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Major Events of April 2009: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from April 2009 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of April 2009: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Apr 2009 Benjamin Netanyahu Becomes Israeli Prime Minister: Israel's parliament swears in Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister and approves the new coalition cabinet with a 69-45 vote.
  • 02 Apr 2009 G20 Summit Announces Global Economic Stimulus: During the G20 summit in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a coordinated international effort to inject US$1 trillion into the global economy to mitigate the ongoing financial crisis.
  • 03 Apr 2009 Iowa Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage: The Supreme Court of Iowa made a landmark decision to legalize same-sex marriage, becoming one of the early states to recognize marriage equality. This ruling was a significant milestone in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement in the United States.
  • 04 Apr 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake: A devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes near L'Aquila, Italy, resulting in at least 253 fatalities and significant destruction.
  • 05 Apr 2009 Obama's Nuclear Disarmament Plan: President Barack Obama announced a comprehensive plan aimed at ending nuclear warfare, demonstrating a significant diplomatic initiative towards global nuclear disarmament and peace.
  • 06 Apr 2009 Devastating L'Aquila Earthquake in Italy: A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake strikes central Italy, causing widespread destruction in 26 cities and towns. The disaster results in 281 fatalities, 1,500 injuries, and leaves approximately 17,000 people homeless. Estimated property damage amounts to US$4 billion.
  • 07 Apr 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake in Italy: A devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck central Italy, specifically the region of Abruzzo near the city of L'Aquila, causing massive destruction. At least 253 people were killed, thousands were injured, and many were left homeless. The earthquake caused significant damage to historic buildings and infrastructure, making it one of the most severe seismic events in Italy in recent years.
  • 08 Apr 2009 Somali Pirates Hijack Maersk Alabama: Somali pirates seized the Danish container ship MV Maersk Alabama in the Indian Ocean, marking a significant maritime security incident that would later inspire the Hollywood film 'Captain Phillips'.
  • 09 Apr 2009 CIA Decommissions Black Sites: The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency announced the decommissioning of its controversial black sites worldwide, marking a significant shift in intelligence and detention practices.
  • 10 Apr 2009 Deadly Suicide Bombing in Mosul, Iraq: A suicide bomb in Mosul, Iraq killed 5 U.S. soldiers and 2 Iraqis, marking the deadliest attack against the American military in Iraq in 13 months.
  • 11 Apr 2009 French Navy Rescues Hostages from Somali Pirates: The French Navy successfully rescues four hostages and neutralizes two Somali pirates during a maritime intervention on the hijacked yacht Tanit in the Gulf of Aden.
  • 12 Apr 2009 U.S. Navy Rescues Captain Richard Phillips from Somali Pirates: In a dramatic maritime rescue operation, the U.S. Navy successfully freed Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates, killing three pirates and capturing a fourth, ending a tense hostage situation aboard the Maersk Alabama.
  • 13 Apr 2009 China's government has published a National Human Rights Action Plan.
  • 14 Apr 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake in Italy: A devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near L'Aquila, Italy, resulting in at least 253 fatalities. The earthquake caused significant destruction and became a major humanitarian crisis.
  • 15 Apr 2009 US Consumer Prices Decline Year-on-Year: The US Consumer Price Index recorded its first year-on-year decline in consumer prices since 1955, indicating significant economic deflationary pressures during the global financial crisis.
  • 16 Apr 2009 General Growth Properties Bankruptcy: General Growth Properties, a major U.S. real estate company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This landmark event represented the largest real estate bankruptcy in American history. The Chicago-based company, with 55 years of operation, reported total assets of US$29.56 Billion and total debts of $27.29 Billion. Its stock price dramatically collapsed from a 2007 high of US$67 to just 60 cents, symbolizing the severe economic downturn during the global financial crisis.
  • 17 Apr 2009 Obama's Energy Partnership Call: At the Summit of the Americas, President Obama proposed a 'new partnership on energy' aimed at strengthening the Americas' energy security, highlighting international collaborative approaches to energy challenges.
  • 18 Apr 2009 Dutch Commandos Rescue Yemeni Hostages: The Netherlands' Korps Commandotroepen successfully rescued 20 Yemeni hostages held by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, demonstrating international maritime intervention capabilities.
  • 19 Apr 2009 Obama Administration's Stance on CIA Interrogation Techniques: United States President Barack Obama announced that CIA personnel who employed enhanced interrogation techniques during terrorist suspect investigations would not face criminal prosecution, marking a significant policy decision regarding controversial interrogation methods.
  • 20 Apr 2009 Remembering Columbine High School Massacre: The United States commemorates the 10th anniversary of the tragic Columbine High School shooting perpetrated by Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris in 1999.
  • 21 Apr 2009 Cyber Espionage Against U.S. Joint Strike Fighter Program: The Wall Street Journal reported a significant cybersecurity breach, revealing that unidentified cyber-spies had successfully hacked into the sensitive U.S. Joint Strike Fighter Program, potentially compromising critical defense technology.
  • 22 Apr 2009 North Korea's Controversial Rocket Launch: North Korea launched the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 rocket, which passed over mainland Japan. This provocative action immediately drew reactions from the United Nations Security Council and participants of the Six-party talks, escalating international tensions.
  • 23 Apr 2009 Oldest Known Object in Universe Observed: Astronomers observed the gamma radiation burst GRB090423 for 10 seconds, marking the detection of the oldest and closest known object in the universe, providing unprecedented insights into cosmic origins.
  • 24 Apr 2009 WHO Warns of Swine Flu Spread: The World Health Organization expressed serious concern about the rapid international spread of influenza originating from Mexico and the United States, confirming international cases and potential fatalities. This marked the early stages of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
  • 25 Apr 2009 Swine Flu Global Health Emergency: The World Health Organization declares the emerging H1N1 influenza outbreak in Mexico and the United States a 'public health emergency of international concern'. The novel virus, a unique combination of bird, swine, and human influenza strains, has caused approximately 80 deaths and infected over 1,000 people across Mexico since its first detection in March.
  • 26 Apr 2009 Severe Swine Flu Outbreak in Mexico: Mexico reported a devastating swine flu outbreak, with over 103 confirmed deaths. In response, the government implemented stringent public health measures, including banning large gatherings and closing schools, churches, and stadiums to mitigate virus transmission.
  • 27 Apr 2009 United States Declares Swine Flu Public Health Emergency: The United States government declared a 'public health emergency' following the confirmation of twenty swine flu cases nationwide, with eight cases identified in New York City.
  • 28 Apr 2009 South Korea Achieves First Transgenic Fluorescent Dog Cloning: Scientists in South Korea successfully cloned the first transgenic, fluorescent dog, marking a significant breakthrough in genetic engineering and biotechnology research.
  • 29 Apr 2009 WHO Raises Pandemic Alert Level: The World Health Organization elevated its Pandemic Alert Level from four to five in response to the emerging swine flu outbreak, signaling increased global health risks.
  • 30 Apr 2009 Global H1N1 Pandemic Alert Raised: The World Health Organization escalates the global pandemic alert for H1N1 flu virus from Level 4 to Level 5. Approximately 300 schools in the USA are closed. Mexico reports 176 deaths, and President Felipe Calderon orders a five-day work suspension to prevent further virus spread.