For Asia History:
https://www.asiaobserver.org/category/news/on-this-day-in-asian-history 924Â Â Â Â Â Â
Apr 7, Berengarius I, Emperor of Italy, was murdered.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1028Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pope Benedict VIII
died.
   (PTA, 1980, p.288)
1118Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pope Gelasius II
excommunicated Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1348Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Prague Univ., the
1st in central Europe, was started by Charles IV.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1498Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A crowd stormed
Savonarola's convent of San Marco in Florence, Italy.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1506Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Francis Xavier,
saint, Jesuit missionary to India, Malaya, and Japan, was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1521Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Inquisitor-general
Adrian Boeyens banned Lutheran books.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1521Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ferdinand Magellan
landed on Cebu Island, Philippines. Italian chronicler Antonio
Pigafetta reported a thriving port with large supplies of rice and
gold. In 2003 the island was a booming commercial center with a
population of 4 million.
   (WSJ, 10/15/03, p.B2A)
1534Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Josr de Anchieta,
Spanish Jesuit, missionary (Brazilian Tupi Indians), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1613Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Gerard Dou, Dutch
painter (Night School), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1614Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, El Greco (b.1541),
born in Crete as Domenikos Theotocopoulos, died in Toledo, Spain.
His paintings included "The Resurrection" (1597) and “View and Plan
of Toledo” (1610-1614).
   (WSJ, 6/18/01,
p.A16)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Greco)
1625Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Albrecht von
Wallenstein was appointed German supreme commander.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1645Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Michael Cardozo
became the 1st Jewish lawyer in Brazil.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1652Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Dutch
established settlement at Cape Town, South Africa.
   (HN, 4/7/97)
1712Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, There was a slave
revolt in New York City. A slave insurrection in New York City was
suppressed by the militia and ended with the execution of 21 blacks.
[see Jul 4]
   (HN, 4/7/97)(HNQ, 6/10/98)
1719Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Jean-Baptiste de la
Salle (67), French priest, explorer, saint, died.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1724Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Johann S. Bach's
"St. John Passion" premiered in Leipzig.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1763Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Domenico
Dragonetti, composer, was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1768Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Michel Mathieu
(78), composer, died.
   (MC, 4/7/02)  Â
1770Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, William Wordsworth,
English poet laureate, was born. He wrote "The Prelude" and "Lyrical
Ballads." In 1998 Kenneth R. Johnston published “The Hidden
Wordsworth: Poet, Lover, Rebel, Spy.” The biography covered the
first 30 years of the poet’s life. In 1896 Emile Legouis also
published a biography of the poet’s youth. The poet was responsible
for such phrases as: “love of nature,” “love of man,” and “emotion
recollected in tranquility.”
   (V.D.-H.K.p.230)(WSJ, 6/23/98, p.A18)(SFEC,
8/23/98, BR p.5)(HN, 4/7/99)
1775Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Francis C. Lowell
was born. He founded the 1st raw cotton-to-cloth textile mill.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1794      Apr 7,  Â
In Poland at the battle of Raclawice the revolutionary forces of
Tadeusz Kosciusko defeated the imperial armies.
   (DrEE, 9/21/96, p.5)
1795      Apr 7,  Â
 In the National Convention of Revolutionary France put into
effect a new calendar system, similar to that of ancient Egypt. The
year began with the autumn equinox, and had 360 days divided into
twelve months of thirty days. Five extra days were placed at the end
of the year. The months were divided into three 10 day groups. The
day was divided into 10 new hours, each hour into 100 minutes, and
each minute into 100 seconds.
   (K.I.-365D, p.42)
  Â
1798Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Territory of
Mississippi was organized.
   (HN, 4/7/97)
1803Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Francois D.
Toussaint L'Ouverture (Louverture), Haitian revolutionary, died in a
dungeon at Fort Joux in the French Alps. In 2007 Madison Smartt Bell
authored “Toussaint Louverture: A Biography.”
   (AP,
4/7/03)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toussaint_L'Ouverture)(SFC,
1/15/07, p.D7)
1805Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Francis Wilkinson
Pickens (d.1869), later Confederate governor of South Carolina, was
born in South Carolina.
  Â
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Wilkinson_Pickens)
1805Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Lewis and Clark
Corps of Discovery resumed their journey to the headwaters of the
Missouri River.
   (ON, 4/12, p.10)
1805Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Beethoven conducted
the fist public performance of his Third Symphony, "Eroica." It was
completed in 1804 and 1st published in Vienna.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._3_(Beethoven))(Econ.,
11/21/20, p.76)
1818Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Gen. Andrew Jackson
captured St. Marks, Fla., from the Seminole Indians.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1827Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, English chemist
John Walker invented wooden matches.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1831Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pedro I of Brazil
abdicated in favor of his 5-year-old son, Pedro de Alcantara, Pedro
II.
   (EWH, 4th ed., p.855)
1837Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, J. Pierpont Morgan
(J.P. Morgan, d.1913), American financier, was born in Hartford,
Conn. He later owned U.S. Steel and International Harvester. In 1999
Jean Strouse published the biography "Morgan: American Financier."
   (WUD, 1994 p.931)(WSJ, 3/30/99, p.A24)(HN,
4/7/99)
1853Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Dr. John Snow
administered chloroform to Queen Victoria at the birth of her 8th
child, Prince Leopold.
   (ON, 5/05, p.9)
1858Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Anton Diabelli
(76), Austrian publisher, composer, died.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1859Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Walter Camp, father
of American football, was born in Connecticut.
   (HN, 4/7/97)(MC, 4/7/02)
1860Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, William Keith
Kellogg, the brother of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943), was
born. Will later founded the W.K. Kellogg company in Battle Creek,
Mich., to market the cornflakes invented by his older brother. [see
1895]
   (HN,
4/7/99)(http://www.ivu.org/history/adventists/kellogg.html)(WSJ,
9/29/00, p.W17)
1862Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Union forces led by
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at the battle of
Shiloh in Tennessee. Gen. Ulysses Grant after the Battle of Shiloh
said: “I saw an open field... so covered with dead that it would
have been possible to walk across... in any direction, stepping on
dead bodies without a foot touching the ground.” More than 9,000
Americans died.
   (SFC, 6/19/96, p.E5)(HT, 4/97, p.13)(AP, 4/7/97)
1863Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Battle of
Charleston, SC. The Federal fleet attack on Fort Sumter failed.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1865Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Battle of
Farmville, VA.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1888Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Start of Sherlock
Holmes adventure "Yellow Face."
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1890Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Marjory Stoneman
Douglas, environmentalist (1st Lady of Everglades), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1891Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Nebraska introduced
an 8 hour work day.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1891Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Phineas T. Barnum
(88), US circus promoter (B & Bailey), died.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1893Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Allan W. Dulles, US
diplomat, CIA head (1953-61) (Germany's Underground), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1897Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Walter Winchell,
American newscaster and newspaper columnist, was born in Harlem,
NYC.
   (HN, 4/7/97)(MC, 4/7/02)
1902Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Texas Fuel Co.
was founded. It soon changed its name to the Texas Co. and
eventually became Texaco.
   (SFC, 10/20/04, p.C6)
1908Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Percy Faith,
conductor (Summer Place), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1913Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The suffragists'
marched to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. By the second decade of
the 20th century, woman suffrage--women's right to vote--had become
an issue of national importance in America. The growth in the
numbers of American working women and the valuable contributions
women made in war production during World War I further increased
the suffragists' support. On August 20, 1919, the 19th Amendment to
the Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote.
   (HNPD, 4/7/99)
1914Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, British House of
Commons passed the Irish Home Rule Bill.
   (HN, 4/7/97)
1915Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Billie Holliday,
jazz and blues legend, was born. She sang "God Bless the Child."
   (HN, 4/7/99)
1917Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, De Falla's ballet
"El Sombrero de tres Picos," premiered in Madrid.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1920Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ravi Shankar, sitar
player, was born in Benares, India.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1922Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, U.S. Secretary of
Interior leased Naval Reserve #3, "Teapot Dome,” in Wyoming to Harry
F. Sinclair.
   (HN, 4/7/97)(MC, 4/7/02)
1923Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Workers Party
of America in NYC became an official communist party.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1923Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The 1st brain tumor
operation under local anesthetic was performed at Beth Israel
Hospital in NYC by Dr K. Winfield Ney.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1926Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In San Luis Obispo,
Ca., lightning sparked a 5-day oil fire killing 2 people. Over 6
million barrels of oil were burned. Final damages were estimated at
$15 million.
   (SFC, 4/7/09, p.D8)
1926Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mussolini's Irish
wife broke his Italian nose.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1927Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Secretary of
Commerce Herbert Hoover was on hand for the first inter-city (DC to
Manhattan) transmission by telephone of video imagery. Hoover’s
image and voice were transmitted across telephone lines.
  Â
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1927_in_television)(AH, 4/07, p.14)
1928Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, James Garner, actor
(Rockford Files, Bret Maverick), was born in Norman, Okla.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1928Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Alan J. Pakula,
director (All the President's Men, Klute), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1931Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Donald Barthelme
(d.1989), US writer, was born in Philadelphia.
  Â
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Barthelme)(WSJ, 2/21/09, p.W8)
1931Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Daniel Ellsberg,
anti-war activist and the man who released the Pentagon Papers, was
born.
   (HN, 4/7/97)
1932Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Erv A. Kelley, US
policeman, was shot to death by Pretty Boy Floyd.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1933Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, “Near beer” (3.2
beer) became legal after FDR signed an amendment to the Volstead
Act, which had made drinking alcohol a federal crime. Prohibition
ended when Utah became the 38th state to ratify 21st
Amendment. [see Dec 5]
   (SFC, 4/7/96, p.B-11)(HN, 4/7/97)(MC, 4/7/02)
1933Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The 1st two Nazi
anti-Jewish laws barred Jews from legal and public service.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1933Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Jan Erik/Eric Jan
Hanussen, Berlin astrologer, illusionist, was murdered.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1934Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In India, Mahatma
Gandhi suspended his campaign of civil disobedience.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1938Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, [Edmund G] Jerry
Brown Jr, (Gov-D-Cal, Mayor of Oakland), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1939Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Francis Ford
Coppola, director (Godfather, Apocalypse Now), was born in Detroit.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1939Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Italy invaded
Albania, which offered only token resistance. Less than a week
later, Italy annexed Albania. [see Apr 8]
   (AP, 4/7/99)
1942Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, There was a heavy
German assault on Malta.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1943Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The NFL adopted its
free substitution rule.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1943Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US Marine Lt. James
Swett (1920-2009), division leader of Squadron 221, shot down 7
Japanese bombers over the Solomon Islands. He was later awarded the
Medal of Honor for his actions on this day.
   (SSFC, 1/25/09, p.B3)
1943Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, British and
American armies link up between Wadi Akarit and El Guettar in North
Africa, forming a solid line against the German army.
   (HN, 4/7/99)
1943Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Adolf Hitler and
Benito Mussolini met for an Axis conference in Salzburg.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1943Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Lt. Colonel Claus
von Stauffenberg was seriously wounded during allied air raid.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1945      Apr 7,  Â
During World War II, American planes intercepted a Japanese fleet
that was headed for Okinawa on a suicide mission. The Japanese
battleship Yamato, the world's largest battleship, was sunk during
the battle for Okinawa along with 4 Japanese destroyers.
   (AP, 4/7/97)(HN, 4/7/99)(MC, 4/7/02)
1947 Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Auto pioneer Henry
Ford (b.1863) died in Dearborn, Mich. Most of his personal estate,
valued at $205 million, was left to the Ford Foundation. In 2001
Neil Baldwin authored "Henry Ford and the Jews - The Mass Production
of Hate." In 2003 Douglas Brinkley authored "Wheels for the World -
Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress." In 2005 Steven
Watts authored “The People’s Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American
Century.”
   (AP, 4/7/97)(HN, 2/20/98)(SFC, 6/13/03,
p.B4)(SSFC, 8/28/05, p.C2)
1947Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Arab students,
influenced by national socialist movements in Europe, founded the
Baath Party. Satia al-Husri, father of Ba’athism, was a disciple of
German philosopher Johann Fichte. This became a holiday in Iraq
until abolished in 2003.
   (WSJ, 4/3/03, p.A1)(WSJ, 4/8/03, p.D4)(AP,
7/13/03)
1947Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, At Mont Pelerin,
Switzerland, Friedrich A. von Hayek invited a group of classical
liberals to discuss the threat of freedom posed by the expansionist
governments of the day. The group founded the Mont Pelerin Society
to continue meetings and discussions in the future. They viewed
central planning as the single most important threat to liberty.
   (WSJ, 5/8/97,
p.A22)(www.montpelerin.org/montpelerin/mpsAbout.html)
1948Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The World Health
Organization (WHO) was founded by the UN. In 1948, the First World
Health Assembly called for the creation of a "World Health Day" to
mark the founding of the World Health Organization. Since 1950,
World Health Day has been celebrated on the 7th of April annually.
   (AP,
4/7/97)(www.who.int/world-health-day/previous/en/index.html)
1949      Apr 7,  Â
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" opened on
Broadway at the Majestic Theater for 1928 performances.
   (AP, 4/7/97)(MC, 4/7/02)
1951Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Janis Ian, [Janis
Eddy Fink], lesbian, folk rocker, was born in NYC.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1953      Apr 7,  Â
The U.N. General Assembly elected Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961) as
Secretary-General of the UN.
   (WUD, 1994, p.1684)(AP, 4/7/97)
1954Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Jackie Chan,
martial art actor (Rumble in the Bronx), was born.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1954Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pres. Eisenhower
spoke at a press conference about why we needed to protect Vietnam
and mentioned his fear of a "domino-effect" in Indochina.
  Â
(www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=2630)
1954Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The West German
government refused to recognize DDR (East Germany).
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1955Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Theda Bara
(Theodosia Goodman), silent screen sex symbol, died. Her films
included "A Fool There Was" and "Kathleen Mavoureen."
   (HNPD, 7/24/98)(WUD, 1994 p.118)
1957      Apr 7,  Â
The last of New York City's electric trolleys completed its final
run from the city's borough of Queens to Manhattan.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1958Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Anti-nuclear peace
protesters arrived at the Atomic Weapons Establishment near
Aldermaston, England, after marching for several days from London.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
1959Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Oklahoma ended
prohibition after 51 years.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1961Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Tad Szulc (d.2001)
wrote a front page NY Times article on anti-Castro forces training
to fight at Florida bases and predicted a probable invasion on April
18. The invasion took place Apr 17.
   (SFC, 5/24/01, p.C4)
1961Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Marian Jordan (62),
radio comedienne (Fibber McGee and Molly), died.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1963Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Yugoslavia
proclaimed itself a Socialist republic.
   (HN, 4/7/97)
1964Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, IBM introduced its
innovative System/360, the company's first line of compatible
mainframe computers that gave customers the option of upgrading from
lower-cost models to more powerful, expensive ones.
   (AP, 4/7/04)
1966      Apr 7,  Â
The United States recovered a hydrogen bomb it had lost off the
coast of Spain.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1967Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A, Israeli-Syrian
minor border incident escalated into a full-scale aerial battle over
the Golan Heights, resulting in the loss of six Syrian MiG-21s to
Israeli Air Force (IAF) Dassault Mirage IIIs, and the latter's
flight over Damascus.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War)
1969      Apr 7,  Â
The US Supreme Court in Stanley v. Georgia unanimously struck down
laws prohibiting private possession of obscene material.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
1970Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, "Effects of Gamma
Rays on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds," premiered in NYC. The play was
written in 1964 by Paul Zindel, playwright and science teacher.
Zindel received the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the work.
