Although physically removed on April 9, 2003, Saddam Hussein’s statue toppling in Baghdad’s Firdos Square was symbolically marked by Iraqis on April 28 — his birthday — as a rejection of his regime.
đź“Ť Baghdad, Iraq
The International Labour Organization (ILO) began observing World Day for Safety and Health at Work to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. It has become a key date for labor awareness.
đź“Ť Geneva, Switzerland
Yasser Arafat was officially appointed as the first President of the Palestinian Authority following elections. His leadership came amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and international scrutiny.
đź“Ť Gaza City, Palestinian Territories
U.S. President Richard Nixon released over 1,200 pages of edited transcripts from White House conversations regarding the Watergate scandal. The move failed to quell public and political demands for full disclosure.
đź“Ť Washington, D.C., United States
Boxing champion Muhammad Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, citing religious beliefs and opposition to the war. He was later stripped of his title and faced legal battles for years.
đź“Ť Houston, Texas, United States
France formally withdrew from NATO’s integrated military command under President Charles de Gaulle, asserting greater independence in defense matters while remaining a member of the alliance politically.
đź“Ť Paris, France
The globally popular magazine *Reader’s Digest* released its first Chinese-language edition, expanding its influence across East Asia and promoting international literature and ideas in a digest format.
đź“Ť Hong Kong
The Lockheed U-2, a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed by the CIA and U.S. Air Force, made its first successful test flight. It would become a crucial asset during the Cold War for aerial intelligence gathering.
đź“Ť Groom Lake (Area 51), Nevada, United States
The Treaty of San Francisco came into effect, officially ending the U.S.-led Allied occupation of Japan after World War II. Japan regained sovereignty and began its postwar reconstruction as a democratic nation.
đź“Ť Tokyo, Japan
Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl set sail from Peru on a balsa wood raft named Kon-Tiki to demonstrate that ancient people could have made transoceanic voyages from South America to Polynesia.
đź“Ť Callao, Peru
Italy officially set the date for a public referendum to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic following the fall of Mussolini’s regime and the end of WWII. The vote would later lead to the exile of King Umberto II.
đź“Ť Rome, Italy
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was captured by partisans while attempting to flee Italy near Lake Como. He was executed the same day, marking a symbolic end to fascist rule in Italy during World War II.
đź“Ť Dongo, Italy
Iraq formally withdrew from the League of Nations, becoming one of several countries to distance itself from the declining intergovernmental organization just before World War II broke out.
đź“Ť Geneva, Switzerland
April 28 marked the birthday of Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq. During his rule, the day was declared a national holiday and celebrated with parades and state propaganda until the fall of his regime.
đź“Ť Al-Awja, Tikrit, Iraq
Imperial Airways served the first-ever in-flight commercial airline meal on a flight from London to Paris. This milestone in aviation hospitality marked the beginning of onboard service traditions.
📍 London–Paris Route
The French guillotine was used for the first time on Nicolas Jacques Pelletier, following its adoption as a humane method of capital punishment during the French Revolution.
đź“Ť Paris, France
Discontented sailors led by Fletcher Christian mutinied against Captain William Bligh aboard the HMS Bounty in the South Pacific. The story became one of history’s most famous naval mutinies and inspired numerous books and films.
đź“Ť Near Tofua, South Pacific Ocean
Maryland ratified the United States Constitution, becoming the seventh state to do so and contributing to the eventual formation of the U.S. federal government under the new charter.
đź“Ť Annapolis, Maryland, United States
Captain James Cook and his crew aboard the HMS Endeavour made landfall at Botany Bay on the eastern coast of Australia. The landing would have lasting consequences for Indigenous Australians and British colonization.
đź“Ť Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia
The Peace of Münster was signed as part of the larger Peace of Westphalia treaties, formally recognizing the independence of the Dutch Republic from Spain and ending the Eighty Years’ War.
đź“Ť MĂĽnster, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany)