Today is Friday, April 25, the 115th day of 2025. There are 250 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On April 25, 1945, during World War II, delegates from 50 countries opened a conference in San Francisco to create the Charter of the United Nations.
Also on this date:
In 1507, a world map produced by German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller contained the first recorded use of the term “America,” in honor of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci.
In 1859, ground was broken in Egypt for construction of the Suez Canal.
In 1898, the United States Congress declared war against Spain, leading to the 16-week Spanish-American War and America’s victory, resulting in the acquisition of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
In 1915, during World War I, Allied soldiers invaded the Gallipoli Peninsula in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Ottoman Empire out of the war.
In 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened to commercial traffic, connecting all five Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was deployed in orbit from the space shuttle Discovery, although it was later discovered that the telescope’s primary mirror was flawed, requiring corrective components for optimal focus.
In 2014, officials in Flint, Michigan changed the city’s water supply to the Flint River, resulting in dangerous levels of lead and bacteria exposure to residents, leading to a public health crisis that took five years to resolve.
Today’s Birthdays:
– Actor Al Pacino is celebrating his 85th birthday.
– Musician-producer Björn Ulvaeus (ABBA) turns 80.
– Actor Talia Shire is 79.
– NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is 63.
– Actor Hank Azaria celebrates his 61st birthday.
– Sportscaster Joe Buck is 56.
– Actor Gina Torres also turns 56.
– Actor Renée Zellweger is celebrating her 56th birthday.
– Actor Jason Lee is 55.
– Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Duncan turns 49.
