previous year2009
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
2020next year

Major Events of April 2017: 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 2017 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of April 2017: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Apr 2017 Putumayo Landslide Disaster in Colombia: A catastrophic landslide in Colombia's Putumayo region unleashed massive mud and debris flows, destroying homes and causing massive loss of life. Over 250 people were killed, more than 400 injured, and an additional 200 remained missing, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters of the year.
  • 02 Apr 2017 Terrorist Attack on Sufi Shrine in Pakistan: A devastating terrorist attack at a Sufi shrine near Sargodha, Pakistan, resulted in over 20 fatalities. Local police promptly responded by arresting the main suspect and several accomplices.
  • 03 Apr 2017 Saint Petersburg Metro Bombing: A terrorist bombing occurred in the Saint Petersburg metro system, causing significant loss of life and injuries. The attack targeted the Sennaya Ploshchad station, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. Authorities also discovered and disarmed a second bomb near Vosstaniya Square station.
  • 04 Apr 2017 Syrian Chemical Weapons Attack on Khan Shaykhun: A devastating chemical weapons attack by Syrian government forces on the town of Khan Shaykhun resulted in the deaths of 89 civilians, marking a significant humanitarian crisis during the Syrian Civil War.
  • 05 Apr 2017 North Korea Missile Test: North Korea conducted a provocative medium-range ballistic missile test, launching the missile approximately 60 km into its eastern waters, seemingly directed towards Japan. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson responded with a terse statement indicating diplomatic fatigue.
  • 06 Apr 2017 US Military Strikes Syrian Air Base: The United States military launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles targeting an air base in Syria, significantly escalating tensions with Russia. The Russian government described these strikes as an 'aggression' that would damage diplomatic relations between the two nations.
  • 07 Apr 2017 US Missile Strike on Syria: U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the 2017 Shayrat missile strike against Syria, launching 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles in direct retaliation for the Khan Shaykhun chemical weapons attack that killed over 80 civilians, including children.
  • 08 Apr 2017 Neil Gorsuch Confirmed to Supreme Court: The U.S. Senate confirmed President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, in a 54-45 vote, marking a significant moment in U.S. judicial appointments.
  • 09 Apr 2017 2017 Palm Sunday Church Bombings in Egypt: On Palm Sunday, two Coptic Christian churches in the Egyptian cities of Tanta and Alexandria were targeted by suicide bombers, resulting in at least 45 fatalities and 50 injuries. In response to these devastating attacks, the Egyptian Government declared a three-month state of emergency to maintain public safety and prevent further violence.
  • 10 Apr 2017 Great Barrier Reef Coral Bleaching Crisis: The Australian Research Council reported that two-thirds of Great Barrier Reef corals have experienced severe bleaching for the second consecutive year, highlighting the critical impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.
  • 11 Apr 2017 Syrian Armed Conflict Incidents: In the ongoing Syrian Civil War, two Russian soldiers were killed and another wounded by a mortar attack. Simultaneously, a US-led airstrike intended to target ISIS militants accidentally killed 18 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces, highlighting the complex and dangerous nature of the conflict.
  • 12 Apr 2017 Trump Comments Impact U.S. Dollar: U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about the U.S. Dollar being 'too powerful' and desire for low interest rates caused a significant drop in the U.S. Dollar Index, signaling potential economic policy shifts.
  • 13 Apr 2017 European Court Ruling on Beslan Massacre: The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia failed to protect students during the 2004 Beslan school massacre, which resulted in 334 deaths. The court ordered Russia to pay 2,955,000 euros to 409 victims' relatives, a ruling Russia immediately condemned.
  • 14 Apr 2017 Shadow Brokers NSA Data Leak: The Shadow Brokers group released alleged NSA files revealing attempts to monitor financial transactions through SWIFT and containing exploits targeting Microsoft Windows systems. Microsoft announced that most, but not all, of these vulnerabilities had been patched.
  • 15 Apr 2017 Trump Legal Immunity Claim: President Donald Trump's legal team argued in federal court that he is immune from lawsuits due to his presidential status. The plaintiffs' lawyer countered by referencing the Clinton v. Jones precedent, which established that presidents can be sued for pre-presidential actions.
  • 16 Apr 2017 Turkish Constitutional Referendum: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won a referendum on an 18-article constitutional reform package, transforming Turkey's governance from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency and significantly expanding presidential powers.
  • 17 Apr 2017 US-North Korea Tensions Escalate: Vice President Mike Pence warned North Korea that the United States' 'era of strategic patience' is over, prompting North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Han Song-ryol to threaten weekly missile tests, signaling heightened geopolitical tensions.
  • 18 Apr 2017 UK Snap Election Proposal: British Prime Minister Theresa May proposed a snap election for the House of Commons on June 8th, requiring a two-thirds majority approval. Leaders of the Labour and Liberal Democrats parties supported the motion.
  • 19 Apr 2017 Aaron Hernandez Dies in Prison: Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was found dead in his prison cell just hours after being acquitted of a 2012 double homicide.
  • 20 Apr 2017 Terrorist Attack on Champs-Élysées: A gunman opened fire on police officers in central Paris at the Champs-Élysées, resulting in the death of one policeman and critical injury to another. The attacker was subsequently shot and killed. While ISIL claimed responsibility, this claim remained disputed. French President Francois Hollande characterized the incident as a terrorist attack.
  • 21 Apr 2017 French Presidential Election Dynamics: The 2017 French presidential election campaign was disrupted by a recent terrorist attack. Initial polls showed a slight increase in Marine Le Pen's support, but projections still indicated Emmanuel Macron would win the second round.
  • 22 Apr 2017 French Presidential Election Campaign Concludes: The campaign period for the French presidential election officially ended. French citizens living overseas voted a day before domestic polls. Final opinion polling showed Marine Le Pen slightly ahead of Emmanuel Macron, with Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon close behind.
  • 23 Apr 2017 2017 French Presidential Election First Round: French voters participated in the first round of the presidential election, with Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron emerging as the top two candidates and qualifying for the runoff election.
  • 24 Apr 2017 Peggy Whitson Breaks NASA Space Endurance Record: NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson set a new record for the most consecutive days spent in space, reaching 534 days and demonstrating remarkable human endurance in space exploration.
  • 25 Apr 2017 North Korea Conducts Military Anniversary Artillery Drill: North Korea performed a major live-fire artillery exercise to celebrate its military's founding, escalating regional tensions as fears grew about a potential nuclear weapons test.
  • 26 Apr 2017 US Deploys THAAD in South Korea Amid North Korea Tensions: The United States deployed parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea, escalating tensions related to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. China's foreign minister Wang Yi urged restraint and called for resumption of negotiations, highlighting the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region.
  • 27 Apr 2017 Trump Softens Stance on NAFTA: U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) instead of completely terminating the trade bloc, signaling a more moderate approach to international trade relations.
  • 28 Apr 2017 Brazil General Strike: Brazil experienced its first general strike in 20 years, signaling significant labor and social unrest in the country.
  • 29 Apr 2017 Brexit Negotiation Guidelines Approved: European Union leaders formally approved comprehensive negotiation guidelines for Brexit, focusing on securing expatriate rights, defining financial separation terms, and establishing a 'soft border' solution for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
  • 30 Apr 2017 King Willem-Alexander's Ascension: Willem-Alexander became King of the Netherlands after his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated the throne she had held for 33 years, marking a significant moment in Dutch royal history.