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Worldwide current events
Sports events

Topics in the news

Saint Petersburg Metro station

In the Syrian Civil War, at least 58 people in Khan Shaykhun are killed in a chemical attack.
In computing, Tim Berners-Lee wins the 2016 Turing Award.
In college basketball, the 2017 NCAA Women's tournament is won by South Carolina, and the Men's tournament is won by North Carolina.
A bombing in the Saint Petersburg Metro (pictured) kills at least 14 people and injures more than 45 others.
The Boat Races are held in London, with Oxford winning the men's race and Cambridge winning the women's race.
The Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice reverses its decision to strip the National Assembly of legislative power.
Landslides and flooding in Mocoa, Colombia, kill more than 250 people, including 43 children.

April 4, 2017 (Tuesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- A toxic gas attack, allegedly by Russian or Syrian warplanes, kills at least 83 and injures many more in rebel-held Khan Shaykhun, Idlib. (The Globe and Mail), (NBC News)

Science and technology

The National Assembly of Hungary passes a bill that undermines the functioning of the Central European University (CEU). Academics and academic institutions worldwide have expressed support for CEU. (BBC)

April 3, 2017 (Monday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

2017 Saint Petersburg Metro bombing
- An attack on a Saint Petersburg Metro train at Sennaya Ploshchad station kills at least 11 people and injures more than 50 others. Authorities disarm another bomb, found at nearby Vosstaniya Square station. (The Independent), (The New York Times)
Piracy off the coast of Somalia
- Somali pirates hijack an Indian cargo ship off the coast of Puntland. (BBC)

Arts and culture

An Egyptian excavation team discovers the remains of a pyramid dating back 3,700 years to the thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt at the Dahshur necropolis 40km south of Cairo. (Al Jazeera), (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- A mother and two children drown after their car plunges into the flooded Tweed River, raising the death toll to eight people. A ten-year-old girl escapes and alerts authorities. (News.com.au)
A boiler explosion at a Missouri box company in St. Louis's historic Soulard neighborhood kills three people and injures four others. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), (St. Louis Public Radio)

Law and crime

LGBT rights in Russia
- Russian authorities arrest more than 100 gay men in Chechnya, including television personalities and religious figures, for "nontraditional sexual orientation." The Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported that three of the arrested men have been killed, while others reportedly were released for family honor killing. Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov's spokesperson said this report contains “absolute lies and disinformation” since there are no homosexuals in Chechnya. (The Guardian), (The New York Times)
Trump Tower wiretapping allegations
- Media reports indicate that former National Security Advisor Susan Rice improperly requested the unmasking of some American names, including those of Donald Trump's campaign staff, that had been incidentally collected during national security investigations. A National Security Adviser may request unmasking if specific criteria are met. A Rice associate denies that the unmasking was improper. (Fox News) (Business Insider) (The Blaze)

Politics and elections

Armenian parliamentary election, 2017
- Authorities declare that the Republican Party, led by President Serzh Sargsyan, wins the Armenia election amid accusations by opposition parties and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe of voting irregularities. (Al Jazeera)

Sports

In ice hockey
- The NHL announces that it will not release its players to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. (ESPN)
In basketball
- 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game
  - North Carolina defeats Gonzaga, 71-65, for the 2017 men's basketball national title. (ESPN) (The New York Times)
- The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announces its 2017 induction class, which will formally enter the Hall on September 8: (Hall of Fame press release)
  - To be inducted as players are Zack Clayton, Nikos Galis, George McGinnis, and Tracy McGrady.
  - To be inducted as coaches are Robert Hughes, Muffet McGraw, and Bill Self.
  - To be inducted as contributors are Mannie Jackson, Tom Jernstedt, Jerry Krause, and Rebecca Lobo.