  Â
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Effect_of_Gamma_Rays_on_Man-in-the-Moon_Marigolds)
1970Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the 42nd Academy
Awards in Los Angeles "Midnight Cowboy" won for best picture, John
Wayne for best actor (True Grit) and Maggie Smith for best actress
(The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie).
  Â
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42nd_Academy_Awards)
1971Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Nixon
pledged a withdrawal of 100,000 more men from Vietnam by December.
   (HN, 4/7/97)
1971Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pres. Nixon ordered
Lt. Calley, imprisoned for the Mi Lai massacre, free.
   (MC, 4/7/02)
1971Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Miro Baresic
(b.1950), a declared pro-Ustasha who strived for Croatia's
independence from Yugoslavia, and his friend Andelko Brajkovic shot
Ambassador Vladimir Rolovic inside the Yugoslav embassy in
Stockholm. A group of Croatian far-right radicals hijacked a
Scandinavian Airlines passenger plane in 1972, forcing his release.
He found refuge in Paraguay, but was eventually captured again and
extradited to Sweden in 1980, where his life sentence was converted
to 18 years. He returned to Croatia in 1991 where he was killed in
fighting against Serb-led forces fighting against Croatia's
independence.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miro_Bare%C5%A1i%C4%87)(AP, 8/1/16)
1972Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Richard McCoy
(1942-1974), Vietnam veteran and pilot, hijacked a United Air Lines
jet and extorted $500,000 in copycat version of the DB Cooper crime.
He parachuted into a Utah desert, but was caught with the money in
his house and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He escaped and
died in a shootout with FBI agent Nicholas O’Hara in Nov, 1974.
   (SFEC, 11/17/96, Z1
p.5)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_McCoy,_Jr.)
1972Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, "Crazy" Joe Gallo,
flamboyant mobster, was gunned down at his 43rd birthday party in
Manhattan’s Umberto's Clam House.
   (SFC, 12/30/04, p.A2)
1972Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Sheik Abeid Amane
Karume, Zanzibari vice-president of the republic of Tanzania, was
assassinated.
   (Econ, 12/13/03,
p.43)(www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404703463.html)
1976Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Robert A. Swanson
(d.1999 at 52), a venture capitalist, and Herb Boyer, a UCSF
molecular biologist and co-discoverer of gene-splicing in 1973,
incorporated Genentech Inc. They planned to use gene splicing to
create a genre of medicines.
   (SFC, 5/28/96, p.B1)(SFC, 1/19/98, p.A10)(SSFC,
4/1/01, p.B1)
1976Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China's leadership
deposed Deputy Prime Minister Deng Xiaoping and appointed Hua
Kuo-feng (Guofeng) prime minister and first deputy chairman of the
Communist Party.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1977Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pres. Carter
stopped the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel rods in order to
discourage the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
   (SSFC, 4/8/07, p.A18)
1977Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The RAF gunned down
Siegfried Bubeck, a West German federal prosecutor, his driver,
Wolfgang Goebel, and the guard Georg Wurster. In 2009 police, using
new DNA evidence, arrested Verena Becker (57), a former German
leftist terrorist on suspicion of involvement in the slayings.
Becker had been arrested a month after the ambush, following a
shootout with police. Prosecutors at the time did not have enough
evidence to try her on charges of involvement in the Buback slaying,
but convicted her of armed robbery and attempted murder stemming
from the shootout. She was sentenced to life in prison. In 1989 she
was pardoned of those charges by German Pres. Richard von
Weizsaecker and released from prison. In 2010 Becker was charged
with 3 counts of murder for her alleged role in the fatal 1977
ambush.
   (WSJ, 1/11/00, p.A8)(AP, 8/28/09)(AP, 4/21/10)
1978Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Carter
announced he was deferring development of the neutron bomb, a
high-radiation weapon.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
1978Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Gutenberg bible
sold for a record $2.2 million in NYC. It was bought by Martin
Breslauer for the state museum of Baden Wurttemberg.
  Â
(www.biblio.com/details.php?dcx=35363264&aid=frg)
1980Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US broke
relations with Iran during the hostage crises. Pres. Carter ordered
all Iranian diplomats expelled from the US and prohibited any
further exports to the nation. Pres. Carter signed Executive Order
12205 for economic sanctions against Iran.
   (HN,
4/7/97)(www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=33235)
1982Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the SF Bay Area
an AC Transit bus clipped a stalled car and then struck a
double-tanker truck that jack-knifed and erupted in the Caldecott
Tunnel. The resulting fireball left 7 people dead.
   (SFC, 11/2/13, p.D1)
1982Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Sadegh Ghotbzadeh
(b.1936), Iran’s minister of foreign affairs, was arrested. He was
convicted of plotting against the government and executed on Sep 15.
  Â
(www.cedmagic.com/home/ced-digest/ced-digest-vol-07/ced-digest0714.html)
1983Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Specialist Story
Musgrave and Don Peterson took the first US space walk in almost a
decade as they worked in the open cargo bay of Challenger for nearly
four hours.
   (HN, 4/7/97)(AP, 4/7/03)
1984Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Frank Church
(b.1924), Sen-D-Idaho, (1957-81), died.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Church)
1986Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Consolidated
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) became US law. It was
created by California Congressman Pete Stark (1931-2020) and allowed
workers to continue receiving health coverage for a period of time
after they left a job. The statute had passed Congress in 1985.
   (http://tinyurl.com/nu9f2ly)(SFC, 1/25/20, p.C1)
1986Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Dimitris
Angelopoulos (79), a Greek industrialist, was killed by Nov. 17
militants. In 2003 Patroklos Tselentis testified that he drove the
getaway motorcycle.
   (AP, 3/26/03)(http://tinyurl.com/yzu4sj)
1987      Apr 7,  Â
Chicago Mayor Harold Washington handily won a second term, quashing
a challenge by archrival Edward Vrdolyak.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1987Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Frances Newton (22)
allegedly killed her husband and 2 children in Houston to gain
insurance benefits. According to a reprieve petition, Adrian Newton
was a drug user and drug seller and there was evidence that some
sort of trouble in this regard was brewing before the murder. In
2005 she was executed in Huntsville, Texas, the 1st black woman to
be executed by the state since the Civil War.
   (SFC, 9/15/05, p.A3)(http://tinyurl.com/9mw34)
1987Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ali Mecili, a
lawyer active in Algeria's human rights movement, was killed by
three gunshots in the foyer of his Paris apartment. Colleagues
accused the Algerian government of involvement. In 2008 Algerian
diplomat Mohamed Ziane Hasseni was arrested at an airport in the
French port city of Marseille, based on an international arrest
warrant. A Paris judge had signed the orders for the arrest of
Hassani and the suspected killer, Abdelmalek Amellouet, in December
last year.
   (AP, 10/17/08)(http://tinyurl.com/67pryj)
1988Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Albie Sachs
(b.1935) was working in Mozambique on legal guarantees that would be
part of the new South African Constitution when a car bomb exploded
that left him without a right arm.
   (SFEC, 2/9/97, Z1
p.7)(www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/8732.html)
1988Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Soviet leader
Mikhail S. Gorbachev and Afghan leader Najibullah met in the Soviet
Central Asian city of Tashkent. They later issued a joint statement
announcing an end to the civil war in Afghanistan and withdrawal
Soviet troops.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1989Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A week after the
Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster, President Bush pledged federal
assistance to help in the clean-up.
   (AP, 4/7/99)
1989Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Soviet
nuclear-powered submarine, the Komsomolets, caught fire and sank in
the Norwegian Sea, claiming 42 of 69 lives.
   (AP, 4/7/99)(SFC, 8/14/00, p.A13)
1990Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A display of Robert
Mapplethorpe photographs opened at Cincinnati's Contemporary Arts
Center, the same day the center and its director were indicted on
obscenity charges. Both were later acquitted.
   (AP, 4/7/00)
1990Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Former national
security adviser John M. Poindexter was convicted of five counts at
his Iran-Contra trial. However, a federal appeals court later
reversed the convictions.
   (HN, 4/7/97)(AP, 4/7/00)
1990Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Burma (later
Myanmar) a double-decker ferry sank in Gyaing River during a storm
and 215 people were believed drowned.
   (www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0005329.html)
1990Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, An arson fire
aboard a ferry enroute from Norway to Denmark killed 159 people.
   (AP, 4/7/00)(AP, 1/14/12)
1991Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US military planes
began airdropping supplies to Kurdish refugees who were facing
starvation and exposure in the snow-covered mountains of northern
Iraq. The United States warned Iraq not to interfere with the relief
effort.
   (AP, 4/7/01)
1991Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Puerto Rico 3
prisoners escaped from the Rio Piedras State Penitentiary in a
hijacked helicopter with the help of accomplices. Two were
recaptured, while a third remained at large.
   (AP, 12/31/02)
1992      Apr 7,  Â
Democrat Bill Clinton swept the New York, Kansas and Wisconsin
primaries.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1992      Apr 7,  Â
PLO chairman Yasser Arafat survived the crash landing of his plane
in the Libyan desert; three crew members were killed.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1992      Apr 7,  Â
The Sacramento Bee, The New York Times and Newsday won two Pulitzer
prizes each; playwright Robert Schenkkan was honored for "The
Kentucky Cycle," novelist Jane Smiley for "A Thousand Acres."
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1993Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, European warplanes
began arriving in Italy, prepared to enforce a no-fly zone over
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1994Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Angelus Gottfried
"Golo" Mann (85), German-US historian, died.
   (www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/MannGolo/)
1994Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Civil war erupted
in Rwanda, a day after a mysterious plane crash claimed the lives of
the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi. Former Defense Minister
Colonel Theoneste Bagosora reportedly instigated the killing spree
by Hutu militia. Within twenty-four hours fighting resulted in the
deaths of Agathe Uwilingiyimana, the prime minister of Rwanda,
Joseph Kavaruganda, the president of the Supreme Court and hundreds
of others. In the months that followed, hundreds of thousands of
minority Tutsi and Hutu intellectuals were slaughtered. In Kibeho
thousands of Tutsis gathered in a church where they were bombed,
shot or hacked to death by Hutu soldiers and militiamen.
   (AP, 4/7/99)(SFC, 4/8/99, p.C3)(SSFC, 4/7/02,
p.A19)(MC, 4/7/02)
1994Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, UN officer Colonel
Luc Marchal ordered troops to escort Rwandan prime minister Agathe
Uwilingyimana to a radio station in Kigali. The party was ambushed,
the troops hacked to death, and the prime minister was raped and
murdered. Augustin Ndindiliyimana, head of the Gendarmerie
Nationale, was later charged in the killing of 10 Belgian
peacekeepers charged with guarding Uwilingyimana and for his role in
the Tutsi extermination. Ndindiliyimana was arrested in Belgium in
2000.
   (SFC, 7/5/96, p.A16)
1994Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Rwanda Augustin
Bizimungu made a speech, several days before he was made army chief,
in the northern district of Mukingo, calling for the killing of
Tutsis. Bizimungu was arrested in Angola in 2002. In 2011 he
received a 30-year jail term for his role in the mass killing of
Tutsis.
   (AP, 5/17/11)
1994Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pope John Paul II
made remarks at the conclusion of a concert in commemoration of the
Shoah (holocaust), in which he acknowledged the Nazi Holocaust
killing of Jews.
   (http://tinyurl.com/c9vt8)
1995Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Clinton
threatened to veto a lengthy list of bills passed by the
Republican-controlled House if they were not modified in the Senate.
   (AP, 4/7/00)
1995Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In a prime-time
television address, House Speaker Newt Gingrich declared the GOP
"Contract with America" was only a beginning.
   (AP, 4/7/00)
1996Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Monica Lewinsky
informed pres. Clinton that she was to be transferred from the White
House. He promised to bring her back following the elections and
they had another sexual encounter.
   (SFC, 9/12/98, p.A13)
1996      Apr 7,  Â
Celebrating Easter Mass under a glorious spring sky, Pope John Paul
II appealed for support for the "artisans" of peace in Bosnia,
Northern Ireland and the Holy Land.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1997Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Pulitzer Prize
for fiction went to Steven Millhauser for "Martin Dressler: The Tale
of an American Dreamer," but no award was given for drama. The
Times-Picayune of New Orleans won two journalism Pulitzers,
including the public service prize, for a series examining how
overfishing and pollution are devastating the oceans.
   (AP, 4/7/97)
1997Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Columbia
prisoners took over a 1,200 inmate facility in Bucaramanga, the 3rd
prison to be seized in a week.
   (WSJ, 4/8/97, p.A1)
1997Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Zaire deserting
government soldiers of the 21st Brigade donned white scarves and
declared themselves on the side of the rebels as the rebels
approached Lubumbashi, the capital of the copper and cobalt rich
Shaba province.
   (SFC, 4/8/97, p.A8)
1998Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Clinton
held a town meeting in Kansas City, Mo., on the future of Social
Security.
   (AP, 4/7/99)
1998Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mary Bono, the
widow of entertainer-turned-politician Sonny Bono, won a special
election to serve out the remainder of her husband's congressional
term.
   (AP, 4/7/99)
1998Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Indonesia and the
IMF agreed on a new plan for the economy. Pres. Suharto and the fund
made concessions, that included continuing subsidies on food and
fuel and closing more insolvent banks.
   (SFC, 4/8/98, p.A12)
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Kentucky 2
volunteer firefighters, Kenneth Nickell (28) and Kevin Smith (30),
were killed while battling a blaze at the Daniel Boone National
Forest.
   (SFC, 4/8/99, p.A13)
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US State Dept.
made public a list of Serb commanders whose names were to be sent to
the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
   (SFC, 4/8/99, p.A10)
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Chechen gunmen
killed 4 Russian policemen patrolling the border near Stavropol.
   (WSJ, 4/8/99, p.A1)
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Spyros Kyprianou,
the acting president of Cyprus, planned to fly to Belgrade to
negotiate the release of the 3 American soldiers held by Serbia.
   (SFC, 4/8/99, p.A1)
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Macedonia the
government evacuated a huge refugee encampment overnight and sent
them to locations in Albania, Greece and Turkey.
   (SFC, 4/8/99, p.A1)
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Heavy NATO bombing
reportedly killed 10 civilians in Pristina, Kosovo. The Provincial
Executive Council Building, which housed the offices of Zoran
Andjelkovic, Kosovo's top Serbian official, were was hit by bombs.
   (SFC, 4/8/99, p.AQ10)  Â
1999Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Yugoslav forces
sealed the Morini border with Albania and the border at Macedonia
and told refugees to return home. The wave of refugees approached
the half-million mark.
   (SFC, 4/8/99, p.A1)(SFC, 4/20/99, p.A7)(AP,
4/7/00)
2000Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pres. Clinton
signed a bill to allow people aged 65-70 to earn as much as they can
without losing Social Security benefits.
   (SFC, 4/8/00, p.A1)
2000Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Attorney General
Janet Reno met in Washington with the father of Elian Gonzalez; Reno
later told reporters that officials would arrange for Juan Miguel
Gonzalez to reclaim his son, but she gave Elian’s Miami relatives
one more chance to drop their resistance and join in a peaceful
transfer.
   (AP, 4/7/01)
2000Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Miami jury ruled
that cigarettes caused the diseases of 3 smokers chosen as
representatives in a class-action suit. Compensatory damages totaled
12.7 million and opened the door to huge punitive damages.
   (SFC, 4/8/00, p.A1)
2000Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Iqbal Masih, a
slain child labor spokesperson, was named in Sweden as the first
winner of the World’s Children’s prize. Masih was gunned down at age
13 after speaking out against child labor in carpet factories where
he had worked from age 5-10. Prize money was earmarked to establish
the Iqbal Masih Freedom Center for the Rights of the Child in
Pakistan.
