🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on April 25:

2014 — Officials in Flint, Michigan, switched the city's water supply to the Flint River, leading to a public health crisis due to lead contamination.

1990 — The Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, beginning its mission to capture unprecedented images of the universe.

1959 — The St. Lawrence Seaway officially opened, creating a direct shipping route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes and boosting North American trade.

1901 — New York became the first US state to require motor vehicles to display license plates, introducing standardized vehicle identification.

1859 — Construction of the Suez Canal began under French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps, aiming to connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas for global trade.

1792 — French officials used the guillotine for the first time in Paris, introducing it as the new method of execution during the French Revolution.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On April 25, we’re singing to:

Oliver Cromwell (1599) — English military and political leader who ruled as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland after the English Civil War.

Guglielmo Marconi (1874) — Italian physicist and inventor who developed the first practical radio communication system, earning a Nobel Prize in Physics.

Ella Fitzgerald (1917) — American jazz singer known as the "First Lady of Song," celebrated for her impeccable vocal range and timeless hits such as “Summertime.”

Al Pacino (1940) — American actor and filmmaker renowned for his intense performances in The Godfather trilogy, Scarface, and Scent of a Woman.

Renée Zellweger (1969) — American actress acclaimed for her roles in Bridget Jones’s Diary, Chicago, Judy, for which she won a Best Actress Academy Award, and Cold Mountain, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award.

 🪦Who Died Today?

On April 25, we’re saying goodbye to:

Chongzhen (1644) — The last emperor of China’s Ming dynasty, who took his own life as rebel forces captured Beijing.

William Cowper (1800) — British poet and hymn writer known for his works The Task and “God Moves in a Mysterious Way,” as well as for influencing the Romantic movement.

Ginger Rogers (1995) — American actress and dancer best known for her iconic on-screen partnership with Fred Astaire in classic Hollywood musicals.

Harry Belafonte (2023) — American singer, actor, and activist famed for popularizing calypso music with hits such as “Day-O” and for his contributions to civil rights.

How Am I Doing?