What Happened in April 2024

Historical Events

Apr 1 Airstrike by Israel on Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, kills seven officials, including three senior generals - most serious attack on Iranian targets since 2020 [1]

Event of Interest

Apr 1 Seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen are killed in an Israeli attack in Deir al Balah, Gaza, prompting condemnation and an apology from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu [1]

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu

Apr 2 Bassirou Diomaye Faye takes office as President of Senegal and Africa's youngest elected President at 44 [1]
Apr 2 Portuguese center-right minority government sworn in, led by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro [1]

Music History

Apr 2 There are 141 more billionaires in the world in 2024, 2,781 in total according to Forbes, including Taylor Swift for the first time [1]

Apr 3 7.4 magnitude earthquakes hits east coast of Taiwan, south of Hualien, killing at least 9 people and injuring 900 [1]
Apr 4 Rare 1938 copy of the comic (Action Comics No. 1) that first introduced Superman sells for a record US$6 million at action [1]
Apr 4 US President Joe Biden warns PM Benjamin Netanyahu US could shift its policy if Israel does not immediately address humanitarian concerns in Gaza and get to a ceasefire [1]
Apr 5 Russian Orsk city dam bursts amid flooding on the Ural river prompting thousands to evacuate there, downstream and in border areas of Kazakhstan [1]
Apr 7 British charity fundraiser Russ Cook the "Hardest Geezer" runs the length of Africa, arriving at Ras Angela, Tunisia, almost a year after setting off from Cape Agulhas, South Africa [1]
Apr 7 Larry David's comedy TV show "Curb Your Enthusiasm" ends after 12 seasons
Apr 7 New York region hit by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, with multiple aftershocks. One of the largest earthquakes for a century in the area. [1]
Apr 8 New Vatican document rejects concept of changing a person's biological sex despite Pope Francis' recent overtures to Trans people [1]
Apr 8 Total solar eclipse stretches from Mazatlán, Mexico, to Newfoundland, plunging 44 million people into darkness [1]
Apr 9 A group of older Swiss women win a landmark climate change case at the European Court of Human Rights, ruling the women's rights had been violated by not fully addressing climate change [1]
Apr 9 Arizona Supreme Court upholds a 1864 law banning all abortions except to save a woman's life [1]
Apr 9 James and Jennifer Crumbley, the first parents held criminally responsible for a US mass school shooting committed by their child, are sentenced to 10-15 years for manslaughter in Michigan [1]
Apr 9 Simon Harris becomes Ireland's youngest taoiseach at 37 after the resignation of Leo Varadkar [1]
Apr 10 Avi Wigderson announced as the winner of the 2023 Turing Prize for his work in clarifying the role of randomness in algorithms [1]
Apr 10 South Korea's liberal opposition party wins landslide majority in the country's general election - a defeat for President Yoon Suk Yeol, amid claims he was brought down by a spring onion [1]
Apr 10 US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announce moves to counter Chinese aggression at a meeting at the White House [1]
Apr 11 Bogotá begins water rationing for the first time, as water reservoirs run very low due to drought and El Niño [1]
Apr 11 Vietnamese real estate tycoon Truong My Lan sentenced to death for embezzlement, bribery and banking violations worth 304 trillion dong ($12.46 billion), the country's largest-ever fraud case [1]
Apr 12 Music festival Coachella kicks off, headlined by Lana Del Ray, Tyler The Creator, Doja Cat and No Doubt
Apr 13 Iran launches a strike on Israel with 300 drones and missiles in retaliation for the bombing of its embassy in Damascus - almost all shot down [1]
Apr 13 Six people are killed in a stabbing at a Bondi shopping mall in Sydney, Australia, by an attacker with mental health issues who is shot dead by police [1]
Apr 14 88th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: World #1 golfer Scottie Scheffler beats Sweden's Ludvig Åberg by 4 strokes for his second Masters win in 3 years
Apr 14 British Columbia signs historic Gaayhllxid • Gíhlagalgang “Rising Tide” agreement recognizing Haida Gwaii's Aboriginal title over more than 200 islands off Canada’s west coast [1]
