Portal:Current events/April 2012

Armed conflicts and attacks

2011-2012 Syrian uprising: Dozens are killed as the Syrian army bombards the city of Homs with artillery fire. (ABC News)
Mali:
- Tuareg rebels seize the town of Gao and the largest military base in Mali amid the ongoing Tuareg Rebellion (BBC) (AFP via Google News)
- Rebels claim to have surrounded Timbuktu. (BBC)

Arts and Culture

The 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards are held in the US city of Las Vegas, Nevada, with the Eli Young Band winning song of the year for "Crazy Girl" and Taylor Swift winning Entertainer of the Year. (AP via Access Atlanta) (AP viaHouston Chronicle)
Feist wins Artist of the Year at the Canadian Juno Awards. (AP via Newsday)

Disasters

A state of emergency is declared in Fiji as nearly 7000 people are displaced and two people have been killed during floods with conditions set to worsen with heavy storms expected following Tropical Depression 17F.(AAP via Herald Sun) (AFP via Perth Now)

Politics and elections

Voters in Burma go to the polls for by-elections for 45 seats, with Aung San Suu Kyi claiming victory in one election. (BBC) (The Telegraph)
The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt nominates chairman Khairat El-Shater as a candidate for the presidential elections in May 2012. (BBC)
Former President of Mexico Miguel de la Madrid dies of complications of lung disease in Mexico City at the age of 77. (Los Angeles Times)

April 2, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflict and attacks

The Colombian leftist group FARC releases its last remaining police and military captives. (BBC)

Business and economy

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission allows the proposed merger of two large firms within the market for pharmacy benefit management, Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions, despite the arguments of many that the degree of concentration that will create in the PBM market will prove unhealthy. (FTC)

Disasters

A twin engine UTair Aviation ATR-72 crashes in western Siberia near the city of Tyumen with at least 31 people dead of the 43 on board. (AFP via Nine-MSN) (BBC) (Reuters)

International Relations

On the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina, Argentina threatens action against United States and United Kingdom banks, while UK Prime Minister David Cameron calls Argentina's 1982 invasion "a profound wrong". (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

The three widows and two daughters of Osama bin Laden are convicted of illegally living in Pakistan and sentenced to 45 days in jail and fined $114 each. (BBC)
A mass shooting at Oikos University at Oakland, California leaves 7 people dead and three injured, according to a police spokesperson. (CNN) (BBC) (KTVU)

Politics and elections

Burma's National League for Democracy claims to have won 43 of 45 seats contested yesterday in by-elections. (CNN)
Pál Schmitt resigns as President of Hungary after his doctorate is revoked in a plagiarism scandal. (AP via Washington Post)

Science

The data from the 1940 United States Census are released including information on 132 million people. (Washington Post) (Daily Mail)

Sports

In basketball, the Kentucky Wildcats win the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 67-59. (Washington Post)

April 3, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Arab Spring:
- 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Fears are expressed for the life of Abdulhadi Khawaja, one of the several opposition leaders sentenced to life imprisonment. (CNN) (Los Angeles Times)
- Thousands of people attend demonstrations in Mauritania calling for the resignation of President Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz. (BBC)
- Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accuses the United Nations Security Council of standing by with its "hands and arms tied" while the Syrian people are killed every day. (BBC)

Business and economy

Spanish joblessness levels hit a record high yet again, with youth unemployment running at 50%. (BBC)
Sanctions on Mali by the Economic Community of West African States imposed after the recent coup d'état result in shortages in the country. (Al Jazeera)
James Murdoch resigns as Chairman of BSkyB in the wake of the News International phone hacking scandal. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)

Disasters

Severe floods caused by recent storms associated with Tropical Depression 17F and Tropical Cyclone Daphne kill at least five people in Fiji and leave 8,000 people in evacuation centres. (CNN)
A fire in a Moscow market kills 17 migrant workers. (RT) (RIA Novosti) (CNN)
Tornadoes impact the Dallas, Texas area as part of the tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012. (Yahoo)

International relations

Tajikistan accuses Uzbekistan of imposing an economic blockade. (BBC)
Qatar rejects Iraq's demand to hand over fugitive Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi. (Al Arabiya)
The latest ASEAN summit begins in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. (Channel News Asia)

Law and crime

A Chinese businessman with links to ousted Communist party official Bo Xilai is detained. (Bangkok Post)
Following last year's defamation of Father Kevin Reynolds by RTÉ, the Irish state-controlled broadcaster's head of current affairs Ed Mulhall retires, Ken O'Shea resigns from Prime Time and a related programme, Prime Time Investigates is axed. (Irish Independent) (The Irish Times)
A memorial service is held for the seven victims of the Oikos University shooting in the US city of Oakland, California. (CNN)
The New York Police Department orders an investigation into the death of French academic Richard Descoings who was found nude in his hotel room. (AFP via The Australian)

Politics and elections

United States Presidential election:
- Voters in the US states of Maryland and Wisconsin as well as Washington, D.C. go to the polls for Republican primaries with Mitt Romney projected as the winner in all three contests. (The Australian) (MCNBC) (CBS News)
- The President of the United States Barack Obama officially secures the nomination of the Democratic Party with wins in the Democratic Party primaries in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington DC. (CNN)

Sports

In basketball, the Baylor Lady Bears win the 2012 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament, defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team 80-61 and becoming the first NCAA basketball team to win 40 games in a season and with an undefeated record. (AP via NPR)

April 4, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2012 South Sudan–Sudan border conflict: The Sudan People's Liberation Army says it shot down a Sudanese MiG-29 jet fighter in South Sudan's Unity state. (CNN)
A suicide bomber kills at least 12 people and injures many more in Afghanistan's Faryab province. (AFP via The Telegraph)
A suicide bomber detonates an explosion in Somalia's national theatre in Mogadishu while a ceremony is taking place, killing at least ten people, including the presidents of the Somali Olympic Committee and the Somali Football Federation. (AP via Winnipeg Free Press) (BBC) (AP via Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Arts and culture

German Nobel laureate Günter Grass's poem, that accuses Israel of plotting to "wipe out" Iran, generates controversy. (AFP via Google)

Disasters

As many as 50,000 homes in northern England are hit by a power blackout after heavy winds, snow and ice bring down electricity cables. (BBC)

International relations

The first deployment of US Marines arrives in the Australian city of Darwin, Northern Territory. (BBC)
The 20th ASEAN Summit meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, calls for sanctions to be lifted against Myanmar or Burma following recent by-elections. (Today Online)

Law and crime

France arrests ten suspected militant Islamists following 13 people arrested last week. (CNN)
Former New Orleans Police Department officers are sentenced to decades in jail for shooting civilians after Hurricane Katrina, and a subsequent coverup. (AP via Washington Post)
A Venezuelan state legislator Juan Carlos Figarella dies after being shot in an apparent robbery on Monday. (AP via Washington Post)

Politics and elections

The President of Serbia Boris Tadić announces his resignation to pave the way for early presidential elections. (AP via Washington Post)

April 5, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflict and attacks

A rocket fired from Egypt's Sinai desert hits the Israeli city of Eilat but causes no injuries or property damage. (Reuters)
Mali's Azawad National Liberation Movement declares an end to military activities, claiming that they have captured enough territory to form their own state. (BBC)
Syrian Army troops launch a fierce attack on the Damascus suburb of Douma. (AP via WVEC)
Rival militias cease fighting in the town of Zuwara in western Libya after the National Transitional Council claims a ceasefire. (Reuters Alertnet)

