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From today's featured article Hurricane Florence The 1994 Atlantic hurricane season produced only seven named tropical cyclones and three hurricanes, and was the only Atlantic hurricane season of the 1990s with no major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale). Tropical activity lasted from Alberto's formation on June 30 to Gordon's weakening on November 21. Tropical Storm Alberto produced significant rainfall and flooding in the Southeastern United States, damaging or destroying over 18,000 homes. In August, Tropical Storm Beryl produced its heaviest rainfall in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Along with a tornado it spawned, Beryl caused numerous injuries. Tropical Storm Debby killed nine people in the Caribbean in September. Florence was the most intense hurricane, at Category 2, but never made landfall. Extreme flooding and mudslides from Hurricane Gordon caused around 1,122 fatalities in Haiti and other deaths over the course of six landfalls from Costa Rica to North Carolina. A nor'easter in December may have had tropical characteristics, but was not classified as a tropical system. (Full article...) Recently featured: Mantis William O'Connell Bradley Daisy Jugadai Napaltjarri Did you know... Camaron rebosado being fried ... that camaron rebosado (example pictured) is a Philippine dish that has a Spanish name, but originated in China? ... that the detective fiction writer Soeman Hs is considered a pioneer of the Indonesian short story for his collection Kawan Bergeloet? ... that Orange Is the New Black is the first series to receive Emmy Award nominations in both the comedy and drama categories? ... that environmental and children's rights activist Rosemary Edna Sinclair was named Miss Australia 1960? ... that after the Sudeten German Party was banned, its followers in areas that remained in Czechoslovakia regrouped as the German People's Group? ... that rags-to-riches colonial Virginia slave owner Samuel Gist owned as many as 1000 slaves, most of whom were freed after his death? ... that St Tewdric's axed or speared skull is purportedly buried under the altar of St Tewdric's Church? ... that the pilot of Carson Air Flight 66 flew his plane while intoxicated?

In the news Atsede Baysa At least 28 people are killed and more than 320 others injured in an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. Ethiopians Lemi Berhanu Hayle and Atsede Baysa (pictured) win the men's and women's Boston Marathon, respectively. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake hits Ecuador, killing at least 480 people and injuring more than 4,000 others. Two earthquakes kill at least 40 people and injure more than 3,000 others across Kyushu, Japan. Volodymyr Groysman is appointed Prime Minister of Ukraine following the resignation of Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Argentina reaches an agreement to issue bonds and pay its creditors, ending a 15-year sovereign default. Ongoing events Recent deaths: Estelle Balet Bill Gray Malick Sidibé On this day... April 20: Ridván begins at sunset (Bahá'í Faith); 4/20 (cannabis culture) Pope Leo XIII 1657 – Anglo-Spanish War: An English fleet under Admiral Robert Blake attacked a Spanish treasure fleet at Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands. 1792 – After Foreign Minister Charles François Dumouriez presented the French Legislative Assembly with a long list of grievances against Austria, France declared war to begin the French Revolutionary Wars. 1884 – Pope Leo XIII (pictured) published the encyclical Humanum genus, denouncing Freemasonry as well as a number of beliefs and practices purportedly associated with it such as popular sovereignty and the separation of church and state. 1968 – British Member of Parliament Enoch Powell made his controversial "Rivers of Blood" speech in opposition to immigration and anti-discrimination legislation, resulting in his removal from the Shadow Cabinet. 1998 – The violent German revolutionary group known as the Red Army Faction announced that it had dissolved. More anniversaries: April 19 April 20 April 21

Today's featured picture On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon, a semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit owned and operated by Transocean and drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field southeast of the Louisiana coast, exploded. The explosion killed eleven workers, injured sixteen others, and caused the Deepwater Horizon to catch fire and sink. The same blowout also caused a massive offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This spill has been considered the largest accidental marine oil spill to date, as well as the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. Photograph: United States Coast Guard; edit: Ottojula and Mark Miller Recently featured: Siproeta stelenes Libra (constellation) Balearic green toad

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