   (SFC, 4/8/00, p.C1)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Cincinnati
Timothy Thomas (19), an unarmed black man wanted on 14 misdemeanor
warrants, was fatally shot by a white police officer. The shooting
led to city-wide riots. Officer Stephen Roach was later charged with
negligent homicide and obstructing official business.
   (SFC, 4/11/01, p.A10)(SFC, 5/8/01, p.A3)(AP,
4/7/02)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The $297 million
Mars Odyssey was launched on a six-month, 286-million-mile journey
to the Red Planet and was expected to arrive near Mars Oct 24. A
2-year orbit to map the planet’s chemistry and minerals was planned.
   (SFC, 4/7/01, p.A2)(SSFC, 4/8/01, p.A13)(AP,
4/7/02)Â Â Â
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Actress Beatrice
Straight died in Los Angeles at age 86.
   (AP, 4/7/02)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China rejected US
statements of regret and continued to demand an apology for the
April 1 collision between a US spy plane and Chinese jet.
   (SSFC, 4/8/01, p.C1)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Tehran 40-42
people were arrested including members of the opposition Freedom
Movement. The Revolutionary Court said some were linked to the
Iraq-based Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK).
   (SFC, 4/9/01, p.A8)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The weeklong Jewish
Passover began at sundown.
   (SSFC, 4/8/01, p.C3)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the Philippines
Manila went dark for 14 hours when a transmission line overloaded
and cut power to 35 million people.
   (WSJ, 4/9/01, p.A1)
2001Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Vietnam a
Russian-made M-17 helicopter carrying a team searching for American
MIAs crashed and all aboard were reported killed. Rescuers recovered
the bodies of 9 Vietnamese and 7 Americans the next day.
   (SSFC, 4/8/01, p.C2)(SFC, 4/9/01, p.A7)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pres. Bush ended
weekend talks with Britain’s PM Tony Blair in Texas. Blair said he
would back a US military action against Iraq.
   (SFC, 4/8/02, p.A9)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Arthur Andersen
announced it would lay off more than a quarter of its US workforce,
a direct result of Enron filing for bankruptcy in the fall of 2001.
   (AP, 4/8/03)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Actor John Agar
(81) died in Burbank, California.
   (AP, 4/7/03)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Colombia 2 bombs
killed 12 people in Villavicencio and FARC rebels were suspected.
One bomb was used to attract people when the 2nd was detonated.
   (SFC, 4/8/02, p.A9)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Costa Rica Abel
Pacheco (68), psychiatrist, poet and former TV commentator, was
elected president in a runoff against Rolando Araya.
   (WSJ, 4/8/02, p.A1)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Iraq Saddam
Hussein pledged to defeat the US if attacked and promised to
continue supplying Palestinians to defend against Israel.
   (SFC, 4/8/02, p.A9)
2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli forces
continued Operation Defensive Shield and news reporters were kept
away. 12 Palestinians were killed in Nablus with stiff resistance in
the Jenin refugee camp. Worldwide protests included a march in
Morocco by a half million people and in Brussels by some 10,000.
   (SFC, 4/8/02, p.A1,8)(AP, 4/7/03)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Syracuse beat
Kansas 81-78 in the NCAA Basketball finals.
   (SFC, 4/8/03, p.A1)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US Supreme
Court voted 6-3 to uphold a 50-year-old Virginia law making it a
crime to burn a cross as an act of intimidation.
   (AP, 4/7/04)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pulitzer Prize
winners included the Boston Globe for public service, Jeffrey
Eugenides for fiction (Middlesex); Rick Atkinson for history ((An
Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa (1942-1943); and Samantha
Power for general nonfiction (A Problem from Hell: American and the
Age of Genocide”). The Boston Globe won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for
public service for its coverage of the priest sex abuse scandal.
   (SFC, 4/8/03, p.A2)(AP, 4/7/08)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Jewelry valued at
$4.5 million was stolen from the Lang Estate and Jewelry store on
Union Square in SF. 2 men were later arrested. In 2006 Troy Smith
(44) was convicted in the robbery and faced 35 years to life in
prison. His brother Dino Smith (48) and George Turner (46) were
convicted in 2005. The robbers entered on a Sunday night and forced
employees to open the safes the next morning and escaped with 1,300
pieces of jewelry.
   (SFC, 12/21/04, p.B3)(SFC, 11/1/06, p.B7)(SFC,
10/1/09, p.E3)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the 19th day of
Operation Iraqi Freedom US forces in tanks and armored vehicles
stormed into the center of Baghdad, seizing Saddam Hussein's Sijood
and Republican palaces. As many as 5 marines were killed. Many
Iraqis died in constant suicidal attacks. It was later speculated
that the US and the Baath regime arranged a secret deal (safqua) to
hand over Baghdad.
   (AP, 4/7/03)(SFC, 4/7/03, p.A1)(WSJ, 4/8/03,
p.A1)(SSFC, 4/20/03, p.D3)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A US warplane
dropped 4 precision-guided 2,000-pound JDAMs and left a smoking
crater 60 feet deep in the upscale al-Mansour section of western
Baghdad, where Saddam Hussein was believed to have been in a meeting
with top officials.
   (AP, 4/8/03)(SFC, 4/8/03, p.A1)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Capt. Harry
Alexander Hornbuckle on the road to Baghdad led 80 US soldiers
against 300 Iraqi and Syrian fighters. 200 enemy were killed with no
US casualties.
   (WSJ, 11/11/03, p.A1)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The SF Chronicle
ran a $45,000 full-page ad that called for the impeachment of Pres.
Bush. Former US Attorney Gen’l. Ramsey Clark led the ad sponsors.
   (SFC, 4/8/03, p.A12)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Juan Emeterio
Rivas, Colombia radio journalist for station Calor Estereo, was shot
and killed by gunmen after he told his police body guards to take
time off. Rivas' body and that of an engineering student were
discovered in a rural area outside Barrancabermeja. Julio Cesar
Ardila, the mayor of Barrancabermeja, was later charged with
ordering the murder. He was among three men convicted in the murder
of Jose Emeterio Rivas. In 2009 Ardila was sentenced to 28 years in
prison for ordering the murder.
   (AP, 4/7/03)(AP, 7/12/03)(AP, 1/22/09)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Cuba handed down
sentences of 15-27 years to the 1st 7 of 80 recently rounded
dissidents. Activists of Oswaldo Paya’s Christian Liberation
Movement made up more than two-thirds of those arrested. In response
the EU imposed diplomatic sanctions and Cuban officials boycotted
embassy functions in what came to be called the “cocktail war.” The
sanctions were suspended in 2005 and lifted in 2008.
   (AP, 4/8/03)(Econ, 12/17/05, p.38)(Econ, 6/28/08,
p.44)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Cecile de Brunhoff
(99), the inspiration for Babar the elephant whose adventures
captivated generations of children, died in Paris. She first
invented the tale of a little elephant as a bedtime story for her
boys in 1931. They in turn told their father, painter Jean de
Brunhoff, who illustrated the story and filled in details.
   (AP, 4/8/03)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli soldiers
shot and killed a Palestinian man who approached the fence of a
Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip overnight. In Tulkarem, Israeli
troops arrested Maslama Thabet, a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs'
Brigades.
   (AP, 4/7/03)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mexico said it
would prepay $3.84 billion in the last outstanding Brady par bonds.
They originally totaled $34 billion.
   (WSJ, 4/9/03, p.A10)
2003Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the northern
Siberian republic of Yakutia a fire engulfed an old wooden school,
killing 21 students and a teacher.
   (AP, 4/7/03)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Citizens Against
Government Waste (CAGW) issued its latest "Pig Book," an exposition
of "improper of unnecessary" US federal expenditures.
   (SSFC, 4/4/04, Par p.24)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US government
issued the 1st license for a manned suborbital rocket to Scaled
Composites of Mojave headed by Burt Rutan.
   (SFC, 4/8/04, p.A2)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Brazil Amazon
Indians attacked prospectors who were illegally digging for
diamonds. Cinta Larga Indians massacred 29 illegal wildcat diamond
miners on their remote northern reservation. 28 Indians were charged
in the killings, but the case has stalled over jurisdictional
questions.
   (AP, 4/14/04)(AP, 12/10/07)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Germany a court
in Hamburg released Mounir el-Motassadeq (30), the only man
convicted so far of involvement in the Sep 11, 2001, attacks.
   (WSJ, 4/8/04, p.A1)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A U.S.-led
multinational force trying to bring stability to Haiti helped detain
Wilford Ferdinand, a top rebel figure.
   (AP, 4/9/04)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In India a land
mine killed at least 26 policemen in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Communist guerrillas, calling for a boycott of India's national
elections, were suspected.
   (AP, 4/8/04)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, U.S. Marines in a
fierce battle for this Sunni Muslim stronghold fired rockets that
hit a mosque compound filled with worshippers, and witnesses said as
many as 40 people were killed. Shiite-inspired violence spread to
nearly all of the country.
   (AP, 4/7/04)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Militiamen loyal to
al-Sadr, the radical Shiite cleric, clashed with Polish troops in
Karbala, and Muntadhir al-Mussawi, an aide to the cleric, was
killed.
   (AP, 4/7/04)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Iraq 2 German
counter-terrorism GSG-9 security agents were ambushed and went
missing while on a routine trip from Jordan to Baghdad.
   (AP, 4/10/04)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Malaysia 3 men
armed with firebombs, machetes and an ax attacked Myanmar's embassy,
hacking one senior official and starting a fire that destroyed the
building.
   (AP, 4/7/04)
2004Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Moscow court
sentenced Russian arms control researcher Igor Sutyagin, a military
analyst with the USA and Canada Institute, a respected Moscow-based
think-tank, to 15 years on charges of passing information on nuclear
submarines and other weapons to a British company that Russia
claimed was a CIA cover. Sutyagin insisted on his innocence, saying
the information he provided was available from open sources. In 2010
he was released as part of a spy swap with the US.
   (AP, 4/7/04)(AP, 7/9/10)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pres. Bush met with
Premier Berlusconi and Pres. Ciampi one day after viewing the pope’s
body at the Vatican.
   (SFC, 4/7/05, p.A13)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Delaware police
arrested Allison L. Norman (22) after he killed 2 people and wounded
4 others during a rampage.
   (SFC, 4/8/05, p.A3)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Montana voted to
ban smoking in all public places. Gov. Brian Schweitzer said he
would sign the legislation.
   (SFC, 4/8/05, p.A3)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pfizer Inc. agreed
to suspend sales and marketing of its arthritis drug Bextra at the
request of US and EU drug regulators, who said the risks outweigh
the drug's benefits.
   (AP, 4/7/05)(SFC, 4/8/05, p.A1)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, California state
prosecutors charged Julie Lee, a top volunteer fund-raiser for
former Sec. of State Kevin Shelley, with grand theft and other
felonies. In 2008 Lee (62) was found guilty on 5 of 7 charges
relating to Shelley’s 2002 campaign, All the charges related to a
$500,000 grant for a SF Sunset District community center that was
never built. In state court Lee pleaded guilty to 9 counts.
   (SFC, 4/8/05, p.A1)(SFC, 7/12/08, p.A1)(SFC,
7/17/08, p.B1)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Riza Malaj (34),
Albania's most wanted man, blew himself up about this time while
fishing with dynamite. He lost both hands, badly hurt his eyes and
suffered serious wounds all over his body while trying to catch
trout.
   (AP, 4/11/05)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Australia’s PM John
Howard and Malaysia’s Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced plans to
negotiate a free trade agreement but refused to concede ground on
key differences regarding Canberra's role in the region.
   (AP, 4/7/05)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A bomb blast rocked
a Cairo bazaar popular with foreigners. An American tourist died the
next day from wounds sustained in a bomb blast raising the death
toll to three. Hassan Rafaat Ahmed Bashandi (17-18), was carrying
almost 7 pounds of TNT in a leather bag filled with nails when it
exploded prematurely.
   (AP, 4/8/05)(AP, 4/11/05)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ibrahim al-Jaafari,
a Shiite, was named Iraq's interim prime minister; Kurdish leader
Jalal Talabani was sworn in as interim president.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Irish
Republican Army said it will consider an appeal by Sinn Fein party
chief Gerry Adams to renounce violence, a long-elusive goal in
Northern Ireland peacemaking.
   (AP, 4/7/05)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mexico City's
leftist mayor formally declared his intention to run for president
next year even as Congress was to decide whether he should face
criminal charges for allegedly disobeying a court order in a
land-use case.
   (AP, 4/8/05)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Passengers on
historic bus trips between the Pakistani and Indian portions of
Kashmir crossed a bridge spanning the de facto border, voyages both
sides hope will lead to lasting peace on the subcontinent. Kashmiris
walked across the “Peace Bridge,” on the Line of Control between
India and Pakistan.
   (AP, 4/7/05)(SFC, 4/8/05, p.A3)
2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Robert
Mugabe of Zimbabwe defied a European Union travel ban and arrived in
Rome to join world leaders attending Pope John Paul II's funeral.
Italy has a pact with the Vatican in which it does not interfere
with people transiting the country to see the pope.
   (AP, 4/7/05)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US Court of
International Law ruled that US Customs violated a provision of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in applying a law known
as the Byrd amendment to antidumping and countervailing duties on
goods from Canada and Mexico.
   (Reuters, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Republican leaders
called on Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., to step down from his ranking
post on the House ethics committee because of allegations that he
provided legislative earmarks benefiting companies and individuals
who helped make him a millionaire.
   (SFC, 4/8/06, p.A4)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Dena Schlosser,
charged with murder for cutting off her baby daughter Margaret's
arms in what her lawyers portrayed as a religious frenzy, was found
not guilty by reason of insanity by a judge in McKinney, Texas.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Tennessee 10
people were killed as tornadoes hit the area for the 2nd time in a
week.
   (AP, 4/8/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that scientists at MIT had harnessed a replicating virus, that binds
to gold and cobalt oxide, to create a nanotechnology battery.
   (WSJ, 4/7/06, p.B2)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern Algeria
gunmen attacked a convoy of customs agents traveling through the
desert, killing 13 and wounding eight others.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Australian PM John
Howard moved to ease Indonesian outrage over a decision to grant
visas to asylum-seekers from Papua, saying his government would
review the process.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Austria a 2-day
meeting began in Vienna for European Imams aimed at creating a
distinct identity for European Muslims.
   (SFC, 4/7/06, p.A16)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A British judge
ruled that author Dan Brown did not steal ideas for "The Da Vinci
Code" from a nonfiction work.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Britain’s BAE
Systems announced plans to sell its stake in aircraft maker Airbus
to its French-German partner EADS.
   (AFP, 4/8/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Chile an appeals
court upheld the indictment of former dictator Gen. Pinochet on
charges of evading up to $3 million in taxes related to secret
accounts in foreign banks.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The EU said it has
cut off direct aid payments to the Hamas-led Palestinian government
because of its refusal to renounce violence and recognize Israel.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A bus skidded off a
narrow mountain road and plunged into a river in a remote region of
Indian Kashmir and dozens were feared dead.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A toned-down
edition of Playboy magazine went on sale in Indonesia, defying
threats of protests by Islamic hardliners in the world's most
populous Muslim nation.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, At least 2 suicide
attackers, one wearing a woman's cloaks, blew themselves up at the
Buratha Shiite mosque in northern Baghdad, killing some 79-90 people
and wounding scores. One US service member died of wounds suffered
while on patrol in western Baghdad.