Business and economy

A Chinese company^{[clarification needed]} that insures ships announces it will stop indemnifying tankers carrying Iranian oil. This represents a continued tightening of world sanctions on Iran. (Reuters)

Disasters

At least 14 people die as a result of severe storms in Argentina, with Buenos Aires Province being the hardest hit. (BBC)

Law and crime

Sky News admits illegally hacking emails belonging to members of the public on two separate occasions. (BBC)
2010–2012 Greek protests: Riot police and protesters clash in Athens, hours after a 77-year-old pensioner's suicide outside parliament. (BBC)
International internet group Anonymous protests censorship by targeting Chinese websites, including government bureaus in several Chinese cities. (Al Jazeera) (AP via The Irish Times)
Russian businessman Victor Bout is sentenced to 25 years in prison for smuggling weapons to the Colombian FARC guerilla movement. (RT)

Politics and elections

Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika is taken to Lilongwe's intensive care unit after cardiac arrest and is reported to have died. (BBC) (Reuters)
Umberto Bossi resigns as the head of the Italian Northern League following a corruption scandal. (BBC)

April 6, 2012 (Friday)

Arts and culture

Bosnia and Herzegovina marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Bosnian War in April 1992. (Irish Times)
Thomas Kinkade, one of the most popular painters in the United States, dies in Los Gatos, California. (San Jose Mercury)

Business and economy

A ban on the display of tobacco products by retailers comes into force in England. Lawmakers hope it will lead to a reduction in the number of young people taking up smoking. (BBC)

Disasters

Seven civilians die in Afghanistan's Panjwai district after a fuel tanker overturns. (AFP via Washington Post)
A United States Navy FA-18 Hornet crashes into an apartment complex in the US city of Virginia Beach, Virginia with minimal injuries and no fatalities. (WAVY-TV) (Fox News) (Reuters)

International relations

Japan renews a territorial claim over Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Dokdo), which South Korea also claims to be part of its territory. (Yonhap)

Politics

Capt Amadou Sanogo, the leader of the Mali coup, states that power will be transferred to the President of the National Assembly after separatist Tuaregs declare independence. (AP via Google News)
The new President of Yemen Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi fires four governors and over a dozen military commanders including the half brother of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh who was head of the Yemeni Air Force. (AP via Google News)

April 7, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflict and attacks

The airport at the Yemeni capital Sana'a is closed after forces loyal to General Mohammed Saleh al-Ahmar, the former Chief of the Air Force and half-brother of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, threaten to attack aircraft. (Al Jazeera)
Burmese President Thein Sein meets representative from the Karen National Union, in an attempt to end one of the world's longest running civil conflicts. (BBC)

Disasters

An avalanche buries about 130 Pakistani Army soldiers near the Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas near the border with India. (MSNBC)

Law and crime

Hamas executes three men (of whom one was convicted of collaborating with Israel) in the Gaza Strip. (AFP via Al-Arabiya)

Politics

Joyce Banda becomes the President of Malawi following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika. (Reuters via Yahoo)
The United Kingdom Home Office is subjected to an attack believed to be from the Anonymous computer hacking group. (BBC)

Sport

The 158th Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge is stopped mid-race due to a swimmer in the water. After a clash of oars at the restart, Cambridge won easily. (BBC) (Yahoo)

April 8, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Syrian uprising:
- At least 40 people are reported killed across Syria ahead of the Tuesday deadline for Syrian armed forces to withdraw from cities, as part of a peace plan brokered by U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan. (CNN)
- In his annual Easter message from the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI calls particularly for "an end to the bloodshed" in Syria. (CNN)
Afghanistan and the United States reach an agreement giving the Government of Afghanistan more control over night raids. (Wall Street Journal)
A car bomb explodes in the Nigerian city of Kaduna killing dozens of people. (AP via Google News) (via Herald-Sun)

Arts and culture

The Internal Affairs Minister of Israel declares German poet and former Waffen-SS soldier Günter Grass, recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature, a persona non grata in a row over his poem "What Must Be Said". (Haaretz) (The Times of Israel) (The Jerusalem Post)

Disasters

Rescuers search for possible survivors of the 2012 Siachen Glacier avalanche that hit a Pakistani Army base and has buried up to 135 people, near the disputed Siachen Glacier. (AAP via SBS)

International relations

The President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari arrives in India on the first visit by a Pakistani President in seven years. (BBC)

Law and crime

U.S. police arrest two men suspected in carrying out a shooting attack in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that happened the day before, leaving three people dead and two injured. The shootings are being investigated as a hate crime. (CNN)

Politics

Voters in South Ossetia go to the polls for the second round of a presidential election with ex-KGB officer Leonid Tibilov elected. (AFP via Google News) (Reuters via Euronews)
The President of Mali Amadou Toumani Toure resigns as part of a deal with coup leaders. (BBC)

Sport

American golfer Bubba Watson wins the US Masters defeating Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa in a playoff. (The Age)

April 9, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Arab Spring:
- 2011–2012 Syrian uprising:
  - Turkey claims that the Syrian Army has opened fire on a refugee camp on Turkish soil injuring three people. (AP via Washington Post)
  - A cameraman from Al Jadeed television station is shot dead by the Syrian army at the Syria-Lebanon border. (Daily Star Lebanon)
- 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Authorities in Bahrain refuse to transfer jailed Shia political activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been performing a hunger strike for two months, to Denmark. (Daily Times of Pakistan) (Al Jazeera)
- Tunisian revolution: Police fire tear gas at demonstrators who defy a government ban on protesting in Tunis. (Al Jazeera)
- 2011–2012 Yemeni revolution: At least 21 people die in clashes between al Qaeda militants and Yemeni Army soldiers in southern Yemen. (CNN)
At least 11 people are killed and over 30 others are seriously injured by a bombing in Baidoa, Somalia. (BBC)

Arts and culture

German Health Minister Daniel Bahr tells Die Welt that the Israeli government's declaration of Günter Grass as persona non grata in reaction to his poem "What Must Be Said" is "exaggerated". Meanwhile, a sculpture celebrating freedom of speech in Göttingen is daubed in red paint telling the recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature to "shut your mouth". (Haaretz)
The Lion King becomes the all-time highest grossing show on Broadway, overtaking The Phantom of the Opera. (Wall Street Journal)

Business and economy

China establishes a rare earth association in order to streamline the sector's development. (BBC)
Facebook buys photo sharing application Instagram for $1 billion. (USA Today)

International relations

North Korea positions a rocket for a launch later in the week, drawing protests from the Western world, South Korea and Japan, all of which suspect the rocket may be a ballistic missile test. (AFP via ABC News Australia)

Law and crime

Charges are dropped against Larisa Litvinova in the case of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, whose controversial death in a Russian jail led to claims of torture and neglect. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Voters go to the polls in Aceh, Indonesia, to elect a new governor. (Al Jazeera)
Malawian President Joyce Banda sacks the national police chief, Peter Mukhito. (Newstime Africa)
The French presidential election campaign officially starts. (BBC)

