April 2, 2011 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- At least 800 people are killed in a massacre in Duékoué, Côte d'Ivoire, during the Second Ivorian Civil War. (CBC News)
- Libyan Civil War:
- Friendly fire from coalition forces reportedly kills 13 rebels in Libya. (MSNBC)
- Rebel forces in Misrata estimate that 28 people have died in fighting over the past three days. (Al Jazeera)
- 2011 Syrian protests:
- Security forces in Syria arrest dozens of people following pro-reform protests. (Al Jazeera)
- 2011 Yemeni protests:
- Anti-government protesters clash with riot police in Aden, southern Yemen. (AP via Google News)
- Gaza War:
- Israel asks the United Nations to disavow the Goldstone Report after the report's author, Judge Richard Goldstone, says that he retracts the accusation that Israel intentionally targeted civilians during the 2008–2009 Gaza War. (BBC) (The New York Times) (Ynet) (The Washington Post)
- Goldstone continues to defend portions of the report, including those that accused Hamas of violations and demands that the Palestinians investigate their violations in Gaza, as Israel has investigated its actions, while Hamas has not held any investigations. (The Jerusalem Post)
- Afghan National Army soldiers kill two insurgents including a would-be suicide bomber who attacked Camp Phoenix in Kabul. (BNO)
- A bomb explodes in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, killing one, hours after around 2,000 participants in a half marathon pass by. The incident evokes memories of the 1998 Omagh bombing, while taoiseach Enda Kenny (Republic of Ireland) accuses the perpetrators of "acting in defiance of the Irish people". (BBC) (The Guardian) (CBC News)
Disasters
- Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan visits the areas of the country worst affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. (Reuters via WAMC)
- Tepco confirms radioactive water has been (and still is) leaking into the sea from a crack at the malfunctioning Fukushima nuclear plant. (BBC)
- A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits northern Chile. (IOL)
Law and crime
- India charges former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja, several executives and three firms in a telecoms scandal. (The Times of India) (Reuters)
- The North Korean government cracks down on IT gadgets such as computers and phones amid fears that news about the Arab Spring could influence its citizens. (The Straits Times)
- Almost half of China's dairies are to close after failing to obtain new licenses following a safety audit. (BBC) (Xinhua)
- Gunmen attack a bar in Ciudad Juárez in northern Mexico, killing five people. (AP via The Ledger)
Politics
- A parliamentary election is to take place in Nigeria, but is postponed to 4 April as voting materials did not arrive on time. (Pana Press) (AFP via Google News) (CNN)
- Thousands of people attend pro- and anti-carbon tax (part of a phase-in of an emissions trading program) rallies in Sydney, Australia. (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald)(ABC News online)
- The Prime Minister of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announces that he will not be seeking a third term in the next election. (Al Jazeera)
- Police make 12 arrests following protest marches by the English Defence League and opposing groups in Blackburn, Lancashire. (BBC)
Sport
- The India cricket team wins the 2011 Cricket World Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets. (Daily Mail)
- Manager José Mourinho loses his first home game since 23 February 2002. (Marca)