Portal:Current events/March 2017

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- At least 16 people were killed and 40 more wounded after two suicide bombers attacked Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Business and economics

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rises above 21,000 points, reaching an all-time high. (Los Angeles Times)

International relations

Georgia–European Union relations
- The European Union formally grants Georgian citizens visa-free travel to its member states, with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The signed documents will be published on March 8, and officially enter into force on March 28. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Syrian Civil War
- Russia and China veto a draft United Nations Security Council resolution sponsored by France, the United Kingdom and the United States calling for sanctions against the Syrian government and President Bashar al-Assad over allegations that the government used chemical weapons in the conflict. (RT) (The Guardian)

Law and crime

Philippine Drug War
- After a temporary suspension due to the kidnapping and killing of a South Korean national, Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte orders the Philippine National Police to resume his controversial campaign. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Kim Jong-nam's assassination
- Two women, Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Đoàn Thị Hương, are charged with murder in relation to the death of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The women, who reportedly thought they were involved in a prank TV show, did not enter pleas. (CNN) (The Globe and Mail)

Politics and elections

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir names Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh as Prime Minister of Sudan, the first person to hold the post since it was abolished following the 1989 Sudanese coup d'état. (Reuters)
Pakalitha Mosisili, the Prime Minister of Lesotho loses a confidence motion in the Parliament of Lesotho, and may call a snap election. (SABC)

Science and technology

Origin of life
- Scientists announce the finding of microfossils up to almost 4.3 billion years old, within rocks from the Hudson Bay shoreline in northern Quebec, Canada, that may represent the oldest-known evidence of life on Earth. (Reuters)
An American Atlas V successfully launched an NRO payload from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The launch is the 70th successful Atlas V launch and the 14th successful mission for the NRO. (SpaceflightNow)

March 2, 2017 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Palmyra offensive (2017)
  - The Syrian Army and its allies recapture the ancient city of Palmyra from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. (Reuters)(Al-Masdar News)
- East Aleppo offensive (February 2017)
  - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces' Manbij Military Council, "after reaching a new alliance with Russia," hands over a vast expanse of territory west of Manbij to the Syrian Army to create a buffer zone between the SDF and Turkish-backed rebels. (BBC)(Al-Masdar News)(Rudaw)
War in North-West Pakistan
- A United States drone strike kills two alleged militants in the Kurram district of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Disasters and accidents

A methane gas explosion occurs at a coal mine in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine, killing at least eight miners, with another 20 unaccounted for. (Al Jazeera)
An avalanche near the northern Italian town of Courmayeur, kills at least three people and injures another three, while two others are believed missing. (BBC)

Law and crime

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is acquitted of involvement in the deaths of hundreds of anti-government protesters during the 2011 Egyptian revolution. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2017
- Northern Irish voters go to the polls to elect their new MLA representatives after a snap election was called following the resignation of Deputy First minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin over the mishandling by Democratic Unionist Party over the recent Renewable Heat Incentive scandal. (BBC News)
The government of Sweden submits a bill to the Riksdag to reintroduce conscription this summer in response to new global security challenges. (Al Jazeera)
Political appointments of Donald Trump
- The U.S. Senate confirms Donald Trump's appointment of his former opponents in the presidential primaries, neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Governor of Texas Rick Perry, as Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Energy respectively, with the support of all Republicans and some Democrats. (CNN)

March 3, 2017 (Friday)

Disasters and accidents

2015 Shoreham Airshow crash
- The Air Accidents Investigation Branch determines that a pilot error was the cause of the crash. (BBC)
2016–17 Zimbabwe floods
- Since December, flooding in Zimbabwe has killed 246 people and nearly 2,000 more have been left homeless, according to officials. (Al Jazeera)
2016-2017 Cook Inlet natural gas leak
- A damaged natural gas pipeline operating under Cook Inlet offshore of Nikiski (near Anchorage, Alaska) continues releasing between 6,000–8,800 cubic meters (210,000–310,000 cubic feet) of gas per day. Pipeline operator Hilcorp Energy states that due to sea ice conditions, repairs will not be possible for weeks. (Popular Mechanics), (Peninsula Clarion)

International relations

United States–European Union relations
- The European Parliament votes to end visa-free travel for United States citizens after the U.S. government failed to agree to visa-free travel for citizens of five European Union member states, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania. The resolution is non-binding. (The Independent)

Law and crime

Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home
- A mass grave is discovered at a former Catholic orphanage in Tuam, Ireland, containing “significant quantities of human remains”, all of them children. It is alleged over 800 children died at this orphanage and most were buried in the 1950s. (The Guardian)
Antisemitism in the United States
- Juan M. Thompson, a 31-year-old ex-journalist, is arrested and charged with making at least eight threats against Jewish Community Centers in the United States, as well as a threat made against the Anti-Defamation League, while allegedly impersonating a former girlfriend. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2017
- Mike Nesbitt announces he is standing down as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) following the party's poor performance in yesterday's Northern Ireland Assembly election. (BBC)