April 10, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Syrian uprising:
- A United Nations backed deadline for withdrawal of Syrian army troops and weapons passes, with no end to the violence. (BBC)
- Despite the deadline, the violence continues with the Syrian Army shelling the cities of Homs and Hama and insurgents killing six soldiers. (Reuters via The Star)
Bahraini uprising:
- Four people are arrested in a Shiite village in Bahrain after seven policemen are injured in an apparent "terrorist attack". (Al Arabiya)
- Bahrain denies that a jailed hunger striker's health is critical. (Taiwan News)
War in Afghanistan (2001–present):
- A suicide bomber attacks a government office building in Afghanistan's Herat Province with 15 people killed and 22 wounded. (The Guardian) (Al Jazeera)
An investigation finds no evidence against the chief minister of Gujarat, India over deadly riots in the state in 2002. (Bangkok Post)
Raymond Aubrac, one of the heroes of the French Resistance during World War II, dies at the age of 97. (BBC)

Business and economy

The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls over 1% amid concerns in Europe over its debt crisis. (CNN)
American technology company Apple Inc. says that the company is worth more than US$600 billion dollars, making it the largest by market capitalization in the world. (Google News via AP) (BBC)

International relations

North Korean rocket:
- North Korean space officials advise that all preparations have been completed for the launch. (AP via USA Today)
- Several airlines in Asia temporarily re-route flights to avoid a North Korean rocket launch later this week. (Sydney Morning Herald)
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron arrives in Japan for the first leg of an Asian visit. (BBC)

Law and crime

Disabled Chinese land rights lawyer Ni Yulan and her husband are sentenced by a Beijing court a year after they were detained for fraud and "provoking trouble". (Jakarta Post)
The Costa Rican embassy's trade attache in Caracas, Venezuela is kidnapped. (BBC)
The Government of Malaysia introduces legislation banning the arrest of people for political reasons or indefinite detention without trial. (AP via Boston Globe)
A second psychiatric evaluation finds that Anders Behring Breivik is sane enough to face trial for the 2011 Norway attacks and serve a prison sentence if convicted. (BBC)
The attorneys for George Zimmerman, the main person of interest in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, say that they quit representing Zimmerman due to them losing contact with him. (CNN)

Politics

United States presidential election, 2012:
- American politician Rick Santorum suspends his candidacy for the Republican nomination, increasing the likelihood that Mitt Romney will be the nominee. (CBS News)
The Chinese Communist Party suspends the Politburo membership of former senior official Bo Xilai, while his wife Gu Kailai is named as a suspect in the murder of a British businessman. (Times of India) (New York Times)
An Egyptian court halts the creation of a constitutional assembly pending a ruling on its legality. (IOL)

Sport

University of Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino is fired because of misconduct involving an inappropriate relationship with a female employee. (Yahoo)

April 11, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflict and attacks

2012 South Sudan–Sudan border conflict:
- Sudan says that after a battle South Sudan controls Heglig, its largest oil field. (BBC)
A bomb on a bus kills at least two people in the Philippines town of Carmen in Cotabato Province. (AP)

Disasters

Indonesian earthquakes:
- An earthquake occurs off the coast of Aceh in Indonesia with a preliminary magnitude of 8.6 and a tsunami warning issued. There are five indirect fatalities. (NineMSN)
- An 8.2 magnitude aftershock occurs soon after. (News Limited)
Two US service personnel and another two are injured in a helicopter crash in Morocco. (Reuters)
Nine miners are rescued from a collapsed copper mine in southern Peru. (AFP via Herald Sun)

International relations

Vessels from the Philippine Navy and Chinese maritime surveillance are at a standoff after the Philippines attempted to arrest Chinese fishermen in the South China Sea. (AP)

Law and crime

A looter who started a fire at a House of Reeves store during last year's riots in London is jailed for eleven and a half years. (BBC)
A Florida special prosecutor charges George Zimmerman with murder in the second degree in relation to the death of Trayvon Martin. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Voters in South Korea go to the polls for a legislative election with the governing Saenuri Party retaining control of the National Assembly of South Korea. (CNN) (Voice of America)
Kim Jong Un is named as the First Secretary of the North Korean Workers Party with his late father Kim Jong Il declared as its "eternal" General Secretary. (AP via Yahoo News)
First President of Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella dies at the age of 95. (The Guardian)
Lucas Papademos resigns as the Prime Minister of Greece, calling an election for May 6. (AFP via The Australian)

April 12, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflict and attacks

A ceasefire to military operations in the 2011–2012 Syrian uprising comes into effect. (AFP via Melbourne Herald-Sun)
Agence France-Presse reports that the military of Guinea-Bissau have staged a coup against the civilian government. (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Arts and culture

The Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford and the Vatican Library announce they will make 1.5 million pages of ancient texts available on the Internet. (Vatican Radio)
Transport chiefs in London ban a bus advert which suggested gay people could be cured. (Evening Standard)

Business and economy

Sony Corp announces plans to cut 10,000 jobs around the world to reduce costs and return the company to profitability. (Reuters)
Google says that first quarter earnings rose over 24%, with net profit increasing to $8.14 billion. (Business Insider) (Google)

International relations

Japan and the Philippines are on alert for the North Korean rocket launch over the next few days. (AFP via Google News)
The Philippines sends another ship to join the current ship it has involved in a confrontation with two Chinese surveillance ships on the South China Sea, although both sides claim to be committed to a peaceful solution. (BBC) (Wall Street Journal)
Indian Maoists release Italian hostage Paolo Bosusco after holding him for nearly a month. (NDTV)

Law and crime

Eighteen people are sentenced to life imprisonment in India for burning people alive as part of the 2002 Gujarat violence. (IBN Live)
Protesters clash with riot police in the city of Chongqing in southwestern China during a protest over economic grievances from the redistricting of Wansheng District. (AP via Yahoo!)

Politics and elections

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is given two posts in the Workers' Party of Korea previously held by his father Kim Jong-Il, including chairman of the party's Central Military Commission and a standing member of the Politburo. (BBC)
Dioncounda Traore is sworn in as the interim President of Mali, marking a transition back to civilian rule following last month's coup. (BBC)

April 13, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Five people are killed near Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, amid simmering ethnic tensions in the country. (AJB)
A draft United Nations Security Council resolution outlines plans to send observers to Syria to monitor compliance with a new peace plan, as several people are reportedly shot dead after Friday prayers. (BBC)
The Economic Community of West African States condemns an apparent coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan is detained by the United States for 90 minutes at a New York airport; the detention draws ire from India's External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna. (BBC)

Business and economy

Spain seeks to deter Argentina's nationalization of YPF, an Argentine oil company majority-owned by Spain's Repsol, warning that such a nationalization would make Argentina a "pariah". (New York Times)

International relations

North Korea's efforts to launch a long range rocket ends in apparent failure with the rocket breaking up soon after launch. (Reuters via Sydney Morning Herald)
A standoff between Chinese and Filipino ships at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea continues. (Reuters)
David Cameron's visit to Burma:
- British Prime Minister David Cameron makes a historic visit to Burma (Myanmar), becoming the first British Prime Minister to visit that country. (The Independent)
- Following a meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon, Cameron calls for economic sanctions against Burma to be suspended in recognition of the changes taking place there. (BBC)

Politics and elections

The former president of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar, is detained on corruption charges. (AFP)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy admits he did not visit Fukushima while in Japan after last year's earthquake and tsunami, despite having previously said he had done so. (BBC)
Bob Brown resigns as Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and from the Senate. (Herald Sun)

Sports

Clashes between protesters and security forces continue in Bahrain after Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone announces that the Grand Prix will be held there next week. (ITV)
Joe Vitt is named as the interim head coach of the New Orleans Saints for the 2012 season to replace Sean Payton, who was suspended earlier in the year for his role in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. (Yahoo! Sports)
Tom Benson, owner of the Saints, agrees to buy the New Orleans Hornets from the National Basketball Association for an estimated $338 million. (Yahoo! Sports)

