April 13, 2012 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Five people are killed near Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, amid simmering ethnic tensions in the country. (AJB)
- A draft United Nations Security Council resolution outlines plans to send observers to Syria to monitor compliance with a new peace plan, as several people are reportedly shot dead after Friday prayers. (BBC)
- The Economic Community of West African States condemns an apparent coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau. (Al Jazeera)
Arts and culture
- Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan is detained by the United States for 90 minutes at a New York airport; the detention draws ire from India's External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna. (BBC)
Business and economy
- Spain seeks to deter Argentina's nationalization of YPF, an Argentine oil company majority-owned by Spain's Repsol, warning that such a nationalization would make Argentina a "pariah". (New York Times)
International relations
- North Korea's efforts to launch a long range rocket ends in apparent failure with the rocket breaking up soon after launch. (Reuters via Sydney Morning Herald)
- A standoff between Chinese and Filipino ships at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea continues. (Reuters)
- David Cameron's visit to Burma:
- British Prime Minister David Cameron makes a historic visit to Burma (Myanmar), becoming the first British Prime Minister to visit that country. (The Independent)
- Following a meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon, Cameron calls for economic sanctions against Burma to be suspended in recognition of the changes taking place there. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- The former president of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar, is detained on corruption charges. (AFP)
- French President Nicolas Sarkozy admits he did not visit Fukushima while in Japan after last year's earthquake and tsunami, despite having previously said he had done so. (BBC)
- Bob Brown resigns as Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and from the Senate. (Herald Sun)
Sports
- Clashes between protesters and security forces continue in Bahrain after Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone announces that the Grand Prix will be held there next week. (ITV)
- Joe Vitt is named as the interim head coach of the New Orleans Saints for the 2012 season to replace Sean Payton, who was suspended earlier in the year for his role in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. (Yahoo! Sports)
- Tom Benson, owner of the Saints, agrees to buy the New Orleans Hornets from the National Basketball Association for an estimated $338 million. (Yahoo! Sports)