March 4, 2017 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- According to provincial officials, at least eight people are killed and another 22 are injured by a roadside bomb in Farah Province. However, according to locals, the attack was actually an airstrike. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- The Benghazi Defense Brigades, an ally of the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, claims to have captured five cities and two oil-production areas from forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar in the east of Libya. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian Civil War
- East Aleppo offensive (February 2017)
  - CJTFOIR deploys U.S. forces near Manbij to "reassure Coalition" members and to "deter aggression." This comes days after the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces' Manbij Military Council agreed to hand over territory west of Manbij to the Syrian Army to create a buffer zone between the SDF and Turkish-backed rebels. (Rudaw)
- A Syrian Air Force MiG-23 fighter jet crashes in Turkey's Hatay Province near the Syria–Turkey border after an engine failure. (Al Masdar News)(Daily Sabah) (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

At least 110 people have died of starvation in the drought-hit region of Bay, Somalia, in the past 48 hours, according to Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre. This comes as the United Nations and various non-governmental organizations are warning of potential famine in the country. (The Independent)

International relations

Malaysia–North Korea relations
- Malaysia expels Kang Chol, North Korea's ambassador, after he criticised the former's investigation into the death of Kim Jong-nam. (BBC)
Mexico–United States relations
- Mexico opens legal aide centers in its 50 U.S. consulates to defend its citizens' rights amid the United States "crackdown" on illegal immigration. In a video, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso said Mexico supports following the law but notes that current circumstances highlight the need for immigration reform. (Reuters) (AP via The Toledo Blade)
Canada–United States relations
- Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says Canada will not tighten its border because more migrants, reacting to the United States immigration crackdown, are illegally crossing into Canada from the U.S. Goodale added the issue had not risen to a scale that required hindering the flow of goods and people moving across the world's longest undefended border. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Capital punishment in Jordan
- Jordan says the country executed 15 people today, including 10 who were convicted on terrorism charges with others related to incidents that go back as far as 2003. Amnesty International protests the executions which were carried out in "secrecy and without transparency." Jordan restored the death sentence by hanging in 2014. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Trump Tower wiretapping allegations
- U.S. President Donald Trump accuses former President Barack Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower the month before the 2016 presidential election but offers no evidence to support his claim. A spokesman for President Obama rejects these claims. (The New York Times) (The Washington Post) (AAP via SBS)

March 5, 2017 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile
- The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North releases 127 prisoners from captivity, mostly troops of the Sudanese military. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Cannabis in Israel
- Israel changes its law regarding marijuana use. Instead of facing criminal charges, first-time offenders who smoke marijuana in public places will only receive a fine. (Haaretz)

Politics and elections

South Korea announces it will be raising its US$217,000 cash reward for classified information from North Korea by defectors to $860,000. (The Guardian)

March 6, 2017 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Internal conflict in Myanmar
- According to the government of Myanmar, at least 30 people are killed in an attack on various police, military, and government installations by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army in Laukkai. Four police officers were also taken hostage. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2016–17 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Intense, Category 4 Cyclone Enawo is intensifying, as it closes in on the northern tip of Madagascar. (The Weather Channel)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- South Korea claims that North Korea has fired several missiles from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station into the Sea of Japan. (Agencies via Channel News Asia)
- According to the Japanese Government, three of them came down in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. (NPR)

Politics and Elections

Presidency of Donald Trump
- U.S. President Donald Trump signs a revised version of Executive Order 13769 eliminating Iraq from the order and reducing the indefinite suspension of Syrian refugees to 120 days. The order will be in effect on March 16, 2017. (The New York Times) (CNN)

Sports

2017 World Baseball Classic begins at the Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, South Korea, as tournament debutant Israel upsets host nation South Korea 2-1 in extra innings. (ESPN)

March 7, 2017 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Army captures at least 23 villages in North East Aleppo Governorate from ISIL in a matter of hours after an ISIL withdrawal caused by the SAA capturing Al-Khafsah. (Al Masdar News)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- Battle of Mosul (2016–17)
  - The Iraqi Army retakes Mosul Museum as well as the main government building in Mosul. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2016–17 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Cyclone Enawo makes landfall in Madagascar as a powerful Category 4 storm, making it the most powerful storm to strike the African nation in 13 years. (The Weather Channel)
Dozens of tornadoes spawned by thunderstorms touch down in the American Midwest, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses and causing some injuries. The Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe, Kansas is closed following heavy damage caused by the severe weather. (ABC News)
A CSX Transportation freight train collides with a charter bus in Biloxi, Mississippi, killing at least four people and leaving dozens injured. (Fox News)
2016-2017 Cook Inlet natural gas leak
- An investigation by the United States Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration finds that the natural gas leak occurring in Alaska's Cook Inlet began earlier than first reported, and represents significant safety and environmental risks. The agency gives pipeline operator Hilcorp Energy until May 1, 2017 to fix the leak, or shut the pipeline down. (KTUU-TV)