April 14, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Anti-austerity demonstrators take place at the ruling Labour Party's centenary conference with protesters using a coffin draped in the Irish tricolour. (The Belfast Telegraph) (The Irish Times) (Irish Examiner)
2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: A 15-year-old is shot through the chest by police in Bahrain. (Al Jazeera)
Sudanese forces advance on the town of Heglig that is occupied by South Sudanese forces during days of cross-border clashes. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters

Tornadoes touch down in the southern central Great Plains of the United States, with hail falling in Oklahoma. (CNN)

International relations

South Korean warships search the Yellow Sea for rocket debris from the failed North Korean Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 launch yesterday. (Jakarta Post)
Iran and world powers, including the United States, Russia, and China, begin talks about Iran's nuclear program. (New York Times)

Sport

Former Italy under-21 footballer Piermario Morosini dies after collapsing face down with a suspected heart attack on the pitch. (BBC)
Neptune Collonges ridden by Daryl Jacob wins the 2012 Grand National, but the race is tinged with sadness following the deaths of this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised and Yorkshire horse According To Pete. (The Telegraph) (The Guardian)

April 15, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2011-2012 Syrian uprising:
- Clashes continue in Syria as United Nations observers are due to arrive in the country. (Buenos Aires Herald)
- The first members of a U.N. monitoring team arrive in Syria, while at least 23 people are reported killed in violence across Syria. (CNN)
Heavily armed Taliban insurgents launch multiple coordinated militant attacks on the British, Russian and German embassies, NATO's headquarters, military bases and the Afghan parliament in central Kabul, Afghanistan, and other cities, including Jalalabad and Gardēz. (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph)
Nearly 400 Islamist militants escape from a prison in northwestern Pakistan after an attack by insurgents. (Vanguard Nigeria)
2012 South Sudan–Sudan border conflict:
- Sudanese warplanes bomb the border town of Heglig, seized by South Sudan last week. (Reuters)
- Five people are killed and five wounded in an aerial bombing attack on the town of Rubkona, South Sudan; a Sudanese military spokesman denies any attack occurred. (CNN)

Arts and culture

Events and ceremonies are held around the world marking the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. (The Observer)
Russian Orthodox patriarch Kirill says the church is stronger than its critics after a series of scandals. (AFP)
Spanish King Juan Carlos is criticised for going on a hunting trip to Botswana while his country is in an economic crisis. (Mail & Guardian)

Business and economy

China loosens controls on the yuan, allowing it to fluctuate up to 1% in trading against the United States dollar, up from 0.5%. (BBC)

International relations

Across Europe, hundreds of activists are prevented by authorities from boarding flights bound for Tel Aviv as part of the Welcome to Palestine campaign. Hundreds of Israeli police officers are deployed at Israel's main airport to arrest any activists who manage to fly in. (Al Jazeera) (The Times of Israel)
The U.S. Secret Service announces it has put 11 agents on leave while it investigates alleged "inappropriate conduct" in Cartagena, Colombia, before the 6th Summit of the Americas there attended by U.S. President Barack Obama. It emerges that five soldiers are also facing investigation. (Associated Press via The Guardian)

Politics

In his first public speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un calls for a push towards "final victory" at a ceremony in Kim Il-sung Square in the capital Pyongyang. (Al Jazeera)
Police in Swaziland detain at least seven activists on their way to a pro-democracy church service in the city of Manzini. (IOL)
Belarus releases a second opposition leader amid pressure from the European Union. (UPI)
Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra plans an early return from exile. (The Mainichi)

April 16, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian uprising:
- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges "maximum restraint" from the Syrian regime as the first UN military observers arrive in Damascus to monitor a fragile ceasefire. (The Daily Telegraph) (Fox News) (Los Angeles Times)
- At least 55 people are reported killed, including 26 in the city of Idlib, as violence increases again despite the arrival of U.N. observers to monitor a cease-fire. (CNN)
Military leaders and a group of political parties in Guinea-Bissau announce the formation of a Transitional National Council after the recent coup; the acting president and prime minister remain in detention. (CNN)
A six-year-old boy is killed and two other children are wounded after a militant throws a hand grenade into a co-educational school near Peshawar, northwest Pakistan. (CNN)

Arts and culture

The Sex Pistols' song "God Save the Queen", which was banned by the BBC, is to be re-released 35 years after its debut, in time for June's Diamond Jubilee. (BBC) (The New York Times)
The 2012 Pulitzer Prize winners are announced. (Pulitzer.org) (The New York Times) (Associated Press)

Business and economics

Jim Yong Kim is selected as President of the World Bank. (Al Jazeera)
Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner submits a bill that would nationalise 51% of YPF to Congress. (The Guardian)

Disasters

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake, at a depth of 23 mi (37 km), rocks Valparaíso, Chile. (CNN) (United States Geological Survey)

International relations

Australia relaxes sanctions on Myanmar, following political reforms in Myanmar, including by-elections earlier this month in which opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party won dozens of seats. (CNN)
The U.S. military's top officer Martin Dempsey speaks of being "embarrassed" and tells a Pentagon news conference "we let the boss down" in relation to allegations that United States Secret Service agents habitually associated with prostitutes in Colombia. Pentagon spokesman George E. Little tells reporters that the number of military staff involved could be more than the five originally reported. (BBC)
An Israeli soldier hits a foreign pro-Palestinian activist, believed to be a Danish national, with his gun after protesters attack and injure the soldier; the Danish ambassador to Israel demands an explanation from Israel. (Al Jazeera) (Los Angeles Times) (Toronto Star) (Ynet)

Law and crime

The trial of confessed perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, Anders Behring Breivik, starts in Oslo, Norway. (CNN)
The murderer of two girls in Krailling, Bavaria (Germany) is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
The European Court of Human Rights rules that Russia violated the rights of ten relatives of victims of the 1940 Katyn Massacre, and describes the massacre as a war crime. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, the heir to the Dutch throne, buys a villa for €4.5 million beside the Greek town of Kranidi near a home owned by Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin. (BBC)

Sport

Fabrice Muamba is discharged from hospital after his cardiac arrest during an FA Cup match. (BBC) (East African Standard)

April 17, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

South Sudan–Sudan border conflict:
- Sudan continues to bombard a disputed border town seized by South Sudan and claims to have seized territory as clashes spread along the border between the two states. (The Independent) (ABC News)
- The Sudanese parliament declares South Sudan “an enemy” and calls for the overthrow of the government of South Sudan. (Times Live)
The Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, announces a withdrawal of Australian troops fighting the war in Afghanistan by the end of 2013. (BBC)
Palestinian inmates held in Israeli jails from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and the DFLP go on hunger strike on the Palestinian "Prisoners' Day". Thousands of people rally in towns and cities in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in support of their action, waving Palestinian flags and displaying photos of imprisoned relatives. (Al Jazeera) (The Jerusalem Post)
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah announces that Hezbollah are willing to mediate between the Syrian government and the opposition, in his first interview with the West in six years, in the first episode of a new interview show The World Tomorrow, hosted by Julian Assange. (CNN) (BBC) (Sydney Morning Herald) (AFP via Google)

