WHAT ALL HAPPENED APRIL TO MAY 1997
Find out what all happened April to May 1997

The Maeslantkering, a storm surge barrier in the Netherlands that is one of the world's largest moving structures, is opened by Queen Beatrix. (10. May 1997)

Mobutu Sese Seko, the President of Zaire, flees the country. (16. May 1997)

Omaria massacre in Algeria: 42 villagers are killed. (23. April 1997)

Comet Hale-Bopp is seen passing over perihelion. (1. April 1997)

Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format. (11. May 1997)

A China Southern Airlines Boeing 737 crashes on approach into Bao'an International Airport, killing 35 people. (8. May 1997)

The Bank of England is given independence from political control, the most significant change in the bank's 300-year history. (6. May 1997)

The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 enters into force, outlawing the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons by its signatories. (29. April 1997)

Kelly Flinn, the US Air Force's first female bomber pilot certified for combat, accepts a general discharge in order to avoid a court-martial. (22. May 1997)

A 7.3 Mw earthquake strikes Iran's Khorasan Province, killing 1,567, injuring over 2,300, leaving 50,000 homeless, and damaging or destroying over 15,000 homes. (10. May 1997)

A military coup in Sierra Leone replaces President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah with Major Johnny Paul Koromah. (25. May 1997)

Tiger Woods becomes the youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament. (13. April 1997)

Haouch Khemisti massacre in Algeria – 93 villagers killed. (22. April 1997)

The United States government acknowledges the existence of the "Secret War" in Laos and dedicates the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other "Secret War" veterans. (15. May 1997)

The Red River Flood of 1997 overwhelms the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Fire breaks out and spreads in downtown Grand Forks, but high water levels hamper efforts to reach the fire, leading to the destruction of 11 buildings. (19. April 1997)

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that Paula Jones can pursue her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton while he is in office. (27. May 1997)

The Japanese embassy hostage crisis ends in Lima, Peru. (22. April 1997)

The unusual tornado outbreak in Jarrell, Texas. (27. May 1997)

The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, is established as a result of grassroots efforts. (19. May 1997)

The Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but 1 of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas. (3. April 1997)