International relations

Malaysia–North Korea relations
- North Korea temporarily bans all Malaysian nationals (estimated to be at least 11 people including embassy employees) from leaving the country amid a growing dispute between the two countries over the death of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of Kim Jong-un. Malaysian official Khairy Jamaluddin calls the move "tantamount to taking hostages". (BBC) (Channel News Asia)
South Korea–United States relations
- The United States begins deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in South Korea. (BBC)

Law and crime

Vault 7
- WikiLeaks releases thousands of documents that it claims provides details of surveillance software used by the United States Central Intelligence Agency. (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

European migrant crisis
- The National Assembly of Hungary approves the automatic detention of all asylum seekers who enter the country. (BBC)

March 8, 2017 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- March 2017 Kabul attack
  - A suicide bomber and unidentified gunmen dressed as doctors attack a military hospital in Kabul, killing at least 38 people and wounding dozens more. ISIL claims responsibility for the attack. (The Guardian)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- At least 21 people are killed after two suicide bombers attack a wedding party near Tikrit. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian Civil War
- American-led intervention in Syria
  - The United States Marine Corps' 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrives in Syria ahead of a Syrian Democratic Forces operation to take control of ISIL's de facto capital of Raqqa. (The Washington Post)

Business and economy

RadioShack files for chapter 11 protection from creditors for the second time in two years. (Reuters).

Disasters and accidents

The gigantic limestone natural arch Azure Window on the Maltese island of Gozo collapses due to a storm. (Times of Malta)
Virgen de la Asunción fire
- A fire breaks out at an orphanage in San José Pinula, Guatemala after students protesting conditions including alleged sexual and physical abuse set fire to their bedding, killing at least 19 children. (BBC)

Law and crime

Abdellatif Midras, a member of the Moroccan Parliament, is shot dead in Casablanca. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

The Day Without a Woman general strike occurs. (The Verge)

Science and technology

Timeline of Mars exploration
- U.S. Congress passes a bill that mandates NASA send humans to Mars by 2033. (Business Insider) (Gizmodo)
Physicists synthesize space-time crystals for the first time. (Live Science) (Nature)

Sports

2016–17 UEFA Champions League
- In association football, FC Barcelona becomes the first team to overturn a first-leg 4–0 deficit in the UEFA Champions League as they knocked out Paris Saint-Germain with a 6–1 victory in the second leg to reach the quarter-finals for the 10th successive season. (BBC)

March 9, 2017 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War, American-led intervention in Syria
- According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, multiple suspected U.S.-led coalition air raids kill at least 23 civilians in the village of al-Matab in northern Syria. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

German and Egyptian archaeologists uncover a humanoid statue with an approximate height of eight metres, believed to be of Ramesses II, at the former site of Heliopolis in northeast Cairo. (The Daily Telegraph)

Disasters and accidents

A motorway bridge near Ancona, Italy, collapses killing two Italians and injuring two Romanian workers. The Italian highway agency links the collapse with a temporary structure that was designed to support it. (BBC)
An overcrowded bus veers off a mountain road in Jajarkot District, Nepal, killing at least 24 people. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

2017 Düsseldorf axe attack
- An assailant injures seven people, one severely, in an axe attack at the central railway station in Düsseldorf, Germany. Police have arrested one suspect. (CNN)

March 10, 2017 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- A Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a market in Al Hudaydah Governorate, Yemen, kills at least 20 civilians and six Houthi militants. (AFP via Daily Mail)

Disasters and accidents

A helicopter crashes in Istanbul's Büyükçekmece district, killing at least seven people. (Daily Sabah)
Virgen de la Asunción fire
- The death toll at the fire at an orphanage in San José Pinula, Guatemala, rises to at least 35 children. (Reuters)

International relations

Pope Francis donates 100,000 euros for the poor of Aleppo. (Reuters)
Stephen O'Brien, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reports that the world is experiencing its most severe humanitarian crisis since World War II, with over 20 million people suffering from severe lack of food security in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and Northeast Nigeria. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Impeachment of Park Geun-hye
- South Korea's Constitutional Court upholds the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, removing her from office. Hwang Kyo-ahn assumes powers as Acting President. (Reuters)
- Subsequent riots in Seoul kill at least three people. (CNN)
2017 dismissal of U.S. attorneys
- United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions requests the resignations of 46 Barack Obama-era chief federal prosecutors, including United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara, who was previously told to stay on by then President-elect Donald Trump in November. (Reuters)

March 11, 2017 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Twin bombings kill at least 40 people, mostly Shia Iraqi pilgrims, and wound over 100 in the Bab al-Saghir area of Damascus. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
- At least 11 Central Reserve Police Force troops are killed after their convoy is attacked by suspected Communist Party of India militants in Chhattisgarh. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

At least nine people are killed in fires overnight in Cape Town, South Africa. (All Africa)
Virgen de la Asunción fire
- The death toll at the fire at an orphanage in San José Pinula, Guatemala, rises to at least 38 children. (ABC)