   (AP, 4/7/06)(AP, 4/8/06)(Econ, 4/22/06, p.48)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli troops shot
and killed a Palestinian man during an overnight arrest raid in the
West Bank city of Nablus.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli missiles
slammed into a car in Gaza City, killing two members of a
Palestinian rocket squad in the 2nd deadly airstrike since the
Islamic militant group Hamas assumed power last week. An Israeli
airstrike killed six Palestinian militants and wounded five at a
militant training camp in central Gaza.
   (AP, 4/8/06)(SFC, 4/8/06, p.A7)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Japan’s health and
welfare ministry said the nation’s population shrank in the year
through November 2005, the first annual decrease on record,
confirming an earlier government prediction.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Nepal police
fired tear gas and fought frenzied street battles with protesters on
the second day of a strike called by government adversaries of King
Gyanendra. Protesters said 150 people were arrested.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that some AIDS patients in South Africa were choosing cash
disability grants over advanced AIDS drugs in order to sustain their
families.
   (WSJ, 4/7/06, p.A1)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Turkey a suicide
bomber blew herself up injuring 2 people, including a suspected
accomplice. Turkish forces killed 6 Kurdish rebels in Sirnak.
   (WSJ, 4/8/06, p.A1)(AP, 4/8/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The UN appealed for
$426 million to help victims of drought in Horn of Africa, where
more than 40 percent of people are undernourished and thousands have
died because of complications due to hunger.
   (AP, 4/7/06)
2006Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Venezuela Attorney
General Isaias Rodriguez said that five suspects were being charged
with willful homicide in the slayings of the 3 Faddoul brothers,
whose bodies were found April 4. Supporters of President Hugo Chavez
pelted the car of the US ambassador with eggs and tomatoes, then
chased after his convoy on motorcycles.
   (AP, 4/7/06)(AP, 4/8/06)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The New York Times
reported in its Sunday edition that the Bush administration in
January allowed Ethiopia to complete a secret arms purchase from
North Korea in an apparent violation of a UN Security Council
sanctions resolution passed months earlier over its nuclear test.
   (Reuters, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Thousands of people
marched through downtown Los Angeles, demanding a way for the
country's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to become citizens
and condemning President Bush's latest proposal.
   (AP, 4/8/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that Ray Irani, Occidental Petroleum Corp.'s chairman and chief
executive, took in more than $400 million in compensation in 2006,
one of the biggest single-year payouts in US corporate history.
   (Reuters, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The sport salmon
fishing season opened in California.
   (SSFC, 4/8/07, p.A1)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Oregon 15
libraries in Jackson were due to close following the loss of $7
million in federal funding.
   (SSFC, 3/4/07, p.A1)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that injections of Mycobacterium vaccae into mice caused their
immune systems to produce serotonin. This neurotransmitter, when low
in humans, was known to be related to depression.
   (Econ, 4/7/07, p.79)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Johnny Hart (76),
creator of the B.C. comic strip (1958), died at his home in
Endicott, NY. He and Brant Parker created the “Wizard of Id” strip.
   (SFC, 4/9/07, p.B3)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Actor Barry Nelson
(b.1917) died in Bucks County, Pa. He was the first actor to portray
Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond in a 1954 TV adoption of
Casino Royale.
   (SFC, 4/16/07, p.B8)(AP,
4/7/08)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Nelson)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southwestern
Afghanistan suspected Taliban militants ambushed Afghan workers of
an American de-mining company, leaving seven people dead and four
wounded. Officials said more than 1,000 NATO and Afghan troops
clashed with Taliban and took over control of Sangin, a district
center in southern Afghanistan long held by the militants.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Suspected Islamist
militants opened fire on a military patrol in northwestern Algeria,
starting a gunbattle that left nine soldiers and six attackers dead.
   (AP, 4/8/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Brazil Martin
Strel, a 52-year-old Slovenian, completed a 3,272 swim down the
Amazon River that could set a world record for distance. In 2000, he
completed a 1,866-mile swim along the Danube. He broke that record
two years later after swimming 2,360 miles down the Mississippi. In
2004 he broke it again by swimming 2,487 miles along the Yangtze
river in China.
   (AP, 4/8/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In India a jeep
carrying a gelatin-based explosive used for a highway construction
project exploded in a southern village, killing 16 people and
injuring 22 more.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US warplanes
attacked suspected militiamen wielding shoulder-fired rockets in the
second day of fierce fighting against Shiite gunmen south of
Baghdad. At least one civilian was killed and five were seriously
wounded when an American tank fired on their house in Diwaniyah.
Iraqi troops killed Abu Baraa al-Libi, a Libyan al-Qaida figure, in
a raid on his Baghdad hideout just before the man could detonate an
explosives belt he was wearing. US forces also killed one suspect
and captured 8 others in raids in Baghdad and south of Ramadi. A
roadside bomb exploded next to a joint American-Iraqi army patrol on
a highway leading into Annah, 175 miles northwest of Baghdad. Two
Iraqi soldiers were killed and two were wounded. Police in Fallujah
reported finding four bodies in the center of the city. Four
American soldiers were killed in an explosion near their vehicle in
Diyala province northeast of Baghdad. Duaa Khalil Aswad (17), a
member of the insular Yazidi religious sect, was stoned to death for
loving a Sunni Muslim boy [see April 22].
   (AP, 4/7/07)(AP, 4/8/07)(SFC, 5/22/07, p.A8)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, An Israeli
helicopter launched an airstrike along the Gaza Strip's border with
Israel, killing a Palestinian militant and wounding two others.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The 17-year
insurgency in Kashmir continued with an average of 3 lives lost
every day. India had an estimated 600,000 soldiers and paramilitary
police stationed in Jammu & Kashmir state.
   (Econ, 4/7/07, p.14)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Emergency officials
said 247 dead seals have washed up on the shores of the Caspian Sea
in Kazakhstan in the past week.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Libya’s
foreign-exchange reserves were estimated at $56 billion. The
population was reported to be about 5.6 million.
   (Econ, 4/7/07, p.46)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Malaysian ministers
issued fresh attacks on bloggers, threatening to take away their
rights and accusing them of trying to overthrow the government,
according to reports.
   (AFP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In northern
Pakistan some 40 people were killed and more than 70 injured in 2
days of sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in
Kurram.
   (AFP, 4/7/07)(Econ, 4/14/07, p.43)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the southern
Philippines 9 soldiers and a civilian were killed in a clash in a
small army camp in Jolo island’s Parang town.
   (AP, 4/8/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Russian rocket
carrying the American billionaire who helped develop Microsoft Word
roared into the night skies over Kazakhstan, sending Charles Simonyi
and two cosmonauts soaring into orbit on a two-day journey to the
international space station.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A roadside bomb
tore through a civilian bus in northern Sri Lanka, killing seven
people and wounding 26. The army blamed Tamil Tiger rebels for the
attack.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Thousands of
supporters of Ukrainian PM Viktor Yanukovych rallied for a fifth day
in the streets of Kiev, calling for stability amid a political
crisis over the president's dissolution of parliament.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2007Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Yemeni police
arrested three men suspected of setting fire to a mosque and
wounding at least 33 people.
   (AP, 4/7/07)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Washington Post
won 6 Pulitzer Prizes, the most in its history. Junot Diaz won the
fiction award for “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” Tracy
Letts won the drama award for “August: Osage County.” Bob Dylan won
a special citation for his life’s work.
   (SFC, 4/8/08, p.A8)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In North Carolina
Thomas Wright, a former state lawmaker, was convicted of mishandling
charitable contributions and fraudulently obtaining a loan. He was
sentenced to 6-8 years in prison.
   (WSJ, 4/8/08, p.A2)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Ohio 9 mortgage
lenders agreed to modify adjustable-rate mortgages for borrowers
facing foreclosure. In Pennsylvania mortgage companies and consumer
advocates opened talks to help cash-strapped homeowners avoid
foreclosure. Last week Maryland’s Gov. signed a measure creating a
150-day moratorium on foreclosures.
   (WSJ, 4/8/08, p.A4)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Samuel (b.1913)
Frankel, Detroit area developer and philanthropist, died. In the
1960s Frankel collaborated with Harry Cunningham to create the
discount-store concept, building the first Kmart store. In 1969, he
developed Somerset Mall. In 2005 he and his wife Jean provided a $20
million endowment to establish the Frankel Institute for Advanced
Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan.
  Â
(www.lsa.umich.edu/judaic/html/history_goals_3_2.htm)(http://tinyurl.com/5srvs6)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern
Afghanistan, militants attacked a police convoy in Uruzgan province,
and the ensuing clash left 13 insurgents dead and five wounded. In
the western province of Herat, Taliban militants attacked a
checkpoint in Shindand district, killing two police officers and
wounding another.
   (AP, 4/8/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Australia 5
teenage boys armed with machetes and baseball bats invaded a Sydney
high school, smashing classrooms and injuring 18 students and a
teacher.
   (AFP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In London a
coroner's jury decided that Diana and Dodi Fayed were unlawfully
killed due to reckless speed and drinking by their driver, and by
the reckless pursuit of vehicles chasing them, not as part of a
murder conspiracy.
   (AP, 4/8/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In London Oleg
Gordievsky, a double agent who became the most senior Soviet spy to
defect to the West during the Cold War, said that he became sick
after taking the pills at his home in southern England on Oct. 31.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Bulgaria gunmen
killed Georgy Stoyev, the country’s best-known author of books on
the mafia. The night before, Borislav Georgiev, the chief executive
of a large energy company, was killed in his apartment building with
two bullets to the head.
  Â
(http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iOiGGOjL2rCkZuEhCa9kkLtaA5LA)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China’s official
Xinhua News Agency said Zhang Rongkun, a Shanghai tycoon, has been
sentenced to 19 years in prison in a pension funds scandal that
toppled the city's communist party chief.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China and New
Zealand signed a free-trade agreement effective October 1.
  Â
(www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/07/content_6596491.htm)(WSJ,
4/8/08, p.A14)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Chinese fishing
boat capsized after colliding with a South Korean cargo ship off
South Korea's southernmost island, leaving six Chinese sailors
missing.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Muslim
Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition force, called on Egyptians
to boycott local council elections due on Tuesday in protest at the
disqualification of most of its candidates.
   (Reuters, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The EU opened the
way for air travelers to use mobile phones to talk, text or send
e-mails on planes throughout Europe's airspace.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Security officials
extinguished the Olympic torch three times as protests against
China's human rights record turned a relay through Paris into a
chaotic series of stops and starts. France's former sports minister,
Jean-Francois Lamour, said that though the torch had been put out,
the Olympic flame itself still burned in the lantern where it is
kept overnight and on airplane flights.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Haiti protesters
angered by high food prices flooded the streets of Port-au-Prince,
forcing businesses and schools to close as unrest spread from the
countryside. Witnesses said at least one person was killed by hotel
security guards during a protest in the southern city of Les Cayes.
   (AP, 4/8/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Iraq’s prime
minister issued his strongest warning yet to radical Shiite cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr to disband his Mahdi Army militia or face political
isolation. The Sadrists said a move to ban them from elections would
be unconstitutional. Hospital officials said nine more people were
killed, including five children and two women, and dozens wounded as
gunbattles continued. That pushed the two-day death toll to at least
25.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas resumed
face-to-face negotiations, trying to push forward peace efforts
after nearly two months marred by heavy Gaza Strip violence and new
Israeli plans to expand settlements.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Italian police
arrested 38 suspects in a sweep against a clan of the 'ndrangheta
organized crime syndicate accused of murder, extortion and arms and
drug trafficking.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Kosovo’s leaders
signed the country’s new Constitution.
   (SFC, 4/8/08, p.A3)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Morocco 9
Islamists serving long sentences for the deadly 2003 Casablanca
bombings escaped from Kenitra prison, north of Rabat. In January,
2009, Hicham Alami one of the escapees who had been sentenced to
life, was captured in Algeria and returned to Morocco.
   (AFP, 4/7/08)(AP, 1/9/09)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Nepal was rocked by
two bombings, the latest violence to hit campaigning for this week's
vote on the country's political future following a peace deal with
Maoist rebels.
   (AFP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Spanish officials
said 2 people in Spain have died of the human variant of mad cow
disease, in the first such fatalities since 2005. The two new
victims apparently contracted the disease prior to 2001 and health
controls on livestock and meat production are much tighter now than
they were then. Spain has reported more than 700 cases of mad cow
disease since it was first detected in this country in 2000.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Switzerland's
Novartis AG said it will spend about $39 billion in a two-step bid
for a majority stake in U.S. eye-care company Alcon.
   (AP, 4/7/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that Thailand’s market bubble in religious talismans had popped
leaving many small business people in debt. The market in Jatukam
Ramathep amulets had swelled to $1.5 billion in 2007.
   (WSJ, 4/7/08, p.A1)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Yemen 7 people
were arrested on suspicion of involvement in attacks the previous
day against a residential complex for Westerners in San’a, Yemen's
capital.
   (AP, 4/8/08)
2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Zimbabwe
authorities released Barry Bearak, a NY Times journalist, along with
an unidentified British citizen. They had been accused of reporting
without official accreditation.
   (WSJ, 4/8/08, p.A10)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US military leaders
said the Pentagon has spent over $100 million in the past 6 months
responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other
computer network problems.
   (SFC, 4/8/09, p.C3)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Alabama
authorities found the body of Kevin Lee Garner (45) near his burned
home in Priceville. The home had burned overnight. Garner's body was
found following a day of searching for him in several north Alabama
counties following the murders of four of his family members in the
Greenhill community of Lauderdale County.
  Â
(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090408/ap_on_re_us/alabama_four_dead)(SFC,
4/8/09, p.A5)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern
California a gunman in Temecula opened fire at a Korean Christian
retreat center, leaving one woman dead and four people injured.
   (AP, 4/8/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A lawsuit filed in
US District Court in Denver by the SEC alleged that Shawn Merriman,
an unlicensed broker, collected up to $20 million from investors in
several states to support a lavish lifestyle. The former bishop in
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allegedly operated a
Ponzi scheme from his suburban Denver home for about 15 years,
bilking investors out of millions of dollars to collect religious
art and classic cars.
   (AP, 4/9/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Texas Jon Dale
Jones (46), a former Army hospital nurse, pleaded guilty to assault
and theft. He was accused of infecting 15 patients with hepatitis C.
Jones was arrested on federal charges in March of 2008 for using
dirty needles to administer anesthesia, and accused of stealing
painkillers for himself.
   (SFC, 4/8/09,
p.A5)(www.mahalo.com/Jon_Dale_Jones)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Vermont became the
first state to legalize same sex marriage through a legislature’s
vote.
   (SFC, 4/8/09, p.A5)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, GM and Segway
announced that they are working together to develop a two-wheeled,
two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, safe, inexpensive
and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks for cities
across the world. The project was called P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban
Mobility and Accessibility).
   (AP, 4/7/09)(WSJ, 4/8/09, p.B4)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Samuel Beer,
Harvard professor (1946-1982), died. His books included “British
Politics in the Collectivist Age” (1965), which established him as
the foremost scholar on modern British politics.
   (Econ, 5/2/09, p.88)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Jack Wrangler
(b.1946 as John Robert Stillman), porn star and musical theater
producer, died in Manhattan. He appeared in over 30 gay sex films
and 20 straight films including “The Devil in Miss Jones” (1982).