Arts and culture

It is announced that more than 20 writers are still needed for a week-long event to include a poet from every nation competing in the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics: among those attending are Jo Shapcott (Great Britain) and Nobel laureates Seamus Heaney (Ireland) and Wole Soyinka (Nigeria). (BBC) (The Guardian)
1996 Turner Prize winner Douglas Gordon becomes the first visual artist to have been nominated for a prize at the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards. (BBC)
Adele Adkins, Kate Bush and PJ Harvey feature on the shortlist for best album at this year's Ivor Novello Awards - the first ever all-female shortlist. (BBC) (The Guardian)
The shortlist for the Orange Prize for Fiction is announced, featuring Ann Patchett and Anne Enright. (The Guardian)
The St Cuthbert Gospel, the oldest intact European book, is to stay on UK territory due to the £9 million raised for purchase by the British Library. (BBC)

Business and economy

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett admits he has prostate cancer. (BBC)
Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics both agree to settlement talks over pending smartphone related patent litigation. These talks have come about at the urging of U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh. (Reuters)

Disasters

Port Said Stadium disaster: A hearing of 73 men accused of involvement in the killing of 79 people is adjourned until May 5. (Al Jazeera)

International relations

Senior U.S. officials admit for the first time that the Secret Service prostitution scandal during the 6th Summit of the Americas involved as many as 20 women, 11 American agents and some military personnel. (BBC)
Spanish foreign minister José García-Margallo y Marfil attacks Argentina over its decision to nationalise YPF, an Argentine oil company in which Spanish company Repsol has a majority shareholding, a decision reported to be popular in Argentina. (BBC)
Guinea-Bissau is suspended from the African Union one week after a coup d'état. (Al Jazeera)
Mali appoints Cheick Modibo Diarra, Microsoft chairman for Africa and a former NASA astrophysicist, as its interim prime minister after a coup d'état. (Al Jazeera)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives a Palestinian delegation delivering a letter from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas detailing his demands for restarting peace talks after previous negotiations on a two-state solution stalled. (BBC) (The Jerusalem Post)
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah appears in his first interview with the West in six years, in the first episode of a new interview show The World Tomorrow, hosted by Julian Assange, and announces that Hezbollah are willing to mediate between the Syrian government and the opposition. (New York Daily News) (CNN) (BBC) (Sydney Morning Herald) (ABC) (AFP via Google)

April 18, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2011–2012 Bahraini uprising:
- Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators march through Tubli calling for the downfall of the regime and chanting against the Formula 1 Grand Prix, due to be held in Bahrain on Sunday. (Al Jazeera)
- Police fire stun grenades at protesters in a separate rally outside a cultural exhibition in Manama amid calls for the release of imprisoned Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, being kept alive by intravenous drip. (BBC)

Arts and culture

The Casoria Contemporary Art Museum in Naples begins burning its artworks due to government budget cuts affecting cultural institutions. (BBC)
American television personality and producer Dick Clark dies of a heart attack at the age of 82. (ABC)

Business and economy

In the U.S., the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission finalize joint rules that will limit which firms must register with either or both of those agencies as "swap dealers." (Reuters)

International relations

Cuba claims U.S. President Barack Obama was forced to use his "imperial veto" to stop the summit calling for an end to the U.S. embargo against it. (BBC)

North Korea rejects criticism from countries on the United Nations Security Council regarding its failed rocket launch, and breaks off an agreement that would see it halt testing of nuclear weapons in exchange for food aid. (AFP via Google)
Israeli army officer Shalom Eisner, who struck a Danish activist in the face with the butt of his gun, is dismissed from his post but not from the Israeli Defense Forces. (BBC) (Xinhua) (The Globe and Mail)
Senior U.S. officials condemn graphic photos depicting their troops posing with the mangled corpses of suspected Afghan suicide bombers on at least two separate occasions months apart. The Los Angeles Times defends its publication of the photos after being warned against the move by the U.S. military. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

China pledges an investigation into the death of British businessman Neil Haywood, and the alleged role of former politician Bo Xilai and his wife. (BBC)
In a rare move for courts in the United Kingdom, television cameras are allowed into the High Court in Edinburgh to film the sentencing of David Gilroy for the murder of Suzanne Pilley. (BBC)

Sport

Pat Summitt resigns as head coach of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team. (New York Times)
Chelsea stun title holders Barcelona with a 1-0 win UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg match in London, Ivorian footballer Didier Drogba scoring the only goal of the game. (Al Jazeera)

April 19, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Arab Spring:
- Syrian uprising: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Syria has failed in its obligation to pull its troops out of urban areas, according to a peace plan. (BBC)
- Bahraini uprising:
  - Bahraini security forces fire stun grenades at demonstrators as protests against Sunday's Formula 1 Grand Prix continue. (BBC)
  - Members of the Force India team due to be involved in the race are involved in a firebomb scare. (Al Jazeera)
At least 33 people are killed and dozens more are injured in bombings in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Samarra in Iraq's worst violence in weeks. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Ma Jian, author of the banned novel Beijing Coma, daubs red paint over his face at the London Book Fair and calls Chinese publishers "the mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party." (The Guardian)
Two papers on Alan Turing's theory of code-breaking are released to the UK's National Archives after 70 years. (BBC)
Irish comedian Dylan Moran becomes the first professional English-speaking comedian ever to perform in Russia. The routine references Russia's new law banning "homosexual propaganda" and jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. (BBC)
Men At Work flautist Greg Ham is found dead at his Melbourne home. (The Sydney Morning Herald) (BBC)
The Band singer and drummer Levon Helm dies of throat cancer at the age of 71. (The New York Times)

Disasters

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter reportedly crashed in Afghanistan, killing all four on board. (CNN)

International relations

An agent at the centre of the U.S. prostitution scandal in Colombia denied one of his escorts $770 from an agreed fee of $800, according to The New York Times, thus prompting the row that revealed the scandal to the public. (BBC)
India test launches its long-range Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile. (Times of India)
South Korea deploys new cruise missiles capable of destroying targets such as missile and nuclear bases anywhere in North Korea. (AFP via Google)

Law and crime

Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, says he planned to behead former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and post the footage on the internet. (The Guardian)

Science

A report commissioned by the Irish Department of Health finds significant increase in narcolepsy among individuals given the GlaxoSmithKline developed swine flu vaccine Pandemrix compared to those who did not receive the vaccine. (The Irish Times) (Irish Examiner) (RTE)

Sport

In golf, 13-year-old Chinese Guan Tian-lang becomes the youngest player to compete on the PGA European Tour when he bogeys at the Volvo China Open. (BBC)
In cycling, Italian Riccardo Riccò is given a 12-year ban, effectively ending his career. (BBC) (IOL)
In tennis, world number one Novak Djokovic defeats Alexandr Dolgopolov at the 2012 Monte-Carlo Masters in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, hours after his grandfather, who provided refuge for the Djokovic family in his Belgrade apartment during the 1999 NATO bombing raids, dies. (BBC)
In association football, thousands of people converge on the city of Bergamo for the funeral of Piermario Morosini who collapsed and died on the field of play last Saturday. (BBC)