Apr 15 AI systems now so advanced they nearly match or exceed humans in reading comprehension, image classification and competition-level mathematics, according to major new report [1]
Apr 15 Donald Trump becomes the first former US President to stand trial on criminal charges as his hush money case begins in New York [1]
Apr 15 Former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann loses his high profile defamation case against an Australian TV network, the court finds he did rape Brittany Higgins in 2019 at parliament [1]
Apr 15 Sudan is on the edge of collapse warn aid agencies, on the one-year anniversary of a conflict that has displaced over 8.6 million people, including 2 million who fled to neighbouring countries [1]
Apr 16 Denmark's historic stock exchange, the Børsen, dating from 1625 goes up in flames in Copenhagen while being renovated [1]
Apr 16 United Arab Emirates records its largest rainfall in 75 years, flooding Dubai airport and killing at least 18 people in Oman [1]
Apr 16 Volcano Mount Ruang erupts in Indonesia in North Sulawesi province, its first eruption since 2002 [1]
Apr 17 Extreme weather moves on from the UAE to cause heavy rain and flooding in Pakistan and Afghanistan and at least 135 deaths [1]
Apr 17 Three Russian missiles strike an apartment building in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61 [1]
Apr 18 Fossil evidence of the largest known snake 11-15 meters long named Vasuki indicus, 66 million years old, published from a mine in Panandhro, western India [1]
Apr 18 New report finds nearly half of China's cities are sinking due to development and extracting too much water [1]
Apr 18 Police are sent in to remove students on campus at Columbia University protesting Israeli actions in Gaza - ignites protests across US campuses [1]
Apr 18 United States vetoes a United Nations Security Council resolution recognising Palestine as a state with the UK and Switzerland abstaining [1]
Apr 19 Taylor Swift releases her 11th studio album "The Tortured Poets Department" setting a Spotify record for over 300 million streams in one day [1]
Apr 20 US House passes a bipartisan $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and a bill against TikTok [1]
Apr 21 Chevron Championship Women's Golf, The Club at Carlton Woods: In beating Maja Stark by 2 strokes, Nelly Korda wins her second major title and equals LPGA record with 5 consecutive wins
Apr 22 Britain's Parliament approves a controversial bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda [1]
Apr 22 Widespread flooding across southern China forces the evacuation of 110,000 people with warning of a "once in a century" flood on the Bei River [1]
Apr 23 Australian PM Anthony Albanese hits back at Elon Musk saying it will "do what's necessary to take on this arrogant billionaire who thinks he's above the law" as a court orders X take down terrorist attack footage [1]
Apr 23 Details of ancient Greek philosopher Plato's last night and burial place revealed by deciphering a carbonized scroll from Herculaneum, using new technologies including AI [1]
Apr 24 Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Fräulein Lieser", previously though lost, sells for a record Austrian auction price of 30 million euros [1]
Apr 25 "Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe", highest-ever resolution map of the moon published after 10 years work by The Chinese Academy of Sciences [1]
Apr 25 Popular song lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive, according to a new study that analysed songs from 1970-2020 [1]
Apr 26 106 tornadoes tear through Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Kansas and Missouri destroying hundreds of homes [1]
Apr 27 Iraq's parliament criminalizes same-sex relationships, passing a law that allows for up to 15 years in prison [1]
Apr 27 NASA engineers successfully repair and recode Voyager 1 from 15 billion miles away after five month gap in not receiving data [1]
Apr 28 A worse than usual rainy season across East Africa due to El Nino kills at least 155 people in Tanzania and 60 in Kenya with hundreds of thousands displaced [1]
Apr 28 At least 37 mostly nocturnal tornadoes cause widespread devastation and four deaths in Oklahoma [1]
Apr 29 Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf resigns after his coalition government fails [1]
Apr 30 NYPD arrest about 300 Gaza protesters at Columbia University and City College of NY after two weeks of protests, in New York City [1]