   (SFC, 4/10/09, p.B5)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Australia announced
plans to build a 30 billion US dollar broadband network, its biggest
infrastructure project ever, opting to retain government control
rather than contract out the deal.
   (AFP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Cuba’s President
Raul Castro met with six visiting members of the Congressional Black
Caucus for more than four hours, his first face-to-face discussions
with US leaders since he became president last year. A "very
healthy, very energetic" Fidel Castro asked visiting Congressional
Black Caucus members what Cuba could do to help President Barack
Obama improve bilateral relations during his first meeting with US
officials since falling ill in 2006.
   (AP, 4/7/09)(AP, 4/8/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ethiopia, the
world's sixth largest coffee producer, said it did not intend to
nationalize the coffee sector after revoking licenses of six
exporters for hoarding the beans. PM Meles Zenawi had warned the
exporters against hoarding coffee, accusing them of speculation in
the world markets.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A man opened fire
at a courthouse in Bavaria, killing his sister-in-law and injuring
two other people. He then shot himself dead. The incident appeared
to stem from a long-running inheritance dispute.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Barack
Obama flew into Iraq from Turkey on a trip shrouded in secrecy, for
a brief look at a war he opposed as a candidate and now vows to end
as commander in chief. A car bomb in a Shiite neighborhood of
Baghdad killed at least nine people and wounded 18 others. A suicide
car bomb killed three people at a police checkpoint in Fallujah. In
Iskandariyah police found the bullet-riddled body a member of the
Awakening Council, a group of former Sunni insurgents who sided with
the US in the fight against al-Qaida in Iraq. The councilman was
kidnapped a day earlier. A car bombing in Kazimiyah killed nine
people, including a mother who was riding in a taxi with her infant
son.
   (AP, 4/7/09)(AP, 4/8/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli police
fatally shot a Palestinian motorist as he tried to run over officers
guarding the demolition of the home of a militant who killed three
Israelis with a construction vehicle in July.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Moldova
anti-communist protesters stormed the Parliament, hurling computers
through shattered windows and setting fire to furniture in a violent
demonstration against what they said were fraudulent elections. 3
people were left dead and hundreds were detained.
   (AP, 4/7/09)(Econ, 8/8/09, p.46)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern
Pakistan police arrested five men alleged to be planning suicide
attacks on the city of Karachi.
   (AP, 4/8/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Former Peruvian
President Alberto Fujimori (70) was found guilty of murder and
kidnapping for death squad activities during his 10-year rule during
the 1990s. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. His daughter,
Congresswoman Keiko Fujimori (33), said people's outrage over the
"vengeful" verdict will propel her to Peru's presidency in 2011.
Then she'll pardon him.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Saudi authorities
beheaded 3 Pakistanis convicted of killing a fellow Pakistani during
a jewelry heist. This brought to 20 the number of beheadings in the
kingdom this year.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In South Korea
former Pres. Roh Moo-hyun announced that his wife had received money
from Park Yeon-cha, chairman of Taekwang Industrial Co., a shoe
manufacturer, several hours following the arrest of Chung Sangmoon,
a former aide who had accepted the money for the president’s wife.
   for the president’s wife.
   (WSJ, 4/8/09, p.A8)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Thailand
protesters surrounded the prime minister's car and smashed a window
as he rode in it, escalating tensions a day before a massive
anti-government rally that the leader said has sparked concerns of
civil war.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Turkey Pres.
Obama wrapped up his first European trip as president with a request
of the world: Look past his nation's stereotypes and flaws. "You
will find a partner and a supporter and a friend in the United
States of America."
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, UNESCO awarded the
World Press Freedom Prize to Lasantha Wickrematunge, a murdered Sri
Lankan journalist, whose self-written obituary accused the
government of silencing him. His self-written obituary was published
three days after his murder in early January, in which no arrests
have been made.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Venezuela
legislators loyal to President Hugo Chavez approved a new law that
erodes the authority of Caracas' opposition Mayor Antonio Ledezma by
subordinating him to a government-appointed official.
   (AP, 4/7/09)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, An Emeryville, Ca.,
drug analysis laboratory was raided as part of 3-year DEA
investigation dubbed “Operation Lude Behavior.” 3 men at the lab
were among 22 charged in a nationwide Quaalude trafficking ring.
   (SFC, 4/9/10, p.C5)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Afghan and foreign
troops killed several insurgents during an operation to capture a
senior Taliban commander suspected of providing materials used in
making roadside bombs. 2 insurgents were captured during the
operation in Helmand province's Kajaki Sofla.
   (AP, 4/9/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Bangladesh deployed
the army to guard water pumps in the capital Dhaka after acute
shortages triggered widespread protests.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Brazil rains
kept pummeling Rio de Janeiro as officials scrambled to restore
transit after at least 96 people were killed by landslides and
floods.
   (Reuters, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China and India
signed an agreement to set up a hot line linking their top leaders.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Innovation for the
Development and Protection of the Environment (IDPE) said that from
March 3-28 Congo government troops killed 7 hippos and 5 elephants
as well as five antelopes, four baboons, three chimpanzees and two
buffalo in Virunga national Park, a UNESCO world heritage. The
soldiers "use their wives and cousins to sell the meat" in villages
near the park, the IDPE said in a report that included photos of
decomposing elephant carcasses.
   (AFP, 4/8/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Auto giants
Renault, Nissan and Daimler launched a partnership to save billions
of euros and accelerate sales of low-pollution electric cars.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Indonesia a
magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook Indonesia's northwest island of
Sumatra, triggering a small tsunami, snapping power lines and
sending panicked residents rushing for higher ground.
   (AP, 4/7/10)Â
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Iraq spokesman
Salah al-Obeidi announced that a survey of supporters of
anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr voted 24% for him to support
Shiite politician Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who was interim prime minister
from 2005 to 2006. Iraq's incumbent PM Nouri al-Maliki and his chief
rival Ayad Allawi received only 10% and 9% of votes respectively. In
northern Iraq 2 American soldiers died in combat while conducting a
patrol.
   (AP, 4/7/10)(AP, 4/8/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israel’s police
said 6 Israelis have been detained on suspicion of running an
international organ trafficking ring and breaking promises to donors
to pay for their removed kidneys.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Kyrgyzstan
anti-government unrest rocked Bishkek as thousands of protesters
stormed the main government building, set fire to the prosecutor's
office and looted state TV headquarters. At least 83 people were
killed and some 1500 injured in clashes nationwide.
   (AP, 4/7/10)(AP, 4/8/10)(Econ, 4/17/10, p.46)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Mexico police in
the border state of Nuevo Leon found the bodies of a police chief
and two police officers who had been kidnapped a day earlier. In the
central state of Morelos, gunmen attacked the offices of federal
prosecutors in the city of Cuernavaca, killing a guard. A bystander
was killed during a shootout between gunmen and federal police in
the town of Frontera Comalapa, Chiapas state, on the Guatemalan
border.
   (AP, 4/8/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In northwestern
Pakistan militants attached a bomb to a tanker carrying fuel to NATO
forces in Afghanistan, destroying the vehicle and killing a boy who
was riding in a van behind it.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Somali pirates off
the coast of Kenya hijacked the MV Yasin C, a Turkish vessel with 25
crew onboard, the day after a hostage drowned during a separate
encounter between naval forces and a pirated vessel. The crew locked
themselves in the engine room and realized that the pirates had left
the ship on April 9.
   (AP, 4/7/10)(AP, 4/10/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, South Africa's
governing party said it has asked all its wings to stop singing
controversial songs including one with lyrics that encourage people
to shoot white farmers which some blame for the slaying of a white
supremacist leader.
   (AP, 4/7/10)Â
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Spain Baltasar
Garzon (54), the judge who became an international hero by going
after Augusto Pinochet and Osama bin Laden, was indicted for having
dared to investigate what is arguably Spain's own biggest unresolved
case: atrocities committed during and after its ruinous Civil War.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Switzerland the
Solar Impulse aircraft, a pioneering Swiss bid to fly around the
world on solar energy, successfully completed its first test flight.
   (AFP, 4/7/10)
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Thai PM Abhisit
Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, handing the army
broad powers to restore order after anti-government protesters broke
into Parliament, forcing some lawmakers to flee by helicopter.
   (AP, 4/7/10)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US House
Republicans pushed a plan that would hold off for another week the
threat of a government shutdown while Congress and the Obama
administration struggle to reach a budget deal. Democrats pressing
for a longer-term solution rejected the short-term approach as a
political maneuver meant to blame them if the government closes its
doors on April 9.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In California an
Asian citrus psyllid, which can carry a disease killing trees, was
discovered in Ventura County. The county was put under quarantine
for the tiny aphid-like pest.
   (SFC, 4/11/11, p.A4)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Six Afghan security
personnel were killed as Taliban gunmen detonated a bomb hidden in
an ambulance at a police centre near the key southern city of
Kandahar. 3 insurgents were also killed. Demonstrations against the
burning of a copy of the Koran by an American pastor entered a
seventh day when several hundred people gathered for a peaceful
protest outside a Kabul mosque. A roadside bomb killed a coalition
service member in the south.
   (AP, 4/7/11)(AP, 4/8/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Brazil a gunman
opened fire in an elementary school in Rio de Janeiro. 12 children
were killed including 10 girls and 2 boys between the ages of 12 and
15. Wellington Oliveira (23) shot and killed himself after being
confronted by police.
   (AP, 4/7/11)(AP, 4/8/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In India Anna
Hazare, a 73-year-old Gandhi devotee who has promised to fast until
death unless the government toughens its anti-corruption laws, piled
pressure on the graft-tainted administration. Hazare began his
hunger strike in New Delhi on April 5. On April 9 the government
conceded to Hazare’s demands and his hunger strike ended.
   (AFP, 4/7/11)(Econ, 4/16/11, p.45)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli tanks
quickly retaliated after an anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza
Strip struck a school bus in southern Israel, wounding two people,
including one child. The critically injured boy (16) died of his
wounds on April 17. The missile attack came hours after Israel
carried out a series of airstrikes against tunnels it says are used
by militants to smuggle weapons under the Egyptian border and carry
out attacks. The tank fire killed a 50-year-old man and wounded 7
other people.
   (AP, 4/7/11)(SFC, 4/18/11, p.A2)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Forces allied with
Ivory Coast's internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara
have stormed the gates of Laurent Gbagbo's home. French forces
wearing night vision goggles rappelled from a helicopter to rescue
the Japanese ambassador and 7 others, as strongman leader Laurent
Gbagbo remained in an underground bunker amid the fighting.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Japan was rattled
by a strong 7.1 magnitude aftershock and tsunami warning nearly a
month after a devastating earthquake and tsunami flattened the
northeastern coast. At least 4 people died in the aftershock, the
worst since the March 11 9.0 quake.
   (AP, 4/7/11)(AFP, 4/8/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Jordan Mohammed
Abdul-Karim (45) set himself on fire outside the prime minister’s
office and was in critical condition with 3rd degree burns to his
face and body. On April 20 a forensics official said Abdul-Karim has
died of his wounds.
   (SFC, 4/8/11, p.A2)(AP, 4/20/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Kosovo’s parliament
elected Atifete Jahjaga (35) as its first woman president.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atifete_Jahjaga)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A NATO air strike
killed at least five rebels near the Libyan port of Brega.
Insurgents reported that Muammar Gaddafi's forces killed five more
in a bombardment of besieged Misrata. NATO blamed forces loyal to
Gaddafi for a fire in the Sarir oilfield, and denied the Western
military alliance had launched air strikes in the area.
   (Reuters, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mexican security
forces reported that a series of eight burial pits have been found
in Tamaulipas state, one of which contained 43 bodies and the others
16 corpses. The find was made near the ranch where drug cartel
gunmen less than a year ago massacred 72 migrants who were trying to
reach the United States. 14 suspects linked to the killing were
under arrest.
   (AP, 4/7/11)(SFC, 4/8/11, p.A6)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pakistani troops
came under fire in the Pazai area of the Mohmand agency. Troops
killed 10 militants and called for air support that left over 44
more dead.
   (SFC, 4/9/11, p.A2)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Peru 2
protesters were fatally shot and a dozen others injured in a clash
between police and peasants opposing a planned copper mine on the
southern coast.
   (SFC, 4/8/11, p.A2)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the Philippines
Scott McMahon of Seattle was detained on charges of rape after he
reportedly filed a case against her for allegedly traumatizing his
young son. On August 2, 2016, McMahon was freed following his
acquittal.
   (AP, 8/2/16)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Amnesty
International urged Serbian authorities to "take urgent and
immediate action" to halt forced evictions of Roma, also known as
Gypsies, from their settlements in the capital Belgrade and prevent
"systematic discrimination" against them.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In South Korea a
mathematics student (19) at a prestigious engineering college jumped
to his death from a high-rise apartment one day after meeting the
school psychiatrist. He was distressed over low grades. Three other
students have killed themselves since January at the Korea Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology.
   (AP, 4/15/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Spain said around
30 former Cuban political prisoners and 200 relatives will be
brought to Madrid, the largest group yet to arrive since the two
countries agreed to the transfers.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Northern Sudanese
Armed Forces have deployed two Mi-24 helicopter gunships and at
least nine T-55 tanks about 60 miles (100 km) from Abyei's border
according to the US-based Satellite Sentinel Project.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Syria’s Pres.
Bashar Assad granted citizenship to thousands of Kurds living in a
northeastern province. Kurds, the largest ethnic minority in Syria,
made up 15 percent of the country's 23 million population and have
long complained of neglect and discrimination. Assad also sacked
Governor Mohammad Iyad Ghaza of central Homs province, the scene of
clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in
the past three weeks.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Thailand
authorities seized 1,800 Bengal monitor lizards being smuggled on
pickup trucks to the capital. Their meat could sell for $7.50-$15
per pound ($16-$33 per kg) in China, making them worth more than
$60,000.
   (AP, 4/8/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, UAR blogger and a
human rights activist Ahmed Mansour said authorities have launched
an "unprecedented campaign of outrages insults and threats" against
him since he signed a petition calling for political reform.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A blackout hit a
large swath of Venezuela, darkening street lights, shutting down the
Caracas subway and prompting the government to announce temporary
rationing measures. A forest fire apparently caused the problem by
overheating major transmission lines in western Venezuela and
knocking them offline.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Yemeni
opposition welcomed an offer by Arab Gulf states to mediate between
the president and opposition protesters who have demanded Ail
Abdullah Saleh step down after 32 years in power.
   (AP, 4/7/11)
2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Zimbabwe court
ordered militant supporters of President Mugabe to stop exhuming
hundreds of skeletons they say were the victims of colonial-era
massacres, a project that critics say is stoking racial hatred in
Zimbabwe.
   (AP, 4/8/11)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In the SF Bay Area
the town of Hercules, population 24,000, was reported to have
recently sold a pair of 4-story, half-finished apartment buildings
for 425,000. The city had already sunk 38 million into the project,
which it could not sustain.
   (SFC, 4/7/12, p.A1)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Afghanistan 3
employees of an Afghan construction company died when their vehicle
struck a roadside bomb.
   (AP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Britain's Home
Office interior ministry said it was investigating reports that
hacking group Anonymous had attacked its website over the
government's plans to boost Internet surveillance.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Greek protesters
marching in memory of a man who killed himself over financial woes
that he blamed on the government attacked a policeman in Athens,
leaving him bloodied and stealing his bulletproof vest.
