It happened on a… April 4

2023

Former US President Donald Trump sits in a New York courtroom, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records. It was the first time a current or former president faced criminal charges in American history.

Finland became the 31st member of NATO, wrapping up its historic strategic shift by depositing its accession documents to the alliance.

2017

Alibaba becomes the world’s largest retailer according to US Securities and Exchange Commission.

1999

Jack Ma founds Chinese internet company Alibaba.

1989

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s last NBA game in Seattle.

1986

Wayne Gretzky set an NHL record with his 213th point of the season.

1983

At Cape Canaveral, the space shuttle Challenger took off on its first flight. It was the sixth flight overall for the shuttle program.

1975

Microsoft is founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800.

1968

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39.

1964

The Beatles occupy the top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

1949

Canada and eleven nations signed a treaty to create The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1850

City of Los Angeles incorporated.

1814

Napoleon abdicates for the first time in favour of his son.