Editing 1990 (section)

===April===
* [[April 1]]
** The [[Poll tax (Great Britain)|Community Charge]] (poll tax) takes effect in England and Wales amid widespread protests
** [[Strangeways Prison riot]]: The longest prison riot in Britain's history begins at [[Strangeways Prison]] in [[Manchester]], and continues for 3 weeks and 3 days, until [[April 25]].
** The [[1990 United States census]] begins. There are 248,709,873 residents in the U.S.
* [[April 6]] – [[Robert Mapplethorpe]]'s "The Perfect Moment" show of nude and homoerotic photographs opens at the [[Cincinnati]] [[Contemporary Arts Center]], in spite of accusations of indecency by [[Citizens for Community Values]].
* [[April 7]]
** [[Iran–Contra affair]]: [[John Poindexter]] is found guilty of 5 charges for his part in the scandal; the convictions are later reversed on appeal.
** ''[[MS Scandinavian Star]]'', a [[The Bahamas|Bahamas]]-registered ferry, catches fire en route from Norway to Denmark, leaving 158 dead.
* [[April 8]]
** In [[Kingdom of Nepal|Nepal]], [[Birendra of Nepal]] lifts a ban on political parties following violent protests.
** In the [[1990 Greek legislative election|Greek legislative election]], the conservative [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] wins the most seats in the [[Hellenic Parliament]]; its leader, [[Konstantinos Mitsotakis]], becomes [[Prime Minister of Greece]] on April 11.
** In the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]], the [[Socialist Republic of Slovenia]] holds Yugoslavia's [[1990 Slovenian parliamentary election|first multiparty election since 1938]]. After the election, a center-right coalition led by [[Lojze Peterle]] forms Yugoslavia's first non-Communist government since [[1945]].
* [[April 9]] – [[C/1989 X1 (Austin)|Comet Austin]] makes its closest approach to the [[sun]].
* [[April 12]] – [[Lothar de Maizière]] becomes prime minister of [[East Germany]], heading a [[Grand coalition (Germany)|grand coalition]] that favors [[German reunification]].
* [[April 13]] – [[Cold War (1985–1991)|Cold War]]: The [[Soviet Union]] apologizes for the [[Katyn massacre]].
* [[April 14]] – [[Junk bond]] financier [[Michael Milken]] pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges. He agreed to pay US$500 million in restitution and was sentenced on [[November 21]] to 10 years in jail.
* [[April 20]] – 17-year-old [[Disappearance of Christopher Kerze|Christopher Kerze]] goes missing in [[Eagan, Minnesota]]. He remains missing {{as of|2024|May|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Missing Person / NamUs #MP6261 {{!}} NamUs |url=https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/MP6261 |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=namus.nij.ojp.gov |language=en}}</ref>
* [[April 21]] – Japanese [[:fi:Yoshio Tani|Yoshio Tani]], M.Sc. murders gold merchant Turkka Elovirta and businessman Juhani Komulainen in [[Siuntio]], [[Finland]], having convinced them to buy a nonexistent 500 kilogram stash of [[Nazi gold]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/art-2000002985375.html|title=Kultakauppiaiden murhista syytetty japanilainen kiisti|work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|date=1990-05-31|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209191740/https://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/art-2000002985375.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/kotimaa/a/33e1faba-8512-4d20-a1bc-36cddd08a395|title=Natsikultaa ei edes ollut olemassa – silti kaksi miestä kuoli Siuntiossa sen vuoksi|work=[[Iltalehti]]|date=2021-07-26|access-date=2022-02-09|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209191741/https://www.iltalehti.fi/kotimaa/a/33e1faba-8512-4d20-a1bc-36cddd08a395|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[April 22]]
** [[Lebanon hostage crisis]]: Lebanese kidnappers release American educator Robert Polhill, who had been held hostage since January 1987.
** [[Earth Day#Earth Day 1990 to 1999|Earth Day]] 20 is celebrated by millions worldwide.
* [[April 24]]
** [[Cold War (1985–1991)|Cold War]]: West Germany and [[East Germany]] agree to merge currency and economies on [[July 1]].
** ''[[STS-31]]'': The [[Hubble Space Telescope]] is launched aboard [[Space Shuttle Discovery|Space Shuttle ''Discovery'']].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-31.html|title=STS-31|work=Mission Archives|publisher=[[NASA]]|date=2006-10-14|access-date=2013-01-17|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107062400/https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-31.html%20|url-status=live}}</ref>
** [[President of Zaire]] [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] lifts a 20-year ban on opposition parties.
* [[April 25]] – [[Violeta Chamorro]] is sworn in as [[President of Nicaragua]], the first woman elected (February 25) in her own right as a head of state in the Americas.
* [[April 26]] – A [[1990 Gonghe earthquake|7.0 earthquake]] shakes the Chinese province of [[Qinghai]] leaving 126 dead.
* [[April 30]] – [[Lebanon hostage crisis]]: Lebanese kidnappers release American educator Frank H. Reed, who had been held hostage since September [[1986]].