   (AP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Indian gold
jewelers halted a three-week nationwide strike after the government
promised to consider their demands to scrap new duties on the
multi-billion-dollar market.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, An online video
showed Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, Saddam Hussein's vice president and
the highest-ranking member of his regime still on the run, in what
appears to be his first video message since 2003.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Pakistan at
least 135 people were buried when the wall of snow engulfed a
military complex on the northern tip of the divided Kashmir region.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Gaza's Hamas rulers
executed three men in dawn hangings. All three were charged with
murder and charges against one included spying for Israel.
   (AP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Malawi Joyce
Banda was sworn as the new president, the nation's first female
leader. She called for reconciliation after the divisive Bingu wa
Mutharika died in office.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Myanmar's Pres.
Thein Sein held his first meeting with Karen rebels, as the
government intensifies efforts to bolster peace with the country's
oldest insurgent group.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Nigeria 22
people were killed and 31 others were injured in Benue state when
their St Robert's Catholic Church caved in on them during Easter
vigil in Adamgbe.
   (AFP, 4/8/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Syria some 86
civilians were killed as regime forces pressed a protest crackdown
three days ahead of a deadline to cease fire and pull back. 16
rebels and 17 members of the security forces were also killed
nationwide. The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said
at least one million Syrians affected by violence need urgent
humanitarian aid worth $70 million. Thousands of demonstrators
turned out in Damascus to show their backing for President
al-Assad's ruling Baath party on the 65th anniversary of its
creation.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)(AFP, 4/8/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Several Tunisian
centrist parties including the center-left PDP agreed to combine
forces and gain more clout in a country increasingly challenged by
Islamists ahead of general elections. A military appeals court in
Tunis upheld the convictions of Tunisia's ousted president and his
top officials for torturing army officers over an alleged 1991 coup
plot. Baton-wielding police fired teargas to disperse a
demonstration by thousands of jobless Tunisian graduates in the
capital Tunis.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez flew back to Cuba late today for another round
of radiation therapy.
   (AP, 4/8/12)
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Yemen's airport in
Sanaa was shut down after forces loyal to a sacked general close to
former president Ali Abdullah Saleh surrounded it and threatened to
shoot down planes. A government air raid late today killed 16
terrorists belonging to Al-Qaeda network in Kud near Zinjibar. A US
drone reportedly killed eight Al-Qaeda suspects when it fired a
missile at their vehicle in the eastern province of Shabwa.
   (AFP, 4/7/12)(AFP, 4/8/12)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In California it
was made public that a federal magistrate has ruled that federal
authorities broke the law when they leased land to oil drillers
without studying the possible risks of hydraulic fracturing.
   (SFC, 4/9/13, p.A1)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Britain pledged
$102 million to Sudan over three years, with about half going to
Darfur.
   (AP, 4/8/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Halifax, Canada,
Rehtaeh Parsons (17) died after being removed from life support
following a suicide attempt by hanging on April 4. She had killed
herself after a photo of her allegedly being sexually assaulted in
Nov, 2011, circulated online. In August one man (18) was charged
with two counts of distributing child pornography and the second man
(18) was charged with making child pornography and distributing it.
  Â
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Rehtaeh_Parsons)(AP,
8/9/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China warned
against "troublemaking" on its doorstep, in an apparent rebuke to
North Korea, and the US said it was postponing a missile test to
help calm high tension on the divided Korean peninsula.
   (Reuters, 4/7/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Egypt clashes
clashes broke out following the funeral of four Christians killed in
sectarian violence a day earlier. Two more people were killed and
another 89 injured outside Cairo's main Coptic cathedral.
   (AP, 4/8/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Egyptian train
drivers and conductors announced they were on strike to press
demands for better pay. A 10% raise was rejected by the train
drivers and conductors as too little.
   (AP, 4/7/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In France Wilfred
De Bruijn was beaten unconscious near his home in central Paris,
sustaining five fractures in his head and face, abrasions and a lost
tooth. His boyfriend, who was also beaten up, said he witnessed
three to four men shouting "Hey, look they're gays," before they
attacked. A photo of the victim went viral on social media.
   (AP, 4/10/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Iraq 3 bombs
exploded in Mosul killing 4 security officers and wounding 7 other
people.
   (SFC, 4/8/13, p.A2)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israeli researchers
and Jewish leaders reported a 30 percent jump in anti-Semitic
violence and vandalism last year, topped by a deadly school shooting
in France, and expressed alarm about the rise of far-right parties
in Hungary, Greece and other countries.
   (AP, 4/7/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Montenegro held
elections.
   (AP, 4/20/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pakistan's former
military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf was given approval to run for
parliament next month, a victory for him in what has otherwise been
a bumpy return to the country after more than four years in
self-imposed exile.
   (AP, 4/7/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Missionary Jerry
Krause (54) disappeared near Sao Tome island as he flew in a
twin-engine Beechcraft 1900C from South Africa to Mali.
   (AP, 4/17/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Syrian government
airstrikes killed at least 20 people as the army pressed ahead with
its campaign to crush the rebellion against Pres. Bashar Assad. In
Daraa a man was shot dead by an army sniper.
   (AP, 4/7/13)
2013Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ukraine’s Pres.
Viktor Yanukovych pardoned former Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko
and former environment minister Heorhiy Filipchuk.
   (SFC, 4/8/13, p.A2)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US approved a
bill barring Iranian diplomat Hamid Abutalebi from entering the
country. Officials objected to his selection as Iran’s new UN
ambassador because of his alleged participation in a Muslim student
group that held 52 Americans hostage in the 1979 seizure of the US
Embassy in Tehran.
   (AP, 4/9/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Marc Benioff,
founder of Salesforce.com, and his wife Lynne announced a 2nd $100
million donation to the UCSF and Children’s Hospital of Oakland,
which formed an alliance in January for research and medical care.
   (SFC, 4/8/14, p.A1)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Researchers at
Codenomicon, a security outfit, revealed the Heartbleed bug, a
software flaw that made up to two-thirds of the world’s websites
vulnerable to hackers.
   (Econ, 4/12/14, p.65)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Washington state
the death toll from the March 22 mudslide rose to 33 with 12 people
still missing. As of April 17 all 39 recovered victims were
identified and 4 remained missing.
   (SFC, 4/8/14, p.A6)(SFC, 4/18/14, p.A7)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Preliminary tallies
from Afghanistan's presidential election showed former foreign
minister Abdullah Abdullah leading in parts of Kabul but, with
ballot counting likely to last weeks. Preliminary results were not
due until April 24.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern
Afghanistan a roadside bomb killed at least 15 people traveling in
vehicles that had been diverted from a main road after an earlier
attack in Kandahar province.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Peaches Geldof
(25), the daughter of Irish musician and Band Aid founder Bob Geldof
and TV presenter Paula Yates, was pronounced dead by paramedics at
her home in Wrotham, southeast of London. On July 23 a coroner ruled
that she was a heroin addict and died of a drug overdose.
   (AP, 4/8/14)(AFP, 7/23/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Quebec voters gave
a resounding no to the prospect of holding a third referendum on
independence from Canada, handing the main separatist party in the
French-speaking province one of its worst electoral defeats ever.
Liberals got 41.5 percent of the vote and took 70 seats in the
125-member National Assembly.
   (AP, 4/8/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In China the
Xiahaizi mine in Yunnan province suddenly filled with water
following an explosion, leaving 22 miners trapped. The death toll
rose to 20 with the recovery of another 14 bodies nearly two weeks
after the accident.
   (AFP, 4/18/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ecuador issued a
letter ordering the US Embassy's military group, about 20 Defense
Department employees, to leave the country by month's end, in a
further indication of strained relations.
   (AP, 4/26/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, An Egyptian court
sentenced four men to up to eight years in prison for practicing
homosexuality.
   (AFP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, German authorities
said reclusive collector Cornelius Gurlitt, who hoarded hundreds of
valuable artworks at his Munich home, has agreed to cooperate in
efforts to determine which pieces were seized by the Nazis.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, India began to hold
the world's biggest election. Hindu nationalist opposition candidate
Narendra Modi held a strong lead but was likely to fall short of a
majority.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, India's Sun
Pharmaceutical Industries said it is buying troubled generic
drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories from Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo in deal
valuing it a $3.2 billion. In 2008 Sankyo paid $4.6 billion for
Ranbaxy.
   (AP, 4/7/14)(Econ, 4/12/14, p.67)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Film censors in
Indonesia and Malaysia banned the biblical epic "Noah," saying that
the portrayal of the ark-building prophet by Russell Crowe was
against Islamic laws. Depictions of any prophet are shunned in Islam
to avoid worship of a person rather than God.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Iraq a suicide
car bomb attack on a police checkpoint near Samarra killed 5 people,
including 3 policemen.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Japan and Australia
clinched a basic trade deal to cut import tariffs. US and Japanese
officials stepped up efforts to reach a parallel agreement that
would re-energize stalled talks on a broader regional pact.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Kuwait agreed to
supply Egypt with 85,000 barrels of oil daily and 1.5 million tons
of fuel for three years as part of a newly agreed commercial deal.
The supplies would be valued at market prices and delivered by the
end of 2016.
   (AFP, 4/8/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Latvia said it is
joining Lithuania in banning Russian state TV broadcasts because it
found that several programs about the Ukraine crisis were
tendentious and not in the Baltic nation's security interests. A
three-month suspension of RTR Rossiya broadcasts will begin April 8.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Lebanon at least
8 people were killed in fighting between Palestinian factions at the
Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Sidon.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Libya residents
of the Benghazi observed a general strike to protest against
militant violence, as youths blocked streets of the capital in a
show of support.
   (AFP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Morocco police in a
crackdown on violent crime began arresting so-called “Tchermil” (a
slang Moroccan term for marinated meat) hooligans. By April 25
police arrested 83 men in Casablanca alone and dramatically reduced
muggings.
   (SFC, 5/3/14, p.A4)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A UN human rights
envoy said severe shortages of food, water and medical care for
Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar are part of a long history of
persecution against the religious minority that could amount to
"crimes against humanity," an allegation denied by the government.
   (AP, 4/8/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pakistani security
forces killed 30 separatist militants in an offensive in
Baluchistan, in one of the biggest clashes in months in the gas-rich
province.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A judge in Puerto
Rico ordered a diocese to provide state prosecutors with all
confidential documents related to an ongoing sexual abuse probe. The
Diocese of Arecibo has defrocked six priests accused of sex abuse,
and prosecutors are investigating at least 11 other priests facing
similar accusations.
   (AP, 4/8/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Rwanda Cassien
Ntamuhanga, head of a Christian radio station, disappeared in Kigali
without a trace after a ceremony commemorating the 1994 genocide.
   (AFP, 4/9/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Somalia two men
working for the United Nations were shot dead at Galkayo airport.
Former British police officer Simon Davis (57) and his French
colleague, researcher Clement Gorrissen (28), were working on links
between money transfer systems and piracy.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)(AFP, 4/9/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Police in South
Africa arrested Makhele Lehlohonolo Joseph Scott (27), a fugitive
from neighboring Lesotho. He had escaped from a prison where he was
awaiting trial after allegedly confessing to cannibalism and two
murders in 2012.
   (AP, 4/25/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Spain said it has
dismantled a group it accused of plotting to send industrial
equipment to Iran that could be used for weapon manufacture in
violation of international sanctions. Four suspects were arrested.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Sri Lanka's foreign
minister says that his country will not cooperate with the United
Nations human rights chief when she begins an investigation into
alleged war crimes from the island nation's civil war.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Swiss-based Holcim
and its French counterpart, Lafarge, two of the world's largest
suppliers of building materials, announced plans for a merger of
equals.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Syria the
strategic area of Rankus in Qalamun went under heavy regime shelling
and continuous air raids, ahead of a plan to storm it.
   (AFP, 4/8/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Syria a masked
gunman assassinated Jesuit Father Francis Van Der Lugt (75), a
well-known, elderly Dutch priest, shooting him in the head in the
garden of a monastery where he lived in Homs.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Ukraine
pro-Russian separatists who seized a provincial administration
building in the eastern city of Donetsk proclaimed the region
independent.
   (AP, 4/7/14)
2014Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ukraine's ecology
and natural resources minister estimated on that Kiev had lost
natural resources and related assets worth 127 billion hryvnias
($10.8 bln) when Russia annexed the Crimea region.
   (Reuters, 4/7/14)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that the Obama administration has notified Congress that it is
selling Pakistan 15 Viper attack helicopters, air-to-surface
missiles and other forms of military assistance valued at $952
million.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Chicago
incumbent Mayor Rohm Emanuel was re-elected with 56% of the vote.
Jesus Garcia took 44% in a 40% turnout.
   (Econ., 4/11/15, p.29)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In central Illinois
a private plane returning from the NCAA tournament in Indianapolis
crashed killing all 7 people onboard. The dead included Illinois
State University’s associate head basketball coach and a deputy
athletics director.
   (SFC, 4/8/15, p.A7)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Shares of Arena
Pharmaceuticals rose after the drug developer said it received an
additional patent for its weight loss drug Belviq.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Bristol-Myers
Squibb said it has agreed to acquire a stake in UniQure, to get
access to its gene therapy for congestive cardiac failure.
   (SFC, 4/8/15, p.C2)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, FedEx said it has
agreed to take over TNT Express, a Dutch delivery firm, for $4.8
billion in an all cash offer of $8.75 per TNT share.
   (SFC, 4/8/15, p.C3)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Albania’s PM Edi
Rama said the unification of Albania and Serbia's majority-Albanian
former province of Kosovo is "inevitable", whether it happens
through membership of the EU or not. The suggestion was denounced in
Belgrade.
   (Reuters, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Armenian police
detained and raided the offices and homes of four opposition
activists suspected of plotting riots on the centennial of the
massacre of 1.5 million Armenians that Armenia describes as
genocide. The arrested activists of the Founding Parliament
opposition group, included its leader, Jirair Sefilian.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, China's finance
ministry said Iran has been approved as a founding member of the
Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Bank (AIIB).
   (AFP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The French
presidency under Francois Hollande announced the declassification of
archives on Rwanda for the period 1990-95. In 2017 France's highest
court ruled that researcher Francois Graner could be denied
access to sensitive archives concerning the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
because of a law protecting presidential archives for 25 years
following the death of a head of state. As former Pres. Mitterrand
died in 1996, his archives should become available in 2021.
   (AP, 9/15/17)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, India’s National
Green Tribunal passed a series of stringent measures aimed at
curbing air pollution in New Delhi.
   (SSFC, 4/12/15, p.A4)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern India
police killed 5 prisoners, including accused terrorist Syed
Viqaruddin, when they tried to escape from a police van in Telangana
state.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southeastern
India police shot and killed at least 20 workers, hired by smugglers
of endangered red sandalwood trees, in Andhra Pradesh state. At one
of two sites seven of nine workers were shot in the face or back of
the head.
   (SFC, 4/8/15, p.A4)(SSFC, 4/12/15, p.A4)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Islamic State
group launched English-language radio news bulletins on its al-Bayan
radio network. The first bulletin provided an overview of their
activities in Iraq, Syria and Libya. An IS group online propaganda
video showed the beheading of four men for armed robbery and murder
in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh.
   (AP, 4/7/15)(AFP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Lebanon 3
unidentified militants were killed in clashes with government
soldiers who launched an operation near the Syrian border to retake
control of a hilltop.
   (Reuters, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Malaysia revived
detention without trial when lawmakers approved the Prevention of
Terrorism Act bill, that the government said was needed to fight
Islamic militants. Critics assailed it as a giant step backward for
human rights in the country.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Mexico armed
robbers made off with 7,000 ounces of gold worth $8.5 million at
current prices from Canadian firm McEwen Mining's mine in Sinaloa.