International relations

2017 Dutch-Turkish diplomatic incident
- Dutch authorities withdrew landing permission for a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who was due to speak at a Rotterdam rally in support of a 'Yes' vote in April's constitutional referendum. (BBC)
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says the Netherlands are "Nazi remnants and fascists", after the plane was turned back. (BBC)
- Dutch authorities expelled the Turkish Family minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya from Rotterdam, and escorted her to the German border. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Western Australian state election, 2017
- After eight years in power, the Liberal Party is defeated by the Labor Party in a landslide election. Mark McGowan is set to become the Australian state's new Premier. (The West Australian)

Sports

2017 Six Nations Championship
- England beat Scotland 61–21 at London's Twickenham Stadium to retain the Six Nations Championship title. In doing so, they equal New Zealand's record for consecutive test victories. (The Guardian), (Radio New Zealand)

March 12, 2017 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Tahrir al-Sham, al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, claims responsibility for yesterday's twin bomb attacks in Damascus which left dozens dead. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

A landslide at a rubbish dump on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, kills at least 48 people. (BBC)

Law and crime

Ahmad Daqamseh, the Jordanian soldier who shot seven Israeli schoolchildren on March 13, 1997, is released from prison in Jordan. (Reuters)
A bus driver in the Haitian city of Gonaïves ploughs into crowds of people celebrating Rara while speeding away from an earlier accident which left one person dead, killing at least 38 people, including a group of street musicians, and injures 17 others. (Sky News)

Politics and elections

Abkhazian parliamentary election, 2017
- People in the breakaway state of Abkhazia go to the polls for an election. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama dismisses four cabinet ministers, including Minister of Internal Affairs Saimir Tahiri and Minister of Health Ilir Beqaj, in a bid to make the government more technocratic following opposition Democratic Party protests. (Reuters)
Former President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Artur Mas, is banned from holding public office for two years after organising an unofficial, unconstitutional independence referendum in 2014. (The Guardian)

Sports

2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
- The field of 68 teams is announced. The overall top seed is defending national champion Villanova; the remaining #1 seeds are Kansas, North Carolina, and Gonzaga. (ESPN)

March 13, 2017 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- At least one person is killed and another eight are wounded after a suicide bomber attacks a bus carrying government employees in Kabul. (Al Jazeera)
Two UN officials with MONUSCO—an American and a Swede—are among six people kidnapped near the village of Ngombe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kasaï-Central province. Congolese officials have not identified the kidnappers nor has any group claimed responsibility. (AP)
War in Somalia (2009–present)
- A vehicle filled with explosives detonates near a hotel in Mogadishu, killing at least six people and wounding four others. (Al Jazeera)
Syrian Civil War
- According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the total number of people killed and missing in Syria's war is now 465,000. (Reuters)

International relations

2017 Dutch–Turkish diplomatic incident
- Turkey bans the Dutch ambassador, Cornelis Van Rij, from returning to the Embassy of the Netherlands in Ankara, and closes its airspace to Dutch diplomats in response to a Dutch ban on Turkish ministers speaking at pro-Erdoğan rallies. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

Proposed second Scottish independence referendum
- Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces she will seek a second referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. (BBC)
United States immigration ban
- The state of Washington, joined by the states of California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon, asks a federal judge to stop, on constitutional grounds, the revised federal immigration/refugee rules from taking effect on Thursday, March 16. The state of Hawaii has filed a separate, similar request. (Reuters)
Hungarian presidential election, 2017
- János Áder is re-elected President of Hungary by the National Assembly. (UPI)

Sports

In rugby union, the two Paris-based clubs in France's Top 14, Racing 92 and Stade Français, announce plans to merge effective with the 2017–18 season. (ESPN (UK))

March 14, 2017 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Piracy off the coast of Somalia
- Off the northern coast of Somalia, Somali pirates hijack the Aris 13, a United Arab Emirates-owned oil tanker, kidnapping eight Sri Lankan crew members. This is the first hijacking of a large commercial vessel in five years. (AP via The Independent)

Disasters and accidents

A blaze at a fireworks warehouse near Netanya, central Israel, kills two people and injures five others. (Reuters)
2017 Irish Coast Guard S-92 crash
- An Irish Coast Guard helicopter crashes off the coast of County Mayo, killing one person and leaving three others missing. (RTÉ)
March 2017 North American blizzard
- The destruction from snow fall kills six people and leaves over 100,000 others without electricity, with some areas in the Northeastern United States receiving over 4 feet (1.2 m) of snow. (The Weather Channel)

Law and crime

Europol reports a total of more than 10,000 assault rifles and 400 shelling weapons were seized in northern Spain during an anti-trafficking operation in January. (News Front)
An AMBER Alert is issued in Tennessee and Alabama for Elizabeth Thomas, who is believed to have been kidnapped by her former high school teacher Tad Cummins. (WKRN)

March 15, 2017 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Israeli authorities shoot into a car that was on a ramming attack at a bus shelter at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank where 13 Palestinians and 3 Israelis have been killed since October 2015. A 16-year-old Palestinian, Fatima Jibrin Taqatqa, had lost control of her car and the teenager now remains in critical condition. (Jewish Press), (Fars)
Syrian Civil War
- According to Syrian state media, two suicide bombers attack in Damascus, killing at least 31 people. (The Guardian)
- A second explosion occurs in the Rabwah area of Damascus. (Al Masdar News)
- Suspected Russian warplanes carry out airstrikes on the city of Idlib at dawn, killing 21 people including at least 14 children. (The New Indian Express)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Four suicide bombers kill at least two people and wound 16 others in Maiduguri, Nigeria. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