April 2, 2017 (Sunday)

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Business and economy

India inaugurates the 9.2-kilometer Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. (The Times of India)
Ciudad Juárez-based newspaper Norte closes its print edition, citing a lack of security in Mexico. (AP via ABC) (Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- The death toll from Cyclone Debbie and the associated flooding in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland rises to five people. (News Limited)
A bus carrying around 50 schoolchildren rolls over on a highway south of Sveg in the northern region of Härjedalen, Sweden, killing three people. (Reuters)

Law and crime

An attack occurs at a Sufi shrine near Sargodha, Pakistan, killing more than 20 people. Authorities arrest a main suspect and several others. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Armenian parliamentary election, 2017
- Voters in Armenia go to the polls for an election, the first since constitutional changes were approved in a referendum in 2015, which changed the country's governance from a semi-presidential system to a parliamentary republic. Opinion polls predict a tight race between the nationalist Republican Party, led by President Serzh Sargsyan, and the centre-right Prosperous Armenia, led by Gagik Tsarukyan. With votes from 64% of the polling stations counted, the Republican Party leads with 49.7% of votes. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty), (TASS)
Serbian presidential election, 2017
- Voters in Serbia go to the polls for an election, which Prime Minster Aleksandar Vučić of the conservative Serbian Progressive Party is expected to win. In projections, Vučić gets around 55% of the votes, avoiding a second round. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty), (CNBC)
Ecuadorian general election, 2017
- Voters in Ecuador return to the polls for the second round of a presidential election, which Lenín Moreno of the socialist PAIS Alliance is predicted to narrowly win over the center-right Creating Opportunities's Guillermo Lasso. With 94.18% of the votes counted, Moreno leads with 51.07%. According to the national election commission, it was a transparent and successful election. (SBS News), (TeleSUR)

Sports

2017 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Game
- Women's basketball South Carolina defeats fellow Southeastern Conference team Mississippi State 67–55 for the Gamecocks' first national title. (AP via ESPN)

April 1, 2017 (Saturday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Military intervention against ISIL
- An Iraqi airstrike near Al Qaim, Anbar province, Iraq, kills Ayad al-Jumaili, believed to be ISIL's second-in-command. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- Consequences of heavy rain from Cyclone Debbie kill at least three people and force 20,000 others to leave their homes in New South Wales and Queensland. (News Limited), (ABC)
- Police search for four missing people in southeast Queensland as the Logan River reaches record levels. (AAP via Yahoo News Australia)
A landslide hits the Indonesian island of Java and leaves more than two dozen people missing. (DPA via News Limited)
2017 Putumayo landslide
- A landslide in Colombia's southwestern border department of Putumayo sends mud and debris crashing onto houses killing over 250 people and injuring at least 400 others. In addition, 200 people are missing. (Hindustan Times) (Reuters)
An explosion occurs at a carnival in Villepinte, Seine-Saint-Denis, France, injuring at least 18 people. (The Independent), (BBC)
Authorities cannot contact the South Korean cargo freighter Stellar Daisy. It is believed that the ship sunk off the coast of Uruguay. (SBS Australia)

Politics and elections

2017 dissolution of Venezuelan National Assembly
- Venezuela's Supreme Court reverses their controversial ruling. The court restores legislative power to the National Assembly. However, the court's decision still allows President Nicolás Maduro to enter joint-venture deals. (BBC), (The Washington Post)
After two weeks of social unrest in French Guiana, the French government promises €1 billion for education, healthcare, security, and justice. (France 24), (Reuters)

Sports

2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
- Men's basketball Gonzaga defeats South Carolina 77–73 to advance to the title game on April 3. (AP via ESPN)
- In the other semifinal, North Carolina defeats Oregon 77–76. (AP via ESPN)

March 31, 2017 (Friday)

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Armed conflict and attacks

War in North-West Pakistan
- A bomb targets a mosque in the city of Parachinar near the border with Afghanistan killing at least 22 people and wounding dozens more. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- Authorities find a woman's body near the town of Murwillumbah, New South Wales, bringing the number of confirmed storm fatalities to at least two people. There are fears that more people could be missing in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. (The Australian)
Interstate 85 bridge collapse
- Officials state that repairs will take months following a fire that collapsed a bridge on Interstate 85 in Atlanta, Georgia. Police arrest three individuals in connection with the disaster, charging two with criminal trespass and one with first degree criminal damage. (WSB TV)

