April 17
2013
West Fertilizer Company Explosion
On April 17, 2013, the small town of West, Texas, was rocked by a massive explosion at the West Fertilizer Company. The disaster resulted in significant loss of life, injury, and property damage, highlighting significant gaps in chemical storage regulations. Read more
2010
2010 Darra Adam Khel mosque bombing
On April 17, 2010, an explosive device detonated inside a mosque beside the busy weapons bazaar in Darra Adam Khel, Kohat District, Pakistan. The blast killed roughly three dozen people and wounded many more, shattering a small frontier town already shaped by trade in arms and the pressures of nearby insurgency. Investigations collected evidence but produced no widely publicized claim of responsibility or high‑profile prosecutions; the attack became one more painful marker in a period of recurrent violence that reshaped local security practices. Read more
1961
The Bay of Pigs Invasion
A failed CIA operation in 1961 attempting to overthrow Cuba's Fidel Castro, marking a profound Cold War defeat for the United States. Read more
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