In History, Today on April 26

Pfizer announced it would seek Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA for its COVID-19 antiviral treatment, Paxlovid, for children aged 6 to 17.

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter conducted its third flight on Mars, flying faster and further than on its previous attempts.

The leaders of North and South Korea, Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, met at the inter-Korean summit in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). This historic meeting marked the first time a North Korean leader had crossed into South Korean territory since the Korean War, and it aimed to discuss denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history, continued to unfold as efforts to contain the spill were underway. The spill began on April 20, 2010, following an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

The World Health Organization stated that the outbreak of swine flu was a public health emergency of international concern.

Syria withdrew the last of its military forces from Lebanon, ending a 29-year military presence in the country. This withdrawal was a result of international pressure following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The first multi-racial elections began in South Africa, marking the end of apartheid and leading to Nelson Mandela's election as president.

The Chernobyl disaster occurs at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union, resulting in a catastrophic nuclear accident.

Tanganyika and Zanzibar merge to form Tanzania.

The Ranger 4 spacecraft, launched by NASA, crashes into the Moon, becoming the first U.S. spacecraft to reach another celestial body.

The Battle of Bautzen, a significant battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, commenced between German and Soviet forces, with Soviet and Polish forces attempting to capture the region from the German army.

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) was founded in the United States to provide support for scholarship and general scholarship funds at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

The bombing of Guernica occurs during the Spanish Civil War, carried out by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe and the Italian Aviazione Legionaria, causing widespread destruction and civilian casualties.

The Gestapo, the official secret police of Nazi Germany, is established by Hermann Göring.

The Manchester Ship Canal was officially opened by Queen Victoria after eight years of construction, linking Manchester to the Irish Sea.

Henry McCarty, known as Billy the Kid, was captured by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Stinking Springs and later escaped.

Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrenders to Union General William T. Sherman near Durham, North Carolina, effectively ending the American Civil War.

The first theatre to be gas-lit in Europe, the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique, opened in Paris, France.

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in New Zealand by Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown.

Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire, marking the start of the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829.

British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval survives an assassination attempt.

Thousands of meteor fragments fall from the skies of L'Aigle, France, convincing European scientists that meteors exist.

During the American Revolutionary War, Sybil Ludington rides 40 miles to warn militiamen of the approaching British forces.

Russia, Austria, and France sign the Treaty of Saint Petersburg, a defensive alliance against Prussia during the Seven Years' War.

English colonists make landfall at Cape Henry, Virginia, marking the beginning of what would become the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown.

William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He would become one of the most influential playwrights and poets in the English language.

In Seville, Spain, explorer Juan Ponce de León was granted the first contract to colonize and govern the new lands he had discovered, known today as Florida.

The Pazzi Conspiracy: An attempt to assassinate Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother Giuliano during Easter mass in Florence, resulting in Giuliano's death.

Francesco Petrarca, known as Petrarch, ascends Mont Ventoux in France, an event often considered symbolic of the Renaissance's humanist spirit.

John of England is proclaimed King of England after the death of his brother Richard I.

Pope Leo III is attacked by a mob in Rome, leading to his flight to Charlemagne for protection.

The Battle of Bagrevand took place, marking a significant conflict between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Armenian forces. This battle was part of the larger Abbasid efforts to consolidate control over the region, which had been a site of resistance and rebellion against Arab rule.

Pope Paul I is elected as the 93rd pope of the Catholic Church.