International relations

At a NATO meeting, German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel rejects as "quite unrealistic" the belief that Germany would spend 2% of GDP on the military. He says other spending such as development aid should be taken into account. (BBC)
A Japanese fleet returns home after hunting 333 whales in the Antarctic. The Japanese government states that the purpose was for research. (New York Magazine)

Law and crime

The Indian state of Gujarat passes a law which makes the slaughter of a cow punishable by life imprisonment. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2017 dissolution of Venezuelan National Assembly
- Luisa Ortega Díaz, Venezuela's attorney general, denounces a rupture of the constitutional order. Some protesters hold banners reading: "No To Dictatorship". (Reuters)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that he is developing a plan to close the Rikers Island prison within 10 years. (BBC)
President of South Africa Jacob Zuma fires finance minister Pravin Gordhan amid a major cabinet reshuffle. The South African rand plunges. (CNN)
2017 Paraguay protests
- Some individuals set the Congress of Paraguay on fire. The attack occurs during a protest against a bill that would let the president seek re-election. (BBC)

Sports

2017 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament
- Women's basketball Mississippi State defeats four-time defending national champion Connecticut 66–64, ending the Huskies' NCAA-record winning streak at 111 games. (AP via ESPN)
- The MSU Bulldogs advance to the title game against fellow Southeastern Conference team South Carolina, which defeated Stanford 62–53 in the evening's other semifinal. (AP via ESPN)

March 30, 2017 (Thursday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the total number of refugees from Syria reaches over five million. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Turkish constitutional referendum, 2017
- Several people are wounded in clashes outside the Turkish consulate in Brussels. (Daily Star)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- Authorities of New South Wales issue a State Emergency Service for the towns of Murwillumbah and Lismore, and at least 12 flood rescues are underway as former Cyclone Debbie moves south from north Queensland. (Weatherzone), (9 News)
- Authorities shut down the city of Brisbane and South East Queensland as remnants of Cyclone Debbie move south. (Brisbane Times)
A private Twin Squirrel helicopter crashes in the Rhinog mountains of North Wales, killing all five people aboard. (BBC)
Interstate 85 bridge collapse
- A fire results in the collapse of a bridge on Interstate 85 in Atlanta, Georgia, during rush hour, stranding motorists and resulting in a state of emergency. Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed calls the situation a "transportation crisis" that could close the affected stretch of highway for days or weeks. A 2015 report stated that the highway carried nearly a quarter-million vehicles a day. (NBC News)

International relations

Russian president Vladimir Putin attends the International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia. He says there that he is ready to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Helsinki, Finland. (Reuters)
United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says he thinks the longer term status of president Bashar al-Assad is to be "decided by the Syrian people". This appears as a policy shift, since under president Barack Obama’s administration, the United States made the departure of Assad a key policy aim. (The Times of Israel)

Law and crime

Italian police arrest 34 people of a drug gang who reportedly planned to steal Enzo Ferrari's corpse, and hold it for ransom. (NBC)
2016 South Korean political scandal
- Authorities arrest Impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye on charges of bribery, abuse of authority, coercion, and leaking government secrets. (BBC)
North Carolina House Bill 2
- The state legislature of North Carolina repeals the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, more commonly known as the "transgender bathroom bill." In its place, the legislature enacts a ban on cities in North Carolina from enacting "civil rights" protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people through 2020. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2017 dissolution of Venezuelan National Assembly
- In a ruling, Venezuela's Supreme Court says it "guarantees congressional functions will be exercised by" itself, authorizing president Nicolás Maduro to create oil joint ventures without the previously mandated congressional approval. Opposition leaders call it a "coup", while Peru recalls its ambassador. (Reuters) (BBC)
Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
- Michael T. Flynn is willing to testify under the condition of immunity in the ongoing congressional probe on Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. (CNN)
- A Congressional witness states that Russia hired 1,000 people to create anti-Clinton 'fake news' in key U.S. states during the election. (The Independent)
- During a Senate hearing, United States Senator Marco Rubio states that there have been post-election hack attempts against the U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rubio himself. (CNN)

