WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2012

Today is Wednesday, April 18, the 109th day of 2012. There are 257 days left in the year.

1775 ― Paul Revere & William Dawes warn ``the British are coming!"

1853 ― First train in Asia (Bombay to Tanna, 36 km)

1906 ― San Francisco earthquake and fire kills nearly 4,000 and destroys 75 percent of the city

1909 ― Joan of Arc declared a saint

1924 ― First crossword puzzle book published (Simon & Schuster)

1948 ― International Court of Justice opens at Hague Netherlands

1950 ― First transatlantic jet passenger trip

1954 ― Colonel Nasser seizes power and becomes P.M. of Egypt

1964 ― Sandy Koufax is first to strike out the side on nine pitches

1994 ― Former U.S. President Richard Nixon suffers a stroke and dies four days later