An avalanche kills four skiers in Tyrol, Austria. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Dutch general election, 2017
- Voters in the Netherlands go to the polls for a general election. Exit polls suggest that incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy will win the most seats in the election. (BBC)
United States immigration ban
- A U.S. federal judge in Hawaii, finding the revised federal immigration/refugee executive order violates the U.S. Constitution's religious establishment clause, grants the state of Hawaii's motion for a nationwide temporary restraining order on these rules that were set to become effective at midnight. President Donald Trump vows to appeal this ruling. Two other federal courts held hearings on similar requests filed by the states of Maryland and Washington; neither of these judges issued a ruling. (Reuters) (Hoinolulu Star-Advertiser)

March 16, 2017 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Piracy off the coast of Somalia
- The Somali pirates that hijacked the Aris 13, a United Arab Emirates-owned oil tanker, release it without condition. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War
- 2017 al-Jina mosque airstrike
  - An unknown perpetrator carries out an airstrike on a mosque in the rebel-held village of al-Jineh near Aleppo, killing at least 42 people. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

An eruption at Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily injures at least ten people, including several in a BBC News crew. (The Independent), (Reuters)
A fire in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, damages 10 buildings. (WNCN)

Law and crime

A shooting at a school in Grasse, France, injures at least eight people. Authorities arrest a 17-year-old student. (The Telegraph)
A letter bomb explodes at the office of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Paris, injuring one person. (BBC)
Kidnapping of Elizabeth Thomas
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation becomes involved in the search for Elizabeth Thomas and the manhunt for her suspected kidnapper, Tad Cummins. (FOX 17 Nashville)
- An all-points bulletin is issued for Cummins. (FOX 17 Nashville)

Politics and elections

United States immigration ban
- A second U.S. federal judge, Theodore D. Chuang of Maryland, grants that state's motion for a temporary restraining order on President Trump's revised travel ban. (The Washington Post)

Science and technology

List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches
- SpaceX successfully launches the EchoStar 23 satellite, a Direct-to-home television broadcast services for Brazil, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, using the fully expendable version of their Falcon 9 launch vehicle. (NASA Spaceflight)

March 17, 2017 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

March 2017 Israel–Syria incident, Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian Civil War
- The Israeli Air Force launches several airstrikes on targets inside Syria, and for the first time, publicly claims responsibility. Syrian air defenses responded by launching missiles at the aircraft, and thereupon Israeli Arrow 3 missiles were launched in response to the counter-offensive. Israel stated that it was targeting suspected weapons shipments to Hezbollah in Lebanon, adding that the Israeli military will keep intervening until they believe such shipments have ceased. According to the Syrian Army, four Israeli jets entered its airspace and struck targets near Palmyra. (CNN), (AP)
Yemeni Civil War (2015-present)
- An unknown perpetrator using an Apache helicopter fires upon a boat carrying Somali refugees off the coast of Yemen, killing at least 40 of them, injuring 35 more. (Reuters), (AFP via MSN)
War in North-West Pakistan
- Gunmen raid a Pakistani military post near the border with Afghanistan, killing at least eight people. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, claim responsibility. (Al Jazeera)
Basque conflict
- In Spain, the Basque separatist group ETA announces that it will fully disarm by April 8, 2017. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Heavy flooding in Peru kills at least 67 people and forces thousands to abandon their homes. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

The former Democratic National Committee chair and ex-CNN contributor Donna Brazile admits that she had forwarded some debate questions to Hillary Clinton's campaign during last year's Democratic primary before two debates with Bernie Sanders. (The New York Daily News)

Science

French mathematician Yves Meyer wins the Abel Prize for his work on the mathematical theory of wavelets. The Guardian

March 18, 2017 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Around 1,500–2,000 people leave al-Waer district of Homs today for their preferred destination of either Northern Homs Governorate, Idlib Governorate or Turkish Army positions in Northern Aleppo Governorate. Up to 15,000 to 20,000 people including armed militants, their families and supporters will leave the besieged district in the coming weeks with the rest of the population reconciling and receiving aid. (BBC), (Al Masdar News)
Battle of Mosul
- Thousands of Iraqis flee western Mosul as the battle between Iraqi and allied forces and ISIL militants escalates in the densely populated Old City. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Chuck Berry, pioneering rock music singer and guitarist, dies in the U.S. state of Missouri at the age of 90. Berry was one of the first inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (BBC)

International relations

Estonia–United Kingdom relations
- Eight hundred British Army troops arrive in Estonia as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

March 2017 Île-de-France attacks
- French security forces shoot suspect Ziyed Ben Belgacem dead in Paris' Orly Airport after he put the pellet gun to her head and took away an assault rifle from one of three soldiers from "Sentinelle" operation patrolling the airport. Belgacem had earlier shot a police officer with a pellet gun. Later, he had threatened a bar and then carjacked another vehicle to the airport. (BBC)

