April 4, 2014 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- South Korea test-fires a new ballistic missile with a range of 500 kilometres and hopes to extend its range to 800 kilometres so that it can reach anywhere in North Korea. (Reuters)
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021):
- Two members of the Associated Press are shot by an Afghan wearing a police uniform in Khost. One of them, Pulitzer Prize winner and photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus, is killed. The other is seriously injured. (BBC)
- Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen:
- Suspected Al-Qaeda militants attack an army post in Hadramawt province killing at least eight soldiers and injuring eleven. (AFP via Global Post)
- Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal):
- Attacks in Baghdad and predominantly Sunni Arab areas of northern and western Iraq kill nine people. (AFP via the Cairo Post)
Business and economy
- The two largest cement manufacturers in the world, Lafarge and Holcim, announce plans for a merger. (Reuters)
- Mazda announces the recall of 42,000 units of its Mazda6 model built from 2010 to 2012, citing fuel tank issues. The recall specifically refers to those with 2.5 liter engines. (KRON)[permanent dead link]
- 2014 Crimean Crisis:
- McDonald's suspends work at all restaurant locations in Crimea. (KNTV)
Disasters and accidents
- Heavy rainfall from a tropical low causes flooding at Honiara, Solomon Islands, leading to at least 16 deaths and thousands of people being evacuated. (AAP via SBS) (ABC News Australia)
- A Mongolian-flagged cargo ship sinks off the coast of South Korea, with most of the 16 North Korean crew members reported missing. (Reuters)
- The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador explodes twice. (Daily Mirror)
Health
- 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak:
- The first possible case is reported in Mali, with the death toll rising in Guinea and Liberia to 90. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
- A meningitis outbreak has been reported in the greater Los Angeles area, with incidents related to sexual intercourse. (MSN)
Law and crime
- A Manhattan court stenographer is discovered to have written nonsense instead of actual court transcripts, potentially jeopardizing thirty court cases. (KNTV)