April 20, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Arab Spring:
- Bahraini uprising:
  - Security is increased at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Bahrain amid continuing demonstrations against the regime. (BBC)
  - Police fire sound bombs and tear gas at demonstrators and wound dozens of people with buckshot as reporting restrictions are imposed by the Bahrainese regime. (Al Jazeera)
- Syrian uprising:
  - Syrian authorities agree to allow United Nations observers freedom of movement to monitor compliance with a ceasefire. (Al Arabiya)
  - The Syrian army kills over 50 civilians nationwide, primarily in the besieged city of Idlib. (Al Arabiya)
- Egyptian revolution:
  - Tens of thousands of people demonstrate in Tahrir Square against continuing military rule in Egypt. (BBC)
- Yemeni revolution:
  - At least 18 deaths are reported by Yemen's defence ministry as a result of an army offensive intent on recapturing the capital of Abyan Governorate. (BBC)
South Sudan–Sudan border conflict: South Sudan announces the withdrawal of troops from Heglig. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Disney Studios chairman Rich Ross resigns, less than three years after taking the position. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Disasters

127 people are killed when a plane crashes in a residential area near the Benazir Bhutto International Airport near Islamabad, Pakistan. (NDTV) (AFP via The Nation) (BBC)
More than 40 people are killed and 27 injured when a tractor trailer collides with a bus near Álamo, Veracruz, Mexico. (CNN)

Law and crime

Marcus Robinson, due to have been executed in 2007, is ordered off death row after North Carolina Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks rules his trial was tainted by racial bias, grounds for cancellation of a death sentence under the state's Racial Justice Act. The judge used controversial statistical evidence of bias to grant the change of sentence. (BBC)

Politics

Former Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure arrives in Senegal after being ousted in a military coup. (France 24)
The Economic Community of West African States condemns the election plan of the military junta which seized power in Guinea-Bissau. (Al Jazeera)
Campaigning ahead of Sunday's French presidential election enters its final day. (BBC)

April 21, 2012 (Saturday)

Conflicts

Arab Spring:
- Bahraini uprising:
  - Demonstrators against the regime flood a main highway in a march stretching for miles as Bahrain's rulers struggle to contain opposition anger ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. (The Daily Telegraph)
  - Police fire tear gas at demonstrators outside the capital Manama ahead of the Grand Prix. (RTE)
  - Salah Abbas Habib is beaten to death by police supporting the Bahraini regime. (Al Jazeera) (BBC)
  - The regime stifles coverage of demonstrations against its rule by denying entry to journalists from news organisations including Sky, which holds the UK TV rights to air the controversial Formula 1 Grand Prix, as well as CNN, Reuters and the Financial Times. (The Guardian)
  - The Bahraini regime presses ahead with its plans to use the Formula 1 Grand Prix as a symbol of national unity. (The Irish Times)
  - FIA president Jean Todt dismisses concerns about the reputation of Formula 1 following week-long damaging headlines and calls for a boycott over its support of the regime. (Daily Mail)
- Syrian uprising: The United Nations Security Council votes to send 300 more observers to Syria. (The Guardian)
- Three people are killed during a flare of fresh fighting in the Libyan desert town of Kufra overnight. (France 24)

Disasters

Two trains are involved in a head-on collision near Sloterdijk, west of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, injuring at least 117, with 56 serious injuries. (BBC) (Channel Asia News)

International relations

Japan agrees to write off more than US$3.7 billion of debt owed by Burma and to resume development aid. (BBC)
The U.S. Secret Service dismisses three more employees over the prostitution scandal involving U.S. agents at last weekend's 6th Summit of the Americas in Colombia. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Rangers in Kenya shoot dead five poachers in a clash in the Great Rift Valley. (IOL)

Politics

The Rutte cabinet, the minority cabinet of the Netherlands, collapses after partner Party for Freedom suspends its support. (NOS)

Science

Four new species of freshwater crab –bright purple in colour– are found in the Philippines. (Bangkok Post)

Sport

In Major League Baseball, Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox pitches a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners. It is the 21st perfect game in MLB history and the third in team history. (MLB.com)

April 22, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Bahraini uprising:
- Renewed protests against the regime break out overnight with police firing tear gas and stun grenades at civilians. Chants of "Down with Hamad," calling for the King of Bahrain to be ousted from power, are reported by witnesses. (RTE)
- King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa issues a pledge of "reform and reconciliation" ahead of the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix. (Sky News)
- Despite calls for the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix to be cancelled following the death of a man, the race is staged, under armed guard. (BBC)
- Turnout is reported to be low, though Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, heir apparent to the Bahraini throne, is seen smiling and shaking hands with other spectators at the finish. (Reuters)
- It is revealed that Force India tried to pull out of the race and return to Britain but, after the team's refusal to take to the circuit, there was a confrontation between Bernie Ecclestone and the Force India team. (Daily Mirror)
- The Sunday Telegraph's chief foreign correspondent Colin Freeman and his fixer and translator are arrested. Activist Ala'a Shehabi is arrested after reporting the arrest of Colin Freeman. The Guardian reports the arrest of Ala'a Shehabi. (The Guardian)
- Calls for afternoon protests at the destroyed Pearl Roundabout, the original site of the uprising against the ruling Al Khalifa family, get underway as the race ends, while protests are also held outside the London offices of Formula One chief, Bernie Ecclestone, with demonstrators chanting "down, down Bernie" and "shame on you Bernie". (Al Jazeera)
- Anonymous, which last week took out the official website of Formula One, posts partially redacted data concerning dozens of race ticket holders found on Formula One servers. The international group also posts a statement online saying it intends to carry out further action if imprisoned hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja or his family are harmed, promising to "respond with fury and rage the likes of which have never been seen." (NPR)
- British politician Peter Hain expresses dismay that the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix has been allowed to take place. (ITV News)
- A United Kingdom Channel 4 news team is arrested with a Bahraini driver reported as having been assaulted. (Channel 4)
One RKK (Runda Kumpulan Kecil) separatist group member and a Thai policeman are killed in a firefight in the village of Ruso in Thailand's Narathiwat Province. (Bangkok Post)
Sudan launches a fresh incursion into South Sudan. (Al Jazeera)

Health

In response to an outbreak of an unidentified fatal disease in Quang Ngai province, Vietnam, the Vietnamese government asks for help from the World Health Organization. (USA Today)
A 30-year-old woman collapses and dies while running in the London Marathon. (BBC)

International relations

Egyptian officials scrap a deeply unpopular agreement to supply Israel with natural gas. Former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak, ousted in last year's revolution, had been accused of selling the gas too cheaply. (BBC) (Reuters)
U.S. and Afghan negotiators finalise an agreement concerning the continuing U.S. presence in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdraws its troops at the end of 2014. (BBC)
The United States investigates dozens of its troops in Afghanistan in relation to use and distribution of heroin, morphine or other opiates during 2010 and 2011 as the U.S. military struggles to watch its far-flung troops and monitor for substance abuse. (AP via The Sydney Morning Herald)
Russia and China begin naval exercises in the Yellow Sea. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Voters in France go to the polls for the first round of the French presidential election with François Hollande of the French Socialist Party and incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy through to the second round. (AFP via News Limited) (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald)
The Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Peter Slipper steps aside while allegations of sexual harassment and fraud against him are investigated. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Fan protests at a Serie A match between Genoa and Siena disrupt play. (BBC)

April 23, 2012 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

At least two people are killed and hundreds of others injured in clashes between police and protestors during a nationwide strike in Bangladesh, which was triggered by the unexplained disappearance of opposition politician Ilyas Ali. (Al Jazeera)
Iran's oil ministry and its National Iranian Oil Company suffers a malware attack by a computer virus. (BBC)(New York Times)
Arab Spring:
- Bahraini uprising: Bahrain's highest appeals court postpones for a week the final verdict in the case of imprisoned hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and 20 other democracy activists. (BBC)
- Syrian uprising: Syrian regime forces kill at least 33 people with shells and gunfire in the city of Hama. (BBC)
- The Egyptian government denies licenses to eight U.S. civil society groups, including the Carter Center. (BBC)