March 19, 2017 (Sunday)

International relations

New Zealand–United States relations
- New Zealand expels an unnamed United States diplomat after the embassy refused to waive his immunity during a police investigation. (BBC)

Politics and elections

The Social Democratic Party of Germany endorses Martin Schulz as its leader. (Reuters)

Sports

Racing 92 and Stade Français, two French rugby clubs, announce that they are calling off their proposed merger following widespread opposition to the project. (BBC)

March 20, 2017 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- A car bomb in Baghdad's southwestern Hayy Al-A'amel neighborhood kills at least 23 people, and wounds 45 others. (AP via Fox News)
Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian Civil War, March 2017 Israel–Syria incident
- The Syrian Army shoots down an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Skylark drone over Syria's Quneitra Governorate. (The Times of Israel)

Disasters and accidents

A large tree falls into a pool at the base of the Kintampo waterfalls in Ghana, killing at least 18 people and injuring 22 others. (Al Jazeera)
2017 South Supreme Airlines Antonov An-26 crash
- An Antonov An-26 of South Supreme Airlines crashes upon landing at Wau Airport, South Sudan, the 43 people on board survived. (The Aviation Herald), (CNN)

Politics and elections

East Timorese presidential election, 2017
- Elections are held in East Timor to vote for the nation's 4th President. Francisco Guterres, runner-up in the 2007 and 2012 elections, is expected to win due to the support of Xanana Gusmão. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
- The United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence holds a hearing about Russian interference in the 2016 election and confirms that there is an ongoing investigation into ties between Trump's team and Russia. (The Washington Post)
Neil Gorsuch Supreme Court nomination
- The Senate Judiciary Committee begins hearings on the nomination of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States. (CNN)
Brexit
- British Prime Minister Theresa May announces that her government will trigger article 50, which begins the process of withdrawing from the European Union, on March 29. (The Guardian)

March 21, 2017 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Citing security concerns because of recent terrorist activity, the American and British governments impose a ban affecting inbound-passengers flying from much of the Middle East and North Africa. The ban includes airplane cabin passenger-accessible items such as laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices which are larger than a smartphone. Larger such electronic devices will still be allowed on board in checked baggage which is thus more closely screened and passenger-inaccessible. (CNN), (BBC)
War in Somalia
- A car bomb explodes at a checkpoint near the Villa Somalia, the President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's official residence in Mogadishu, killing at least five people. (Citizen)

International relations

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
- Tasnim News Agency reports that, in a Nowruz speech, Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei said experts in his country can enrich uranium to 99 percent. ISNA reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is threatening to quit the Iran nuclear deal if the United States blocks Iran's version of the deal's implementation. (Kleine Zeitung)

Law and crime

In a 6–2 decision (NLRB v. SW General, Inc), the U.S. Supreme Court puts new restrictions on presidential powers, limiting a president's authority to staff certain top government posts in a case involving an appointment to the National Labor Relations Board saying that under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, a person cannot serve as the acting head of a federal agency once the president nominates him or her to permanently serve in the role if it is a position that requires U.S. Senate confirmation. The court upholds a lower court's ruling that then-President Barack Obama exceeded his legal authority with his temporary appointment of an NLRB general counsel in 2011. The ruling will give President Donald Trump and future presidents less flexibility in filling jobs that require Senate confirmation. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Bruno Le Roux resigns as France's Minister of the Interior amid a jobs scandal involving two of his daughters. Using public funds, Bruno had hired his 15 and 16-year-old daughters as parliamentary assistants while he was serving as a deputy in the French National Assembly. (BBC)

Sports

In International professional baseball
- The United States defeats Japan 2–1 at Dodger Stadium to advance to the 2017 World Baseball Classic's final. This is the first time that the U.S. has done so in the tournament's 11-year history. (USA Today)

March 22, 2017 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2017 Westminster attack
- An attacker carries out a vehicle-ramming attack outside the Houses of Parliament in London, before stabbing a police officer and subsequently being shot by security forces. Including the attacker, there are at least four people dead. (BBC), (Sky News), (Fox News)
Syrian Civil War
- Raqqa offensive (2016–present)
  - A U.S.-led coalition airstrike on a school west of Raqqa, kills at least 33 people. (The Guardian)
- Syrian rebels, led by Tahrir al-Sham, launch an offensive in the Hama Governorate, capturing the towns of Suran, Khitab and Al-Majdal. (Reuters)
Boko Haram insurgency
- 2017 Maiduguri attack
  - Multiple suicide blasts occur at a refugee camp near Maiduguri, Nigeria, leaving eight people dead and wounding 18 others. (Al Jazeera), (All Africa)
An Israeli Army tank kills a Palestinian teenager and wounds two others near the Gaza border. (The Jerusalem Post)
March 2017 Israel–Syria incident
- The Israeli Air Force resumes bombing against suspected Hezbollah-related targets in Syria, with a fourth round of bombings occurring near military sites near Damascus. (The Financial Times)

