International Events in April 2001
April 1:
The former Yugoslav President, Mr. Slobodan Milosevic, surrenders to police.
A U.S. military surveillance plane collides with two Chinese jets over the South China sea, and makes an emergency landing in Hainan island. Beijing dubs it intrusion and detains 24-member crew.
April 3:
The Philippines Supreme Court upholds the presidency of Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and rejects the former President, Mr. Joseph Estrada's appeal that he was still the country's legitimate leader.
April 4:
The former Philippines President, Mr. Joseph Estrada, is indicted on graft charges by an anti-corruption ombudsman for allegedly amassing $82 million through payoffs.
Dame Silvia Cartwright, is sworn in New Zealand Governor-General.
Sudan's Deputy Defence Minister, Colonel Ibrahim Shamsaldin, and 15 others, including seven generals, die as their plane overshoots runway at Adar Yiel in Upper Nile State, 500 km south of Khartoum.
April 5:
The Congo President, Mr. Joseph Kabila, dismisses his entire Cabinet.
April 6:
The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Yoshiro Mori, announces decision to quit.
April 7:
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights adopts a resolution upholding Palestinian right to statehood.
The Mars Odyssey spacecraft rockets away on a 460 million-km journey to the Red planet, from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
April 8:
The Bangladesh Parliament unanimously adopts The Vested Property Return Bill, 2001, enabling return of listed vested property to Hindus.
April 9:
Mr. Manuel Carrascalao, a East Timor veteran is named Speaker of the National Council.
The twin baby girls, Kimberley and Belinda bought over the Internet by Mr. Alan and Ms. Judith Kilshaw of Britain must be returned to the U.S., rules the British High Court.
April 11:
Dutch Senate passes the euthanasia bill, making Holland the first country in the world to legalise mercy killing.
China frees the 24-member crew of the U.S. EP-3E spy plane after an 11-day standoff.
April 14:
The Putin Government in Russia takes over the private TV channel NTV.
April 16:
Iran and Saudi Arabia, sign a landmark security pact to combat terrorism and drug trafficking.
April 18:
The Pakistan Supreme Court rules that the conviction of the former Prime Minister, Mrs. Benazir Bhutto and her husband, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari in a corruption case by a lower court (in April 1999) unfair.
April 21:
Kuwait's highest court rejects a petition to grant full political rights to the emirate's disenfranchised women, in the sixth such ruling in less than a year.
April 22:
The Summit of the Americas agrees on a pact on Free Trade Zone by 2005 reserved only for democracies.
April 25:
The former Philippines President, Mr. Joseph Estrada, is arrested from his Manila home on the charge of ``economic plunder'' which carries the death penalty, on the orders of an anti-corruption court.
April 26:
Mr. Junichiro Koizumi is elected the Japanese Prime Minister and he appoints five women, a record in the nation's politics, to his Cabinet.
The Communist-dominated Ukrainian Parliament votes out the reform-oriented Prime Minister, Mr. Viktor Yushchenko and his Government, the most successful Cabinet since the country's independence in 1991.
April 28:
American businessman, Mr. Dennis Tito, blasts off aboard a Russian rocket, heading for the International Space Station and becoming the world's first space toursit.
April 30:
Indonesian MPs vote for a second time in favour of censuring the President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, in Parliament.