   (AFP, 4/8/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Nepal
stone-throwing opposition protesters led by Maoists clashed with
police in Kathmandu as they enforced a three-day nationwide shutdown
of schools, business and transport in the latest violence to mar
talks over a new constitution.
   (Reuters, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Dutch businessman
Willy Selten was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. He was
at the center of a Europe-wide fraud in which falsely labeled
horsemeat led to thousands of tons of meat being recalled.
   (Reuters, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Panama's Electoral
Tribunal lifted former President Ricardo Martinelli's immunity from
prosecution, clearing the way for authorities to investigate him for
alleged corruption.
   (AP, 4/8/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Romania's PM Victor
Ponta announced that the sales tax on food and non-alcoholic drinks
will be slashed by more than half this summer in an effort to
generate jobs and help the poor.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Russia’s State Duma
voted overwhelmingly to strip Ilya Ponomarev of immunity against
prosecution. The opposition lawmaker was the sole deputy last year
to vote against the annexation of Crimea.
   (AP, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In northern Syria
two car bombs set off by Islamic State insurgents killed at least 32
people in Marea, including a senior rival fighter from al Qaeda's
Nusra Front.
   (Reuters, 4/8/15)(AFP, 4/8/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Tunisia 4
soldiers were killed and six wounded in an ambush in the Kasserine
region where the military is battling jihadists. A 5th soldier died
of his wounds the next day.
   (AFP, 4/7/15)(AFP, 4/8/15)  Â
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani agreed to
boost trade and signed a slew of deals at a meeting, but steered
clear of directly addressing differences over conflict-ridden Yemen.
   (Reuters, 4/7/15)
2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In central Yemen
warplanes from a Saudi-led air coalition bombed a military base
controlled by Houthi fighters and their army allies. A website of
the Houthi-run defense ministry said two students were killed at a
neighboring school. Suspected al Qaeda militants stormed a remote
border post with Saudi Arabia, killing at least two soldiers
including the senior border guard officer.
   (Reuters, 4/7/15)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The United States
and its allies conducted 26 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq
and Syria.
   (Reuters, 4/8/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A US appeals court
ruled that Puerto Rico can't prohibit gay marriage.
   (AP, 4/8/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In San Francisco
Luis Góngora Pat, a homeless Yucatecan Mayan, was killed by SFPD
officers on Shotwell Street between 18th and 19th Streets. Officers
claimed that Luis lunged at them with a knife. Eye witnesses that
spoke to the media and to community members, including homeless
witnesses, denied that Luis threatened officers in any way.
   (https://justice4luis.org/luiss-story/)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Miami-Dade state
attorney said 22 people are being charged in an int’l. money
laundering case that funneled cash to drug trafficking cartels
through Miami businesses. The undercover operation involved about $1
million a month in drug money throughout North America.
   (SFC, 4/8/16, p.A6)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Suth Dina,
Cambodia's ambassador to South Korea, was charged with
corruption-related offenses, following his arrest on April 4.
Investigators said his assets increased by $3 million during his two
years as envoy.
   (AP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The EU's executive
said European Union states should agree on a common list of tax
havens in the next semester and impose sanctions on countries that
hide EU-taxable revenues in the wake of the Panama leaks.
   (Reuters, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Two Indonesian
military skydivers plunged to their deaths during an airshow
rehearsal in Jakarta.
   (AP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Kosovo's powerful
former premier Hashim Thaci was sworn in as president in a session
boycotted by opposition parties which dispute his election to the
top job.
   (AFP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Kosovo Milovan
Bojovic, a former Serb general suspected of war crimes against
ethnic Albanian civilians, was detained after illegally crossing
into Kosovo at the Merdare border point.
   (AP, 4/8/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Morocco's official
news agency said eight foreigners have been expelled for supporting
prisoners convicted for their roles in deadly protests in Western
Sahara.
   (AP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Myanmar democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi announced that her government plans to
release all political prisoners as quickly as possible, making the
declaration her first act in her newly created job as state
counsellor.
   (AP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Romania a
businessman and five others suspected of defrauding a spa that dates
from the Roman empire of 30 million euros (about $34 million) were
detained. Iosif Armas, chairman of a company that manages the
Herculaneum Spa, and other shareholders were suspected of illegally
selling assets and taking out loans in the spa's name that could not
be repaid.
   (AP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Saudi King Salman
started a five-day visit to Cairo in a show of support for Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with the leaders due to sign a raft
of investment deals.
   (AFP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Serbia's presidency
defended its decision to decorate Sudan's president and genocide
suspect Omar al-Bashir, saying he was honoured for refusing to
recognise Kosovo.
   (AFP, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Syrian state
television reported that Islamic State fighters have kidnapped 300
cement workers in an area northeast of Damascus where the militants
launched an assault against government forces this week.
   (Reuters, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Turkey Mustafa
Tanriverdi, who headed a factory run by the state-owned Mechanical
and Chemical Industry Corporation, was arrested in Ankara as he left
a restaurant after arranging to sell the designs to an official of a
US-based company for a total of 1.2 million Turkish lira ($420,000).
   (AP, 4/8/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Vietnam demanded
China move a controversial oil rig on and abandon plans to start
drilling in waters where jurisdiction is unclear, the latest sign of
festering unease among the two communist neighbors.
   (Reuters, 4/7/16)
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Vietnam’s
rubber-stamp parliament elected Nguyen Xuan Phuc (61) as prime
minister.
   (SFC, 4/8/16, p.A2)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, President Donald
Trump pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping to do more to curb North
Korea's nuclear program and help reduce the gaping US trade deficit
with Beijing in talks as he toned down the strident anti-China
rhetoric of his election campaign.
   (Reuters, 4/8/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US Senate voted
54 to 45 to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court
following a rules change a day earlier.
   (SFC, 4/8/17, p.A7)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The John Simon
Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced 173 fellowships, each
valued at about $50,000, to artists, writers and academics from the
US and Canada.
   (SFC, 4/7/17, p.D3)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Arizona’s Rep. Gov.
Doug Ducey signed a major school voucher expansion bill that will
extend eligibility to all 1.1 million state schoolchildren.
   (SFC, 4/8/17, p.A6)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, California’s Gov.
Jerry Brown declared an officials end to the state’s drought.
   (SFC, 4/8/17, p.A1)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Maryland a
federal judge approved an agreement between Baltimore and the US
Dept. of Justice to overhaul the city’s police department.
   (SFC, 4/8/17, p.A5)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Oregon a small
plane crashed near Harrisburg as it approached the Eugene Airport
under high winds. Four people were killed.
   (SSFC, 4/9/17, p.A6)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In South Carolina
four inmates were found dead at Kirkland Correctional Institution in
Columbia. Two convicts serving life sentences were soon charged with
the murders.
   (SFC, 4/8/17, p.A5)(SSFC, 4/9/17, p.A12)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Texas a woman
fatally shot her stepfather, critically injured her mother and
killed two other people in the Houston area before killing herself.
   (SSFC, 4/9/17, p.A6)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Basque
separatist group ETA, which has promised to give up all its
remaining arms by April 8, said it has handed over the weapons to
members of "civil society" in France. Analysts estimated ETA's
arsenal at 130 handguns and two tons of explosives.
   (AFP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Brazil six
inmates died at the Unidade Prisional do Puraquequara in Manaus
where riots killed dozens of prisoners earlier this year. The
circumstances of the deaths were unclear.
   (AP, 4/8/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Cambodia Tan
Saravuth, a Cambodian-American man, was arrested in Phnom Penh for
procuring children for prostitution, a crime punishable by seven to
15 years in prison.
   (AP, 4/11/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The European
Commission cleared the multi-billion dollar buy-out bid for European
pay-TV giant Sky by 21st Century Fox without conditions as the
tie-up does not undercut competition.
   (AFP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The German
government announced steps to choke off state campaign finance for
the far-right NPD party, after a failed court bid to outlaw the
xenophobic fringe group. The group numbered around 6,000 members.
   (AFP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Doctors Without
Borders said they have begun a measles vaccination program in Guinea
after 14 deaths and 3,400 cases were confirmed this year.
   (SFC, 4/8/17, p.A2)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Indonesian
counter-terrorism police arrested three suspected militants who were
planning to attack a police station in East Java.
   (AP, 4/8/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Kosovo President
Hashim Thaci bowed to pressure from traditional allies the United
States and NATO by putting off plans to establish an army strongly
opposed by the country's minority Serbs.
   (Reuters, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Myanmar a ferry
boat carrying wedding guests capsized after colliding with a boat
carrying gravel in the Ngawun river of the Ayeyarwaddy delta,
killing at least 20 people and leaving more than a dozen missing.
   (AFP, 4/8/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Russian PM Dmitry
Medvedev complained that US cruise missile strikes on a Syrian
airbase were one step away from clashing with the Russian military.
Russia the US-led coalition of its intent to suspend a communication
channel for avoiding air accidents in the crowded airspace over
Syria.
   (Reuters, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Tens of thousands
of South Africans demonstrated peacefully in a national outpouring
of anger at scandal-tainted Pres. Jacob Zuma. A second agency
lowered the country's credit rating to junk status a week after the
firing of the respected finance minister.
   (AP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Spain Russian
computer programmer, Pyotr Levashov, was arrested in the city of
Barcelona. Levashov was suspected of being involved in hacking
attacks linked to alleged interference in last year's US election.
   (Reuters, 4/9/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Sweden a truck
slammed into a crowd of people outside a busy department store in
central Stockholm, killing two Swedes, a British man and a Belgian
woman. PM Stefan Lofven described it as a "terror attack". Police
soon detained suspect Rakhmat Akilov (39), a native of Uzbekistan,
who had been denied asylum last year. Uzbekistan’s foreign minister
later said Akilov had been recruited by the Islamic State and had
encouraged fellow nationals to fight for the IS in Syria. A 5th
victim died three weeks later of her injuries.
   (AFP, 4/7/17)(AP, 4/8/17)(Reuters, 4/11/17)(SFC,
4/15/17, p.A3)(AP, 4/28/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Syria opposition
fighters fired shells at a government-controlled neighborhood of the
capital Damascus killing one person and wounding 20.
   (AP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US blasted
Syria’s Shayrat air base early today (local time) with a barrage of
cruise missiles in fiery retaliation for this week's gruesome
chemical weapons attack against civilians. 58 of 59 missiles struck
their intended targets. Seven people were reported killed.
   (AP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In southern
Thailand suspected Muslim insurgents set off dozens of bombs,
bringing down power lines and setting tires on fire to block roads.
   (AP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ugandan police
detained an academic who has been critical online of what she calls
"despotic family rule" in this East African country. Stella Nyanzi,
a research fellow at Uganda's Makerere University, was arrested for
violating a law against misusing computers. On May 10 Nyanzi was
freed on bail.
   (AP, 4/9/17)(AP, 5/10/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The UN Security
Council called an emergency meeting to discuss the developments in
Syria.
   (AP, 4/7/17)
2017Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Venezuelan
authorities banned Henrique Capriles, a top opposition leader, from
public office for 15 years. Capriles rejected the move and insisted
he would retain his post as governor, branding Maduro a dictator.
   (AFP, 4/8/17)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Illinois three
passengers on a private bus were fatally shot. Rockford police
identified passenger Raheem King as the shooter and he remained at
large.
   (SFC, 4/9/18, p.A4)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In NYC an apartment
fire on the 50th floor of Trump Tower left one person dead.
   (SSFC, 4/8/18, p.A9)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Former Brazilian
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (72) turned himself in to police
to begin a 12-year sentence for money laundering and corruption.
   (AP, 4/8/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, British police said
they are deploying 300 more officers on the streets of London this
weekend to confront a spike in stabbing and shootings that has
sparked fears about rising crime.
   (AP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Air France
cancelled hundreds of its flights as pilots, cabin crew and ground
staff pursued a fifth day of strikes aimed at securing higher pay.
   (AFP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Germany Jens
Ruether (48) drove a camper van into a group of people sitting
outside a restaurant in Muenster, killing two people. He then shot
himself dead. Authorities later said Ruether acted alone and appears
to have had mental health problems. A third person died three weeks
later from injuries sustained in the crash.
   (Reuters, 4/8/18)(AP, 4/26/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, India agreed to
construct a rail link to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, and to open up
inland waterways in the landlocked Himalayan nation. Analysts said
the latest Indian move was spurred by China's expansive
infrastructure projects in Nepal as both Asian giants jostle for
influence.
   (Reuters, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In India a court in
Jodhpur granted bail to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who will be
allowed to remain free while he appeals his conviction on charges of
poaching rare deer in a wildlife preserve two decades ago.
   (AP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In western Iraq a
suicide attack targeting the Al-Hal political party headquarters in
Hit, Anbar province, killed four people and injured seven others,
including a candidate in polls set for May.
   (AFP, 4/8/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Japan activated its
first marine unit since World War Two trained to counter invaders
occupying Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea that
Tokyo fears are vulnerable to attack by China.
   (Reuters, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In western Japan
Yoshitane Yamasaki (73), a father who allegedly confined his
mentally ill son, now 42, in a small cage for more than two decades,
was arrested.
   (AFP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, North and South
Korea held talks over establishing a telephone hotline between their
leaders and other communication issues ahead of a rare summit
between the rivals later this month.
   (AP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pakistan's PM
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Afghanistan has accepted his offer to
revive stalled peace talks between the Afghan government and the
Taliban.
   (AP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A Pakistani
government official says Indian troops have fired across the Line of
Control in the disputed Kashmir region, killing a woman and wounding
six others.
   (AP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Pakistan a car
carrying American diplomat Col. Joseph Emanuel Hall accidently hit a
Pakistani motorcyclist in Islamabad, killing him on the spot.
Pakistani TV stations soon aired footage showing a white vehicle
running a red light and striking a motorcyclist. The family of the
motorcyclist, identified by police as Ateeq Baig (22), lodged
charges against the US. Police soon requested a travel ban on Hall.
   (AP, 4/7/18)(AP, 4/8/18)(AP, 4/10/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Palestinian Yaser
Murtaja (30), a cameraman for Palestinian Ain Media, died after
being wounded by Israeli fire a day earlier while covering deadly
protests along the Israel-Gaza border.
   (Reuters, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In South Sudan
armed men fired at the vehicle marked with logos of the Catholic
Organization for Relief and Development Aid as it travelled on a
road near the town of Bentiu and one of the workers died. A local
worker with the UNIDO organization was killed near Leer town in
Unity state.
   (http://tinyurl.com/ya6c24je)(SFC, 4/11/18, p.A2)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Switzerland
Karl-Erivan Haub (58), heir to the German Tengelmann retail empire,
disappeared in Zermatt while training for a ski mountaineering race
on the famous Matterhorn peak. A search for him was officially
called off after six months.
   (AP, 4/11/18)(AP, 10/11/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Syrian government
forces pressed their offensive against the last rebel-held town in
eastern Ghouta near Damascus under the cover of airstrikes as
shelling of civilian areas on both sides claimed more lives. the
Britain-based Observatory said another eight civilians were killed
as more bombing raids slammed into Douma. The Army of Islam said its
fighters repelled all government attacks that began a day earlier,
adding that 17 Syrian soldiers were killed. An alleged chlorine gas
attack killed at least 40 people in Douma. The Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights said at least 80 people were killed in Douma.