Arts and culture

A festival of William Shakespeare's 37 plays performed polyglotically, from Swahili to sign language, begins as part of the World Shakespeare Festival on the anniversary of the Bard of Avon's birth. (BBC)
Brazilian actor Tiago Klimeck dies at the age of 27 after accidentally hanging himself while playing Judas in an Easter Passion play performed in Itararé, São Paulo. (BBC)

International relations

White House lawyers launch an internal investigation into the role its advance staff may have played in the U.S. Secret Service sex scandal in Colombia, though no evidence has been found to implicate anyone in the scandal. (BBC)
Kazakhstan issues an official ‘thank you’ to Sacha Baron Cohen for his comedy character Borat Sagdiyev despite an initial ban. (Daily Mail)
The European Union suspends most trade sanctions against Myanmar for a year but leaves an arms embargo in place. (AFP via Google News)
North Korea threatens to reduce South Korea to "ashes" after the failed North Korean rocket launch. (Toronto Star)
In accordance with a request from the South Korean government, China stops the deportation of North Korean defectors who escape to China. (Daily Yomiuri)

Law and crime

Former Icelandic prime minister Geir Haarde is found not guilty of negligence over the island's 2008 economic meltdown. He is to face no punishment and his legal expenses are to be paid. (BBC)
The sister of MI6 officer Gareth Williams, found dead in his flat, tells his inquest that he had been a "scrupulous risk-assessor" and only let "vetted" people into his home. (BBC)
Sky News email hacking:
- The British broadcasting regulator Ofcom launches an investigation into the hacking of private email accounts by Sky News. (BBC)
- The Ofcom announcement comes on the same day that the news channel's boss John Ryley appears before the Leveson Inquiry where he says the company broke the law by hacking emails. (BBC)
Officials in Florida refuse to allow Bill Lee, the police chief who did not arrest George Zimmerman after he shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, to resign. George Zimmerman, now facing a murder charge, is released on bail and taken to a secret location. (BBC)
The North Carolina trial of former U.S. Senator and presidential hopeful John Edwards, concerning the use of illegal campaign donations to cover up an affair with a mistress, begins. (Reuters)
Around 45 people are detained across China in a tainted capsule medicine scandal. (Straits Times)
Three men appear in court in the town of Newry in Northern Ireland to face charges of threatening to kill, INLA membership and blackmail. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte tenders his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix, paving the way for early elections. (BBC) (NOS)
Burma's parliament opens without the party of Aung San Suu Kyi who boycotted the legislature over a disagreement on the wording of the oath of office. (Reuters) (CNN)
Voters in the Canadian province of Alberta go to the polls for a general election with the incumbent Progressive Conservatives being reelected. (CBC) (Reuters)
President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez confirms he is still alive. (BBC)

Science

Scientists record what they believe to be the first adult white orca in the wild off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia. (BBC)

Sport

The home and email addresses of the 38,000 entrants to the London Marathon are published on the website of the organisers. (BBC)
Rangers F.C. owner Craig Whyte is banned for life from any involvement in Scottish football while a 12-month transfer embargo is imposed on the club. (BBC)

April 24, 2012 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Arab Spring:
- Bahraini uprising: After demanding the cancellation of the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, the end of the crackdown on dissent, and the release of her father, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja on hunger strike in prison for the past 76 days, Zainab al-Khawaja is arrested by regime forces. (BBC)
- Syrian uprising: Three people are injured in a car bombing in central Damascus, blamed by the regime-backed state television on an "armed terrorist group". The opposition say around sixty people were killed nationwide yesterday. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Fitch Ratings upgrades Ford Motor Co., returning its stock to investment grade status. (Reuters)

International relations

The Pentagon is to set up the Defense Clandestine Service is intended to focus on the challenges posed to U.S. interests by countries such as Iran, North Korea and China. (The Guardian)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu decides to make legal under Israeli law three settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, to "formalise the status" of Bruchin and Rechelim, in the north, and Sansana, near Hebron in the south. The Palestinian Authority criticises the decision. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
South Sudan:
- Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan, visits the People's Republic of China seeking assistance to build an oil pipeline. (AP via ABC News)
- Kiir claims that the attacks by Sudan on his country amount to a declaration of war. (AP via KSL)
- The United Nations reports that there have been at least 16 civilian deaths in South Sudan and 34 people injured. (AP via Huffington Post)
Leon Panetta, the United States Secretary of Defense, warns North Korea against further provocations against South Korea. (AP via The Washington Post)

Law and crime

News International phone hacking scandal:
- Appearing before the Leveson Inquiry, James Murdoch tells the hearing that News International's corporate systems failed to pick up on legal issues posed by its news gathering techniques. (BBC) (The Irish Times)
- British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband calls for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt to resign after evidence at the hearing appears to show his support for News Corporation's bid to take control of BSkyB. (BBC)
- Emails appear to show Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond was prepared to lobby Jeremy Hunt in support of the BSkyB takeover in return for support for the Scottish National Party from The Scottish Sun. (The Scotsman) (BBC)
Imprisoned U.S. serviceman Bradley Manning's defence insist his case was mishandled by American prosecutors and must now be thrown out. (Al Jazeera)
Ireland's police watchdog rules that there are no grounds for any criminal case against any of five officers involved in the 31 March 2011 incident known as the “rape tape” controversy, resulting from the inadvertent video recording of a sergeant in a patrol car joking about the rape of two women. (Irish Examiner) (The Journal)
British police arrest five people in the English town of Luton on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. (BBC)
A 33-year-old Fairview Heights, Illinois man who had been ordered to stay away from an army recruiting office there is accused of the attempted firebombing of the Robert A. Young Federal Building in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. (STL Today)

Politics and elections

United States Republican presidential primaries, 2012:
- Voters in five US states go to the polls, with presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney projected to win in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island. (ABC News) (NBC Politics) (The Guardian)
- A spokesman for Newt Gingrich announces he will remain in the primary until the convention, despite having been placed behind in opinion polling. (ABC News)
Pennsylvania 2012 primary elections
- U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pennsylvania) is defeated in the redrawn 12th congressional district Democratic primary by U.S. Rep. Mark Critz. (Beaver County Times)
- U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D-Pennsylvania) is defeated in the redrawn 17th congressional district Democratic primary by Matt Cartwright. (Washington Post)

Sport

In the UEFA Champions League semi-final, Chelsea pull off a remarkable comeback against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou, coming back from two goals down despite having captain John Terry sent off, central defender Gary Cahill injured in the opening minutes and Didier Drogba's concession of a penalty to Lionel Messi which hits the crossbar. Chelsea are left without the suspended quartet of Terry, Ramires, Branislav Ivanović and Raul Meireles for the final at the Allianz Arena. (BBC) (The Guardian) (RTE)
An arrest warrant is issued for Premier League footballer Steven Pienaar after he failed to appear in court to answer speeding charges. (BBC)

April 25, 2012 (Wednesday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Pakistan successfully tests the Shaheen-1A nuclear-capable ballistic missile, which is able to reach targets in India. (Reuters)
Syrian uprising: United Nations envoy Kofi Annan describes the situation in Syria as bleak, raising concerns about reports indicating that Syrian Army forces are conducting operations against opponents. (Sky News)
South Sudan releases Sudanese prisoners of war as border clashes between the two states seem to abate. (Reuters)

