April 17, 2011 (Sunday)
Armed conflict and attacks
- At least four people are shot dead by security forces during anti-government protests in Syria. (CBC) (AFP via Channel News Asia)
- 2011 Libyan civil war
- Rebel forces in Libya regain the town of Ajdabiya. (Al Jazeera)
- Heavy fighting continues in Misrata with reports of seventeen people dying. (AP via Houston Chronicle)
- NATO announces that eight soldiers from member countries died in fighting in Afghanistan. (AP via Atlanta Journal Constitution) (AP via Fox News)
- Fourteen people claimed to be responsible for shooting 52 protestors in Sana’a in March are referred to the state prosecutor. (Al-Arabiya)
Business and economy
- China raises its bank reserves requirements as an anti-inflation move, an increase of 50 basis points (half of a percent) effective April 21. (Financial Times)
- Oman is to spend 1 billion rials in an attempt to prevent further anti-government protests. (IOL)
Disasters
- The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Japan to announce US assistance for the recovery effort following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. (BBC)
- More than forty people die in the tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011, with North Carolina being the worst affected state. (CNN)
- At least twelve people are killed in a severe storm in China's Guangdong Province. (The Telegraph)
Politics
- Police in China detain dozens of underground Protestant church followers in Beijing. (AFP via Google News) (Hong Kong Standard)
- The National Coalition Party wins the Finnish parliamentary election (44 seats), with the True Finns, third-place finishers, emerging as a new major political party (39 seats). Biggest losers are the Centre Party (36 seats); coalition talks will probably be held between the Coalition, the True Finns and the Social Democrats (42 seats).(YLE)
- Goodluck Jonathan will be reelected as President of Nigeria based on unofficial results in the presidential election. (The Guardian)
- The Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei refuses to accept the resignation of Intelligence Chief Heyder Moslehi. (AFP via Google)
Sport
- The 17th edition of the CAF African Youth Championship begins in South Africa. (BBC)
- Lewis Hamilton of McLaren wins the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix. (Super Sport)
- Emmanuel Mutai wins the London Marathon, setting a new course record. (BBC)