   (AP, 4/7/18)(AFP, 4/7/18)(AP, 4/8/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Taiwan's Central
News Agency said that Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence
confirmed the US Department of State had agreed to grant the license
needed to sell the technology to Taiwan, so the self-ruled island
could build its own submarines.
   (Reuters, 4/9/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Turkey's interior
ministry said authorities will deport close to 600 illegal Afghan
migrants in eastern Turkey back to Kabul this weekend.
   (Reuters, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Turkey's military
said some 108 Kurdish militants have been "neutralized" in
operations targeting southeast Turkey and northern Iraq over the
past week.
   (AP, 4/7/18)
2018Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Vatican police
force arrested Msgr. Carlo Alberto Capella, who once worked at its
US embassy and was recalled last year after the US State Department
said the priest may have violated child pornography laws.
   (Reuters, 4/7/18)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US Pres. Donald
Trump announced in a tweet that US Customs and Border Protection
Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would be taking over as acting head of
the department. This followed the resignation of Homeland Security
Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen amid President Donald Trump's growing
frustration and bitterness over the number of Central American
families crossing the southern border.
   (AP, 4/8/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi was named the recipient of the 2019 John F. Kennedy
Profile in Courage Award.
   (SFC, 4/8/19, p.A5)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Arizona three
people were killed and three firefighters seriously injured when a
pickup truck collided with a fire engine at an intersection in
Phoenix.
   (SFC, 4/9/19, p.A6)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Australia
Dutchman Wiebe Wakker completed an epic 95,000 km (59,000 mile)
journey by electric car in Sydney in a bid to prove the viability of
such vehicles in tackling climate change.
   (AFP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Brazil thousands
of supporters, many chanting "Free Lula!," protested outside the
jail where former President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva is being held
on the anniversary of his incarceration.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Britain's Jewish
Labour Movement, which is affiliated to the main opposition Labour
Party, passed a motion of no confidence in party leader Jeremy
Corbyn over his handling of anti-Semitism complaints.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Cuba more than
400 animal-lovers peacefully marched more than a mile through
Havana, shouting slogans and waving signs calling for an end to
animal cruelty in their country.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Egypt a police
officer and his driver were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire
on a patrol in Cairo.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A majority of
Iranian parliamentarians said Iran will take reciprocal action
against the United States if Washington designates the elite
Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as terrorists.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Authorities in
India's portion of disputed Kashmir began enforcing a ban on the
movement of civilian vehicles on a key highway to keep it open
exclusively for military and paramilitary convoys two days a week.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Eastern Libyan
forces carried out an air strike on the southern part of Tripoli,
escalating an operation to take the capital despite calls for a
truce from the UN. At least 35 people, including civilians, have
been killed on both sides over the last 4 days.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)(AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Maldives President
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's party declared a sweeping parliamentary
election victory that could give him a free hand in efforts to
restore political freedoms and tackle corruption.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, UN and government
officials said at least 847 people have been killed by Cyclone Idai,
the flooding it caused and heavy rains after it hit Mozambique
(602), Zimbabwe (259) and Malawi (60).
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A presidential aide
and the police chief said Nigeria has suspended mining in the
restive northwestern state of Zamfara, amid concerns that illegal
miners were connected to a surge in banditry.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In northern Nigeria
14 people were killed in Katsina state in clashes between cattle
thieves and a civilian militia armed by the government to support
the security forces.
   (AFP, 4/9/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Pakistan a
vehicle tumbled off a mountainous road into a river, killing seven
people.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Dozens of neglected
animals were evacuated from a ramshackle Gaza zoo in the fourth and
largest such rescue mission in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
Vets and volunteers from Four Paws International transported some 40
animals into Israel from the neglected zoo in the southern town of
Rafah.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The lawyer for
Vladimir Barsukov, an imprisoned Russian organized crime figure,
says the man has been charged in the 1998 assassination of reformist
lawmaker Galina Starovoitova. Barsukov has been behind bars since
2007 and is serving sentences for murder, extortion, fraud and money
laundering.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Rwandan President
Paul Kagame began a week of solemn ceremonies to commemorate the
lives of 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus murdered during the
Rwandan genocide, a three-month-killing spree that began 25 years
ago.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Saudi media
reported that four attackers targeted a security checkpoint with
guns and explosives in eastern Saudi Arabia as they tried to flee
the country, leading to the death of two and the arrest of two
others.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Sudanese police
fired tear gas at thousands of protesters who rallied outside the
army headquarters for a second day urging the military to back them
in demanding President Omar al-Bashir resign. Security forces killed
at least five protesters over the weekend.
   (AFP, 4/7/19)(AP, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Sudan suffered a
total power blackout.
   (Reuters, 4/7/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Syrian government
forces and insurgents exchanged a barrage of rockets in the
country's northwest that killed at least 8 people in Idlib province
and another 5 after a government-run hospital was hit in Hama
province.
   (AP, 4/7/19)(SFC, 4/8/19, p.A2)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Ugandan authorities
said that Kimberley Sue Endecott (35) and her driver, Jean Paul, had
been rescued unharmed after being seized by gunmen in Queen
Elizabeth National Park. Undisclosed sources later said that a
ransom of $30,000 had been paid.
   (AP, 4/8/19)
2019Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Yemeni medical
officials said a big explosion at a warehouse in Sanaa killed at
least seven children in nearby schools.
   (AP, 4/7/19)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, US Pres. Donald
Trump acknowledged that the coronavirus is infecting and killing
black people in the US at disproportionately high rates, and said
that the authorities were working to provide more information. Trump
also threatened to freeze US funding to the World Health
Organization, saying the international group had “missed the call”
on the coronavirus pandemic.
   (NY Times, 4/8/20)(AP, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Trump
administration granted a license to General Electric Co to supply
engines for China's new COMAC C919 passenger jet.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The US Navy said at
least 230 crew members of the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested
positive. Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned over fallout
from his ouster of Capt. Brett Crozier.
   (AP, 4/8/20)(SFC, 4/8/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Deaths in the US
due to the coronavirus reached about 11,000, with about 370,000
confirmed infections. The number of confirmed infections of the
novel coronavirus exceeded 1.34 million globally and the death toll
crossed 76,000.
   (AP, 4/7/20)(Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A US appeals court
handed a win to the Trump administration in its efforts to resume
federal executions by tossing a district judge's injunction that
blocked four death penalty sentences from being carried out.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, California reported
14,475 cases of the coronavirus and 400 deaths. SF Bay Area
confirmed cases numbered 3,880 and 107 deaths.
   (sfist.com, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said over 138,000 people in the state have been
diagnosed with COVID-19. Cuomo announced the state’s highest one-day
total of virus-related deaths: 731. New York City had at least 3,202
deaths. New Jersey and Connecticut also reported one-day highs.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)(NY Times, 4/8/20)(SFC, 4/8/20,
p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Hal Willner,
American music producer, died with symptoms consistent with COVID-19
at his home in Manhattan.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Willner)(Econ,
4/18/20, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, John Prine (73),
the country-folk singer and songwriter whose lyrics made him a
favorite of Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and others, died in
Nashville of complications due to the coronavirus.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Prine)(NY
Times, 4/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Tennessee Idris
Abdus-Salaam (33), a truck driver from North Carolina, fatally
stabbed three female emplyees at a Pilot travel center before he was
killed by a deputy.
   (SFC, 4/9/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, A federal appeals
court sided with Texas in allowing it to ban most abortions while
the state is under an emergency order that limits non-essential
surgeries during the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Washington DC
reported 114 new cases of the coronavirus bringing its total to
1,211 and 22 deaths.
   (SFC, 4/8/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Wisconsin voters
lined up to cast ballots across the state, ignoring a stay-at-home
order in the midst of a pandemic to participate in the state's
presidential primary election. Voters in the state's Democratic
primary endorsed Joe Biden. Voters also elected Democrat Judge Jill
Karofsky to the state's Supreme Court.
   (AP, 4/7/20)(SFC, 4/15/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Exxon Mobil Corp
throttled back investment in shale, natural gas and deep water
production, cutting planned capital spending by 30% this year as the
coronavirus pandemic saps energy demand and oil prices tumble.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, World stock markets
posted sharp gains as signs of progress in curbing the spread of the
novel coronavirus in both Europe and the United States fueled
investors' appetite for risk.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Armenia reported
853 confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of today with 87 people
having recovered from the infection and eight deaths.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Azerbaijan's
breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh confirmed its first case of the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Bangladesh police
arrested Abdul Majed, a former military captain and fugitive in the
1975 killing of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. A trial
in 1998 had sentenced a dozen defendents including Majed for the
killing of Rahman and most of his family members.
   (SFC, 4/8/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Benin has ordered
people in a dozen cities to wear face masks to prevent the spread of
the coronavirus. Benmin has 22 confirmed cases.
   (SFC, 4/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Glencore, a British
multinational trading and mining company, said it would stop
operations at its Mopani mine in Zambia due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Econ., 5/2/20, p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Bulgaria's Foreign
Ministry said a senior official at the Bulgarian embassy in The
Hague has been recalled for illegally collecting what he called a
coronavirus tax from visitors seeking consular assistance.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mainland China
reported no coronavirus deaths for the first time since the pandemic
began and a drop in new cases.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In China a
one-sentence notice issued by the party-government joint
disciplinary watchdog body in Beijing’s western district said Ren
Zhiqiang, prominent Communist party member, was undergoing a “review
and monitoring investigation.” Ren dropped from sight in mid-March
after publishing an online essay that criticized the leadership’s
handling of the virus outbreak that originated in December in
central China.
   (AP, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Colombia extended a
nationwide quarantine due to the coronavirus until April 27.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, An Ecuadoran court
found former Pres. Rafael Correa (57) guilty of corruption and
sentenced him in absentia to eight years in prison. Correa has been
living in his wife's native Belgium since 2017.
   (SFC, 4/8/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, It was reported
that sales of sex toys in Denmark have more than doubled after Danes
were told to stay at home to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, European Union
countries adopted new rules for truck drivers' working conditions,
despite several countries calling for the reforms to be halted to
help support vulnerable transport firms amid the fallout of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The European
Commission imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on some stainless
steel products from China, Indonesia and Taiwan, nearly eight months
after launching a probe into low-price imports.
   (Reuters, 4/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Finland said it
will start tracking the spread of the coronavirus in its population
with randomized antibody tests.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In France almost
99,000 people across the country have been diagnosed with COVID-19
and nearly 9,000 of them have died.
   (ABC News, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Germany a man
(29) in Celle fatally stabbed a teenage refugee (15) from Iraq. The
man later claimed to have been under the influence of drugs.
   (SFC, 4/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Hong Kong reported
21 new cases of the coronavirus for a total of 936.
   (https://tinyurl.com/sdefuk6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Leaders of
Hungary's Roma people said the coronavirus pandemic posed a grave
threat to the already precarious status of the marginalized
minority, with many Roma feeling abandoned by the nationalist
government.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, India said it will
allow limited exports of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine,
that US President Donald Trump has touted as a potential weapon in
the fight against the virus.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Iran's parliament
convened for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak forced
its doors to close, as the country reported a drop in new infections
for the seventh straight day. The health ministry reported 133 new
coronavirus deaths, saying the overall fatalities had reached 3,872.
Another 2,089 infections were recorded nationwide, bringing the
total to 62,589.
   (AFP, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Israel's domestic
security agency said it arrested an Israeli citizen last month
alleged to have spied for Iran. The man was indicted today for
“serious security-related offenses”.
   (AP, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Japanese PM Shinzo
Abe moved to declare a state of emergency in seven prefectures
including Tokyo and Osaka, and announced a record economic stimulus
package as the country braces for a surge in coronavirus infections.
   (Bloomberg, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The Latvian
government said it was extending until May 12 the state of emergency
that has allowed it to implement a string of measures to curb the
spread of the novel coronavirus in the Baltic country. Latvia has
reported 548 confirmed cases and 2 deaths.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Libya rockets
rained down on Tripoli, the second day of heavy bombardment by
eastern-based forces that struck one of the city’s largest
hospitals. Libya has confirmed 20 cases of the coronavirus, all in
the country’s west except for one in the eastern city of Benghazi.
   (AP, 4/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mali has recorded
46 positive cases of COVID-19 disease, including one member of the
UN peacekeeping force, and five deaths.
   (AP, 4/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Mexico has nearly
2,800 confirmed COVID-19 infections and 141 deaths. A plane arrived
in Mexico with 10 tons of gloves and masks from China to help with
the coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 4/7/20)(Reuters, 4/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Morocco has so far
reported 1,141 coronavirus cases and 83 deaths. As of today
Moroccans who venture outside their homes without wearing face masks
risk prison sentences of up to three months and a fine of up to $126
(£102). Since March 19 more than 8,600 people have been arrested and
prosecuted for flouting lockdown rule.
   (BBC, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In northern
Mozambique Islamist militants killed around 52 people in the village
of Xitaxi in Muidumbe district. The attack only came to light on
April 21.
   (BBC, 4/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Pakistan has
recorded 4,004 cases of the coronavirus and 54 deaths. Pakistan's
military promised that dozens of doctors who were briefly jailed for
protesting a lack of protective equipment will get the equipment
they need.
   (AP, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The west African
island nation of Sao Tome e Principe confirmed its first case of the
coronavirus.
   (SFC, 4/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Saudi Arabia has so
far reported 2,795 cases and 41 deaths due to the coronavirus, the
highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Health
Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said four studies by infectious disease
experts indicated the number of cases was likely to reach between
10,000 and 200,000 in coming weeks. King Salman ordered the
temporary release from prison of people serving sentences related to
unpaid private debts, and ordered the suspension of all rulings
related to such cases in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)(AP, 4/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Singapore's
government passed a new law in parliament banning all social
gatherings in homes and public spaces to curb the spread of the
coronavirus (COVID-19). The Health Ministry confirmed 106 new cases
of coronavirus infections, most of them locally transmitted, taking
the city-state's total to 1,481.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yd7alwax)Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, South Africa with
1,686 positive cases now had the highest national total. The Africa
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that at least
10,075 people across Africa have tested positive for the novel
coronavirus. So far, 487 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have died.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)(ABC News, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Spain the pace
of coronavirus deaths ticked up for the first time in five days,
with 743 people succumbing overnight. Spain moved to tackle a
shortfall of farm workers due to the coronavirus crisis by
authorizing the temporary hiring of tens of thousands of immigrants
or jobless people.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Turkmenistan
gathered thousands of citizens for mass exercise events to mark
World Health Day, ignoring the global trend for social distancing to
fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Turkmenistan has yet
to register a case of the novel coronavirus.
   (AFP, 4/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, The UN patent
agency said China was the biggest source of applications for
international patents in the world last year, pushing the United
States out of the top spot it has held since the global system was
set up more than 40 years ago.
   (Reuters, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, In Venezuela to
date the coronavirus has claimed only seven confirmed fatalities
with at least 144 confirmed cases. A party by offspring of the
ruling elite on March 11 on an island in the Los Roques archipelago
led to a cluster of infections. On March 20 embattled leader Nicolás
Maduro said on state TV that practically everyone at the party is
testing positive.
   (AP, 4/7/20)(Economist, 4/4/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Apr 7, Yemeni port
official Saleh (60) tested positive for COVID-19. A 2nd test on
April 10 also came back positive. This was Yemen's first case of the
virus. Health officials then scrambled to identify more than 150
people in the southern Hadhramout region who had met and dealt with
the man in the two weeks before he was diagnosed.
   (Reuters, 4/27/20)