Germany.
• 1945Italian resistance movement: In Turin, despite the harsh repressive measures adopted by Nazi-fascists, a great pre-insurrectional strike begins.
• 1942World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya are bombed.
• 1939Robert Menzies, who became Australia's longest-serving prime minister, is elected as leader of the United Australia Party after the death of Prime Minister Joseph Lyons.
• 1938Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster of DC Comics, made his debut in Action Comics #1, the first true superhero comic book.
• 1899The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria.
• 1864American Civil War: African-American Union soldiers were massacred and mutilated during and after the Battle of Poison Spring.
• 1864Battle of Dybbøl: A Prussian-Austrian army defeats Denmark and gains control of Schleswig. Denmark surrenders the province in the following peace settlement.
• 1797War of the First Coalition: The Peace of Leoben is signed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Maximilian, Count of Merveldt, creating an armistice between France and Austria, setting the stage for the Treaty of Campo Formio and ending the War of the First Coalition.[cit
• 1783Three-Fifths Compromise: The first instance of black slaves in the United States of America being counted as three-fifths of persons (for the purpose of taxation), in a resolution of the Congress of the Confederation. This was later adopted in the 1787 Constit
• 1775American Revolutionary War: Colonists Paul Revere and William Dawes, later joined by Samuel Prescott, began a midnight ride to warn residents of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, about the impending arrival of British troops.
• 1689Glorious Revolution: Provincial militia and citizens in Boston revolted, arresting officials of the Dominion of New England.

Born on 18 April

• 1983Miguel Cabrera, Venezuelan baseball player
• 1953Sk. Mujibur Rahman, Bengali politicianIndia
• 1942Robert Christgau, American journalist and critic
• 1940Joseph L. Goldstein, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate
• 1858Dhondo Keshav Karve, Indian educator and activist, Bharat Ratna Awardee (died 1962)India
• 1771Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg (died 1820)

Died on 18 April

• 2014Guru Dhanapal, Indian director and producer (born 1959)India
• 1898Gustave Moreau, French painter and academic (born 1826)
• 1873Justus von Liebig, German chemist and academic (born 1803)
• 1859Tatya Tope, Indian general (born 1814)India

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 18 April in history?

2023: Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems a $787 million settlement over defamation claims related to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. 2019: The United States Department of Justice released a redacted version of the Mueller report about the investigation of Russian influence on the U.S. presidential election to Congress and the public. 1996: Operation Grapes of Wrath: Israeli forces shelled Qana, Lebanon, killing at least 100 civilians and injuring more than 110 others at a United Nations compound. 1980: The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency.

Which famous people were born on 18 April?

Miguel Cabrera, Venezuelan baseball player (1983); Sk. Mujibur Rahman, Bengali politician (1953); Robert Christgau, American journalist and critic (1942); Joseph L. Goldstein, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (1940).

Which day is observed on 18 April?

World Heritage Day; Army Day (Iran); Coma Patients' Day (Poland); Friend's Day (Brazil); Independence Day (Zimbabwe).