Arts and culture

Near the town of Ramle, Israeli archeologists uncover hundreds of gin and whiskey bottles dating back to the First World War at the site of a former British Army barracks. (The Guardian)
Eurovision Song Contest 2017, Russia–Ukraine relations
- The Security Service of Ukraine bans Yuliya Samoylova, Russia's entrant in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, from entering the country. This follows allegations that she had toured in Crimea following its annexation by Russia. (The Washington Post)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- According to South Korean and United States officials, a missile test in North Korea ends in failure, with the missile exploding seconds after launch. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Former Congolese Vice President and warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba, sentenced last year by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to 18 years in prison for war crimes, is given an additional 12 months and fined 300,000 euros for bribing witnesses during an earlier ICC trial. The court also handed jail terms and fines for alleged interference in his trial to members of his legal team. (The Guardian)
A series of shootings in Rothschild, Wisconsin, leave at least four people dead, including a police officer. (WTOP)
A jury acquits the former head of the now-closed Massachusetts pharmacy, New England Compounding Center, Barry Cadden, on 25 counts of second-degree murder but convicts him of racketeering and other crimes in a meningitis outbreak that was traced to fungus-contaminated drugs and killed 64 people across the country. Cadden disregarded sanitary conditions to boost production and make more money. (Boston.com)

Sports

2017 World Baseball Classic
- In the final, the United States defeats Puerto Rico 8–0 to claim its first title in the event. Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who threw six hitless innings in the final for Team USA, is named tournament MVP. (AP via ESPN)

March 23, 2017 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2017 Westminster attack
- Authorities arrest at least eight people in connection with yesterday's attack. (Fox News)
- London's Metropolitan Police Service announces that the attacker is British-born Khalid Masood, previously questioned by British authorities for connections to terrorism. (Reuters)
- The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility. (The Telegraph)
A former Ukrainian soldier assassinates former Russian Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. In December 2016, he received Ukrainian citizenship. Ilya Ponomarev says Voronenkov was heading to a meeting with him. (The Moscow Times)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Taliban insurgents seize control of the strategic town of Sangin in the southern Helmand Province after a year-long battle with Afghan security forces. (BBC)
2017 Antwerp attack
- A man drives into a crowd of pedestrians in Antwerp, Belgium, injuring several people. Police arrest the man, who is believed to be North African born and living in France. (The New York Times)

Arts and culture

The American city of Fort Collins, Colorado, announces its intention to appeal a federal judge's ruling that blocked the city’s ban on women appearing topless in public. (USA Today via MSN)

Disasters and accidents

A series of explosions on a military base near the Ukrainian city of Balakliya forces thousands to be evacuated from their homes. (BBC)
Sinking of MV Sewol
- The South Korean government raises the wreckage of the MV Sewol from the sea near the South Korean island of Donggeochado. The ferry sank in April 2014, killing 304 people. (BBC)

Politics and elections

American Health Care Act of 2017
- The United States House of Representatives approaches a vote on a replacement plan for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). (CNN)
- The U.S. House postpones the vote due to a lack of support and slow progress in dealmaking. (CNN)

Science and environment

The night parrot is confirmed sighted (and photographed) in Western Australia for first time in nearly 100 years. (The Guardian)

March 24, 2017 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in the North Caucasus
- Six Chechen soldiers, along with six militants, are killed in a nighttime attack on a Russian National Guard base in Chechnya. (BBC)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Russian Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov denies allegations by NATO Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti that Russia was "perhaps" supplying the Taliban. (BBC)
A suicide bomber blows himself up at a checkpoint at Shahjalal International Airport, Bangladesh, with no other casualties reported. (Reuters)
On Friday night a man begins to shoot in a Lille Metro station in Lille, France. Three people are injured, including being shot in the leg and neck. The gunman is not thought to be a terrorist, and is still on the run. (The Independent)

Disasters and accidents

Proactiva notes the finding of five corpses the Libyan coast; these were floating near two capsized boats which could each hold more than 100 people. (BBC)

International relations

France–Russia relations
- French National Front presidential candidate Marine Le Pen meets with Russian president Vladimir Putin and afterwards urges that European Union sanctions on Russia be lifted. (BBC)

Law and crime

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is released from detention in Cairo. (AFP)
The Gambia's justice minister Abubacarr Tambadou states that the country will establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission "within the next six months" to investigate allegations of abuse dating from the time of former President Yahya Jammeh. According to Tambadou, public hearings are scheduled to get underway by year's end. (BBC)
Imprisoned former Congolese warlord Germain Katanga is ordered by the International Criminal Court to pay reparations to some of his victims in the first such ruling by the court. (BBC)

Politics and elections

United States President Donald Trump approves the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. (CNN)
2017 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act replacement proposals
- The replacement plan for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is withdrawn after Republican leaders fail to gain enough support. The failure of the Trump administration to repeal the act means it will remain law in the United States.(BBC)
Gilmar Pisas is sworn in as Prime Minister of Curaçao. (The Curaçao Chronicle)

Science and technology

NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet take a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station to prepare the vessel for new arrivals. (Space.com)

