Portal:Current events/2017 April 9

April 9, 2017 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2017 Palm Sunday church bombings
- At least 45 people have been killed and 50 injured in explosions near two Coptic Christian churches packed with worshippers on Palm Sunday in the Egyptian cities of Tanta and Alexandria. (Al Jazeera) (ABC Australia)
- The Government of Egypt imposes a three-month state of emergency in response to the bombings. (ABC)
Somali Civil War (2009–present)
- A car bomb explodes outside the Ministry of Defence in Mogadishu, killing at least 15 people. Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for the attack. (Al Jazeera)
Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency) by-election, 2017
- Six people are killed in clashes between protesters and police near Srinagar in the disputed region of Kashmir Valley, during a by-election for a vacant seat in the Indian Lok Sabha. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

2016–17 South Pacific cyclone season
- Dozens of people in Vanuatu are in shelters as Cyclone Cook hits the island. It is due to pass through New Caledonia tomorrow. (Radio New Zealand)

International relations

Law and crime

United Express Flight 3411 incident
- A United Airlines passenger is dragged off a flight at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The airline company is under fire because of the mistreatment of the passenger. (ABC)

Politics and elections

South Ossetian presidential election, Name change referendum, 2017
- Voters in the breakaway state of South Ossetia go to the polls for an election and a referendum. The referendum will ask voters if the country's official name should be changed to "Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania". (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Finnish municipal elections, 2017
- Voters go to the polls for municipal elections in Finland. (Finnish Ministry of Justice) (Yle News)

Sports

2017 Masters Tournament
- In golf, Sergio García of Spain wins the 2017 U.S. Masters defeating Justin Rose of England in a sudden-death playoff. It is García's first major victory. (The Guardian)
In rugby union, SANZAAR announces that three teams will be eliminated from Super Rugby after the current season. One team from Australia and two from South Africa will be axed, reducing the competition to 15 teams. (ABC Australia)
In basketball, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder sets a new record for most triple-doubles in an NBA season, collecting his 42nd of the 2016–17 season in the Thunder's 106–105 win over the Denver Nuggets. Westbrook surpassed Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, who had 41 in the 1961–62 season. (AP via ESPN)