Science and technology

Scientific Reports publishes Carthage College research that Daspletosaurus horneri, from the same Tyrannosauridae family as the Tyrannosaurus rex, had a sensitive nose. The research describes that foramina sprouted from the trigeminal nerve at the snout and jaws possibly enabling the behavioral functions of exploration, courtship, nesting, foreplay, and parental investment. (The Guardian)
SpaceX successfully places the SES-10 telecommunications satellite on a geostationary transfer orbit. The event is notable because of the implied economic cost savings of reusing, for the first time, a used Falcon 9 first stage which had previously been recovered. That first stage had previously launched a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station and landed on an autonomous drone ship during the CRS-8 mission. (The New York Times)

March 29, 2017 (Wednesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Turkish military intervention in Syria
- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım announces an end to the operation Euphrates Shield, which was part of international military operations against ISIL. He adds: "Any operation following this one will have a different name." (Deutsche Welle), (Al Jazeera)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- A car bomb attack on a police checkpoint in Baghdad kills at least 15 people and injures 40 others. (BBC)

Arts and culture

The Swedish Academy announces that American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has agreed to accept his Nobel Prize in Literature this weekend at a private location in Stockholm. (BBC)

Business and economy

The European Commission blocks the third attempt of the London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Börse at a merger, citing the danger of a "de facto monopoly in the crucial area of fixed income instruments". (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

A head on crash between a pickup truck and a church bus outside Garner State Park in the American state of Texas kills at least 12 people and injures 3 others. (Fox News)

Law and crime

United States immigration ban
- In response to a federal appeal, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson (Hawaii), who on March 15 issued a temporary, national restraining order on implementation of the revised federal immigration/refugee rules, upgrades his earlier ruling to a preliminary injunction until Hawaii's lawsuit is resolved. (Los Angeles Times), (AP via Chicago Tribune)

Politics and elections

Brexit
- The United Kingdom formally notifies the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community. There is not yet agreement on a negotiations roadmap. (ARD) (Business Green)
French presidential election, 2017
- Former candidate Manuel Valls (PS) announces his support for Emmanuel Macron (En Marche!) rather than for his own party's nominee, Benoît Hamon. (Bloomberg)

More March 2017 events...

Ongoing events
Disasters UK and Ireland windstorm season Law Philippine Drug War Political European migrant crisis (timeline) Romanian protests South China Sea disputes United States immigration ban More details on ongoing conflicts below Sport 2016–17 Bundesliga 2016–17 EuroLeague 2016–17 EuroLeague Women 2016–17 La Liga 2016–17 NBA season 2016–17 NHL season 2016–17 PBA season 2016–17 Premier League 2016–17 South African Premier Division 2016–17 Serie A 2016–17 UEFA Champions League 2017 AFL season 2017 Formula One season 2017 Major League Baseball season 2017 NASCAR Cup Series 2017 World Rally Championship edit sidebar

Recent deaths
April 2017 3: Kishori Amonkar 1: Darcus Howe 1: Peter Lawler 1: Ikutaro Kakehashi 1: Yevgeny Yevtushenko March 2017 31: Gilbert Baker 31: William Coleman 31: James Rosenquist 30: Rosie Hamlin 30: Donald Harvey 29: Alexei Abrikosov 28: Ahmed Kathrada 27: Clem Curtis 26: Brian Oldfield 26: Roger Wilkins 25: Julian Stanczak 25: Dave Steele 23: Lola Albright 23: William H. Keeler 23: Clay Matthews Sr. 23: Denis Voronenkov 22: Dallas Green 22: Pete Hamilton 22: Sib Hashian 21: Chuck Barris 21: Colin Dexter 21: Jerry Krause 20: Martin McGuinness 20: David Rockefeller 20: Robert B. Silvers 19: Jimmy Breslin 18: Chuck Berry 18: Bernie Wrightson 17: George Braziller 17: Auntie Fee 17: Hugh Hardy 17: Derek Walcott 16: James Cotton 16: Hasyim Muzadi 15: Sok An 15: Dave Stallworth 14: Royal Robbins 14: John Van de Kamp 13: Adib Boroumand 13: Danehill Dancer 13: Tommy LiPuma 12: Murray Ball 11: Lloyd Conover 10: Tony Haygarth 10: Bill Leak 10: John Surtees 10: Robert James Waller 9: Mick Adams 9: Howard Hodgkin 9: Joseph Nicolosi 8: Lou Duva 8: George Andrew Olah 7: Ron Bass 7: Dave Valentin 6: Robert Osborne 6: Rabi Ray edit sidebar