Business and economy

South Korean retailers cease selling beef from the United States after a case of mad cow disease is reported. (Reuters)
Figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate the UK economy has returned to recession after shrinking by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012, bringing about a much-feared double-dip recession. (BBC)

Law and crime

A judge on the Cook County Circuit Court rules that the Amazon tax levied on Internet businesses by the US state of Illinois is unconstitutional. (Chicago Tribune)

Politics

News International phone hacking scandal:
- Adam Smith, a special adviser to Jeremy Hunt, the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, resigns over his role in Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation's attempt to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB. (AP via Seattle Times)
- Rupert Murdoch gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry, claiming former British Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown "declared war" on his organisation after The Sun newspaper came out in support of the Conservatives in 2009, an allegation denied by Brown. (BBC)

April 26, 2012 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian uprising (2011–present): Nearly 70 people are killed in rocket attacks by the Syrian army on the city of Hama, including many children. (Al Jazeera)
2011–2012 Bahraini uprising: Mourners and police clash at the funeral of a protester who was killed last week. (IOL)
Seven people are killed in Nigeria after a suicide bomber detonates a bomb in his car. The attacks took place in Abuja, at the This Day newspaper offices. (CBS)
Three members of the United States Armed Forces are killed in a bombing in eastern Afghanistan. (AP via Google News)

Business and economy

Indonesia suspends imports of beef from the United States after a dairy cow with mad cow disease is discovered in California. (Reuters via Yahoo News)
The Argentine Senate passes with an overwhelming majority a bill submitted by president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to nationalise 51% of YPF. (Reuters)

Disasters

A Kamov Ka-26 helicopter crashes in Tulcea County, Romania, killing all five Ukrainians on board. (ABC News)

International relations

Missiles displayed at a recent North Korean parade are reportedly fakes, according to analysts. (The Telegraph)

Law and crime

In the midst of the ongoing trial against Anders Behring Breivik for his actions on July 22, 2011, more than 40,000 people gather on Youngstorget in Oslo to show support for all those affected. (TV2).
Japanese powerbroker Ichirō Ozawa of the ruling Democratic Party is cleared of charges of breaking fundraising laws. (Reuters)
The Supreme Court of Pakistan finds Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani guilty of contempt of court but he is given only a token sentence of imprisonment lasting less than a minute. (NDTV) (BBC)
The Special Court for Sierra Leone at The Hague delivers its verdict in the trial of former President of Liberia Charles Taylor on charges of arming Sierra Leone's rebels in return for "blood diamonds" in the 1990s. He is convicted on charges related to aiding and abetting war crimes but acquitted of charges of ordering them. (AFP via France 24) (BBC)
Revelations surface that ousted Chinese official Bo Xilai spied on Chinese President and Communist Party leader Hu Jintao. (The New York Times)
In a second day of evidence, Rupert Murdoch tells the Leveson Inquiry there was a "cover-up" at the News of the World, but that it was kept hidden from him. (BBC)

Sport

In American football, the National Football League draft commences in New York City's Radio City Music Hall, with quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III the first two players chosen. (Wall Street Journal)

April 27, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflict and attacks

At least four explosions hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk with at least 27 people injured. (BBC)
A suicide bomber kills at least five people in the Syrian capital Damascus. (AP via Atlanta Journal Constitution)
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) kills eight people in two separate attacks. (BBC)

International relations

Former Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's wives and children are deported from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. (Al-Jazeera)

Politics and elections

For the second time in post-revolutionary history the government of Romania falls in a no-confidence motion after just over two months following its appointment by the Parliament, while the Czech Republic government survived its confidence by just 12 votes. (AP via Washington Post)(New York Times)
Blind dissident Chen Guangcheng escapes house arrest in China. (Wall Street Journal)
British Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt agrees to hand over private emails to the Leveson Inquiry relating to the BSkyB takeover as pressure mounts for a separate inquiry into his conduct. (BBC)

Sport

In association football, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola announces that he will resign at the end of the season. His assistant, Tito Vilanova, is appointed as his successor. (ESPN)

April 28, 2012 (Saturday)

Armed conflict and attacks

2011 Syrian uprising:
- Syrian activists claim that the Syrian Armed Forces killed ten people in the village of Bakha north of Damascus. (Reuters)
- The Lebanese Navy boards a ship from Libya allegedly carrying weapons bound for the opposition in Syria. (Al Jazeera)
- Gunmen in inflatable dinghies attack a military unit on the Syrian coast – the first seaborne assault since the start of the uprising. (euronews)
- Syria accuses the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of "encouraging" attacks on the government. (AP via Google)
War in Afghanistan:
- Two bodyguards and two insurgents are killed in an attack on the Governor of Afghanistan's Kandahar Province. (AFP via Yahoo News Australia)
2012 Dnipropetrovsk explosions: Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich promises an investigation into the incident that injured 30 people. (Reuters)

Disasters

One person dies and more than 110 are injured when a tent collapses at a restaurant near Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (CNN)

International relations

Egypt–Saudi Arabia relations: Saudi Arabia shuts its embassy and consulates in Egypt following protests over an Egyptian human rights lawyer Ahmed al-Gizawi being detained in Saudi Arabia. (BBC)
The European Union opens an office in Burma in recognition of recent democratic reforms. (The Hindu)
Mali's ruling junta rejects a West African regional plan to extend the life of an interim civilian government. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Blind Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng – who fled from house arrest – reportedly takes refuge in the U.S. embassy in Beijing. (Al Jazeera)
Malaysian police use tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of protesters gathered in Kuala Lumpur calling for free and fair elections. (The New York Times) (AFP via Google News)

April 29, 2012 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia kill four members of Colombian Army on a mission to destroy cocaine laboratories in Caquetá Department with another four soldiers, a police officer and a French journalist missing. (BBC)
African church attacks:
- Several explosions are reported near a Christian service at Bayero University Kano in the northern Nigerian city of Kano, with at least 16 people killed. (AP via Google News) (AP)
- At least five people are killed in an attack on a Church of Christ in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri, the spiritual home of the Boko Haram radical Islamist sect. (AP)
- One person is killed and 10 injured in a grenade attack at a church in Nairobi, Kenya. (AFP via Google News)
Four officials are killed in rebel attacks in northern Burma. (The Australian)
Seven people are killed in a three-way shootout between rival drug cartels and the authorities in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, the home-state of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the country's most-wanted drug lord. (Fox News)
Lebanon confiscates a shipment of arms and ammunition meant for Syrian rebels and arrests 11 crewmembers. (BBC)

Disasters

At least seven people die following a bus crash in Japan's Gunma Prefecture north of Tokyo. (NHK World)
Seven people are killed, including three children, when a vehicle they were in flipped over on the Bronx River Parkway in The Bronx, New York City. (CNN)

International relations

The final deadline (no more extensions) for the total destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles under the international Chemical Weapons Convention is reached. (RIA Novosti)
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits Burma. (CNN)
2012 Malian coup d'état: Mali coup leader Amadou Haya Sanogo rejects a decision by the Economic Community of West African States to deploy troops to the country. (France 24)
Ana Maria Gomes, a Member of the European Parliament, is denied access to Bahrain. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Sudan arrests four foreigners in the disputed border region with South Sudan on accusations of spying. (Arab News)
Chinese authorities begin to round-up associates of human rights activist Chen Guangcheng in light of his escape from house arrest. (BBC) (Hindustan Times)

April 30, 2012 (Monday)