Events in 2024

Famous Deaths

Apr 1 Joe Flaherty, American-Canadian Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and actor (SCTV; Freaks and Geeks), dies at 82 [1]
Apr 1 Michael Ward, American rock guitarist (John Hiatt, 1993-94; The Wallflowers, 1996-2001 - "One Headlight"; Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, 2007-16), dies at 57
Apr 1 Vontae Davis, American football cornerback (Pro Bowl 2014, 15; Indianapolis Colts), dies at 35
Apr 2 Larry Lucchino, American baseball executive (President/CEO Boston Red Sox; World Series 2004, 07, 13), dies from heart failure at 78
Apr 3 Albert "Tootie" Heath, American jazz hard bop drummer (John Coltrane; Art Farmer; Jimmy Heath; Tete Montoliu, Yusef Lateef), dies of leukemia at 88 [1]
Apr 3 Sándor Müller, Hungarian soccer midfielder (17 caps; Vasas SC 310 games), dies at 75
Apr 4 Pat Zachry, American baseball pitcher (World Series & NL Rookie of the Year 1976 Cincinnati Reds; MLB All Star 1978 NY Mets), dies at 71
Apr 5 C. J. Snare, American rock vocalist (Firehouse - "Love of a Lifetime"), dies of cardiac arrest at 64
Apr 5 John Louis, English motorcycle speedway rider (54 caps England, 4 Great Britain; World Pairs C'ship 1976), dies at 82
Apr 6 Pat Hennen, American motorcycle racer (first US rider to win a 500cc GP 1976), dies at 70
Apr 7 Clarence "Frogman" Henry, American R&B pianist and singer ("Ain't Got No Home"; "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do"), dies at 87 [1]
Apr 7 Jerry Grote, American baseball catcher (MLB All-Star 1968, 74, World Series 1969; New York Mets), dies of respiratory failure at 81 [1]
Apr 7 Joe Kinnear, Irish soccer defender (26 caps Republic of Ireland; Tottenham) and manager (Wimbledon, Luton Town, Newcastle United), dies from vascular dementia at 77
Apr 8 Keith Barnes, Australian rugby league fullback (17 Tests, 10 as captain; Balmain RLFC), dies at 89
Apr 8 Ron Lord, Australian soccer goalkeeper (10 caps; Sydney Prague), dies at 94
Apr 9 André Boniface, French rugby union outside back (48 Tests; Stade Montois Rugby; IRB HOF), dies at 89

Apr 9 Jack Alabaster, New Zealand cricket spin bowler (21 Tests, 49 wickets; Otago), dies at 93

O.J. Simpson (1947-2024)

Apr 10 American College/Pro Football HOF running back (Heisman Trophy 1968 USC; NFL MVP 1973; 5 × First-team All-Pro & Pro Bowl; Buffalo Bills), broadcaster, and actor; found responsible Brown/Goldman deaths 1994, dies of prostate cancer at 76 [1]

Apr 10 Ted Toleman, British motor sport executive (founder Toleman Racing F1 team), dies at 86
Apr 12 Don Donoher, American College Basketball HOF coach (University of Dayton 1964-89), dies at 92
Apr 12 Robert MacNeil, Canadian-American Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist (PBS, 1975-95; NBC Weekend News, 1965-67), and novelist, dies at 93 [1] [2]
Apr 14 Calvin Keys, American jazz guitarist, dies at 82

Ken Holtzman (1945-2024)

Apr 14 American baseball pitcher (2 x no hitters 1969, 71 Chicago Cubs; MLB All Star 1972-73, World Series 1972-74 Oakland A's), dies of heart disease at 78 [1]