Elections and Referendums
Recent March 15: Netherlands, House of Representatives 20: East Timor, President (1st round) 26: Bulgaria, Parliament April 2: Armenia, Parliament 2: Ecuador, President (2nd round) 2: Serbia, President Upcoming April 6: The Gambia, National Assembly 16: Turkey, Constitutional referendum 23: France, President edit sidebar

Trials
Recently concluded Australia: Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara Cambodia: Sam Rainsy China: Wan Qingliang, Ling Jihua, Zhoi Bin, Guo Boxiong Netherlands: Geert Wilders Philippines: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Nur Misuari, Joel Villanueva Romania: Liviu Dragnea, Gheorghe Ștefan, Gabriel Sandu, Dorin Cocoş, Dumitru Nicolae Spain: Lionel Messi United Kingdom: Chris Denning, Ched Evans, Thomas Mair United States: Bob McDonnell, Paul Anthony Ciancia Ongoing China: Bai Enpei, Pan Yiyang, Yang Weize Germany: Beate Zschäpe Indonesia: Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Mary Jane Veloso Pakistan: Waseem Azeem, Mufti Abdul Qawi Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr., Leila de Lima, Rodrigo Duterte, Jovito Palparan Romania: Dan Șova, Elena Udrea, Radu Mazăre, Gheorghe Nichita, Marian Vanghelie Russia: Alexei Navalny South Korea: Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil Spain: Gürtel case, Spanish Royal House, Bárcenas affair United States: Etan Patz United Kingdom: Rolf Harris, Barry Bennell International ICC: Laurent Gbagbo ICTY: Ratko Mladić Upcoming China: Wu Changshun Egypt: Mohamed Morsi Estonia: Edgar Savisaar Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Bill Cosby edit sidebar

Ongoing conflicts
Africa Algeria and Tunisia Maghreb insurgency ISIL insurgency in Tunisia Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria Boko Haram insurgency Central African Republic Civil war Democratic Republic of the Congo Kivu conflict ADF insurgency Ituri conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Libya Civil war Mali Northern Mali conflict Somalia Civil war South Sudan Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War) Sudan War in Darfur South Kordofan conflict Sudanese nomadic conflicts Americas Mexico Mexican War on Drugs Peru Internal conflict in Peru Asia Afghanistan Afghanistan War China Xinjiang conflict India Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Insurgency in Northeast India India and Pakistan Kashmir conflict Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines Moro conflict Cross border attacks in Sabah Indonesia and Papua New Guinea Papua conflict Myanmar Internal conflict in Myanmar Pakistan War in North-West Pakistan Balochistan conflict Philippines CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion Thailand South Thailand insurgency Europe Armenia and Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Georgia Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Georgian–Ossetian conflict Russia Chechen–Russian conflict North Caucasus insurgency Ukraine War in Donbass Russian military intervention in Ukraine Middle East Egypt Sinai insurgency Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria Arab–Israeli conflict Iran Iran–PJAK conflict Iraq American-led intervention in Iraq Iranian intervention in Iraq Iraq and Syria (map) Military intervention against ISIL Israel and Lebanon Israeli–Lebanese conflict Israel and Palestine Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Syria American-led intervention in Syria Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War Turkish military intervention in Syria Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon Turkey Turkey–PKK conflict Turkey–ISIL conflict Yemen Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Al-Qaeda insurgency edit sidebar