Apr 14 Steve Sloan, American college football coach (Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Duke), dies at 79
Apr 15 Bernd Hölzenbein, German soccer forward (40 caps West Germany, winner FIFA World Cup 1974; Eintracht Frankfurt all-time top scorer 160 goals), dies at 78
Apr 15 Derek Underwood, England cricket spin bowler (86 Tests, 297 wickets @ 25.83, BB 8/51; Kent CCC), dies from dementia at 78
Apr 15 Whitey Herzog, American Baseball HOF manager (World Series 1982, NL Manager of the Year 1985 St Louis Cardinals; Texas Rangers, California Angels, KC Royals), dies at 92
Apr 16 Bob Graham, American politician (US Senator from Florida, 1987-2005; 38th Governor of Florida, 1979-87), dies at 87 [1]
Apr 16 Carl Erskine, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1954; World Series 1955; 2 x no-hitters; Brooklyn/LA Dodgers; Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award), dies at 97 [1]
Apr 16 Rodney Gould, British motorcycle road racer (FIM 250cc World C'ship 1970; 10 x GP wins), dies at 81
Apr 17 Per Henriksen, Norwegian soccer central defender (10 caps; Viking FK 180 games), dies at 72
Apr 17 Raman Subba Row, English cricket batsman (13 Tests, 3 x 100, HS 137; Surrey CCC, Northamptonshire CCC), dies at 92
Apr 18 Dickey Betts, American rock guitarist, songwriter, and singer (The Allman Brothers Band - "Ramblin' Man"; "Jessica"), dies of cancer at 80 [1]
Apr 18 Karen the ostrich, dies after swallowing a keeper's keys at Topeka Zoo, Kansas, at 5 [1]
Apr 18 Mandisa [Hundley] American Grammy Award-winning gospel and contemporary Christian singer (Overcomer), dies at 47
Apr 18 Wally Harris, Canadian ice hockey referee (6 x Stanley Cup series; first NHL Director of Officiating), dies at 88
Apr 19 Bill Tobin, American football executive (GM Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts), dies at 83
Apr 19 Leighton James, Welsh soccer winger (54 caps; Burnley 335 games), dies at 71
Apr 20 Andrew Davis, British conductor (Toronto Symphony, 1975-88; BBC Symphony, 1989-2000; Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2000-21), dies of leukemia at 80 [1]
Apr 20 György Tatár, Hungarian midfielder (11 caps; Diósgyőri VTK 272 games), dies at 71
Apr 20 Roman Gabriel, American College Football HOF and NFL quarterback (NC State Uni; NFL MVP & First-team All-Pro 1969; 4 x Pro Bowl; LA Rams, Philadelphia Eagles), dies at 83
Apr 21 Alex Hassilev, Russian-American folk singer, guitarist, banjo player (The Limeliters), actor, and record producer, dis of cancer at 91
Apr 22 Al Shaver, Canadian Hockey HOF sportscaster (Minnesota North Stars WCCO Radio, KSTP-AM, WAYL-AM), dies at 96
Apr 22 Brian Tobin, Australian tennis executive (President International Tennis Federation 1991-99; International Tennis HOF), dies at 93
Apr 22 Charlie Hurley, Irish soccer centre half (40 caps Republic of Ireland; Sunderland 402 games), dies at 87
Apr 23 Francisco Rodríguez, Venezuelan boxer (Olympic gold men's light flyweight 1968), dies at 78
Apr 23 Yukio Kasaya, Japanese ski jumper (Olympic gold 1972), dies at 80
Apr 24 Bob Cole, Canadian sports broadcaster (CBC - Hockey Night in Canada), dies at 90
Apr 24 John O'Shea, Welsh rugby union prop (5 Tests Wales, 1 British & Irish Lions; Cardiff RFC 213 games), dies at 83
Apr 24 Terry Hill, Australian rugby league utility (9 Tests; NSW 14 games; Manly 126 games), dies from a heart attack at 52
Apr 25 Mike Pinder, British keyboard player and Mellotron pioneer (Moody Blues,1964-78 - "Nights in White Satin"), dies at 82 [1] [2]
Apr 26 Dave O'Sullivan, New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse trainer (Japan Cup 1989; Cox Plate 1990; NZ Derby 1990, 93; NZ Racing HOF), dies at 90
Apr 29 Dingaan Thobela, South African boxer (WBO lightweight title 1990-92, WBA lightweight title 1993, WBC super-middleweight title 2000), dies at 57
Apr 29 Luis Mendoza, Venezuelan soccer midfielder (15 caps; Deportivo Galicia, Deportivo Italia), dies at 78
Apr 29 Mykhaylo Fomenko, Ukrainian soccer defender (24 caps USSR; Dynamo Kyiv 173 games) and manager (Ukraine 2012-16), dies at 75
Apr 29 Wally Dallenbach Sr., American auto racer (Champ Car Series 1973 runner-up; Motorsports HOF of America), dies at 87
Apr 30 Duane Eddy, American twangy guitarist ("Rebel Rouser"; Peter Gunn"; "Cannonball"), dies of cancer complications at 86 [1] [2]