March 25, 2017 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Four people are killed in twin bombings in Sylhet, Bangladesh. (BBC)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- According to a local police chief, at least seven militants are killed by Afghan security forces in Logar Province. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Syrian Civil War
- At least 16 people are killed by multiple airstrikes on a prison in Idlib, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
March 2017 Israel–Syria incident
- In response to several Israeli airstrikes against suspected Hezbollah-related targets inside Syria, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has threatened wider war with the State of Israel, stating its intention to fire Scud missiles, and specifically target the Israeli city of Haifa. Israel responded by stating that any such actions by the Assad regime, or attacks on its aircraft, will cause Israel to "annihilate" Syrian air defense systems. (The Times of Israel)
Sinai insurgency
- A roadside bomb kills four Egyptian Army soldiers near the town of Arish, North Sinai Governorate. (Reuters)
A vehicle mounts the pavement and runs into pedestrians in Islington, London, injuring 4. The teenage perpetrators are found carrying offensive weapons, but are not assumed to be terrorists. (BBC)

Arts and culture

The Driehaus Architecture Prize for New Classical architecture is awarded to Robert Adam in Chicago. (The Architect's Newspaper)

Disasters and accidents

A 45-meter long escalator at Langham Place in Hong Kong malfunctions injuring at least 18 people. (RT)

International relations

European Union leaders gather in Rome to mark 60 years since the Treaty of Rome was signed. (BBC)
The UK-US air travel ban on laptops and other electronic devices in the passenger cabin comes into effect. (BBC)
China, Chile and Egypt lift their bans on importing meat from Brazil. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Northern Mali conflict
- The Coordination of Azawad Movements, a coalition of Tuareg groups, announce that they will boycott a peace conference scheduled next week on implementing a 2015 peace agreement saying it was "not sufficiently inclusive". (Al Jazeera)
The UK Independence Party (UKIP)'s only MP, Douglas Carswell, quits the party to become an independent MP. (The Guardian)
2017 Belarusian protests
- Thousands of people protest in Minsk, Belarus, despite a ban on protests, against a so-called "social parasites" tax on the unemployed. (BBC)

Sports

2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
- The first two places in the Final Four are decided. In the West Region in San Jose, California, Gonzaga defeats Xavier 83–59, advancing to the first Final Four in the program's history. (AP via ESPN) In the Midwest Region in Kansas City, Missouri, Oregon defeats Kansas 74–60, giving the Ducks their first Final Four appearance since winning the first NCAA Tournament in 1939. (AP via ESPN)

March 26, 2017 (Sunday)

Disasters and accidents

A Ukrainian military Mi-2 transport helicopter crashes after hitting a power line near Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, killing all five people aboard. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A shooting in Cincinnati, Ohio, kills one person and injures fourteen others. (CNN)
2017 Russian protests
- Authorities detain hundreds of people, including Alexei Navalny, at anti-corruption protests across Russia. (Reuters) (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Bulgarian parliamentary election, 2017
- Bulgarians vote to elect a new Prime Minister after the resignation of Boyko Borissov. Opinion polls predict a close contest between Borissov's centre-right GERB and the Socialist Party. (The Economist)
Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2017
- The Hong Kong Election Committee meets to select a new Chief Executive. Carrie Lam becomes the first female Chief Executive. (The Telegraph), (The New York Times)
Wallis and Futuna Territorial Assembly election, 2017
- Voters in Wallis and Futuna re-elect nine members and elect eleven new members to the 20-seat Territorial Assembly. (Radio New Zealand International)

Sports

2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
- The last two places in the Final Four are decided. In the East Region in New York City, South Carolina defeats Southeastern Conference foe Florida 77–70 for the Gamecocks' first-ever Final Four appearance. (AP via ESPN) In the South Region in Memphis, Tennessee, North Carolina defeats Kentucky 75–73, sending the Tar Heels to their 20th Final Four. (AP via ESPN)

terracotta warrior ruirai turned 14

March 27, 2017 (Monday)

Arts and culture

The Big Maple Leaf, a solid gold 1 million dollar Canadian coin weighing 100 kilograms (220 lb), is stolen from the Bode Museum in Berlin, Germany.(CBC)

Disasters and accidents

An avalanche on Mount Nasu in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, kills at least eight schoolchildren while the students were on a mountaineering excursion. There are three students and three teachers missing. (AFP via Channel News Asia), (CNN)
2016–17 Australian region cyclone season
- More than 25,000 people are evacuated from the city of Mackay, Queensland, ahead of Cyclone Debbie which is expected to make landfall in northern Queensland tomorrow. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology warns that Cyclone Debbie will be the worst storm to hit Queensland since Cyclone Yasi in 2011. (ABC)

Politics and elections

Bulgarian parliamentary election, 2017
- Official results of yesterday's election are released today. An exit poll showed the centre-right GERB winning the most votes. (Yahoo! News)
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2017
- The deadline for the Government formation in Northern Ireland has expired following the refusal of the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin to enter a power sharing agreement with each other, with both parties blaming each other for the impasse. (BBC)

Science and technology

The U.S. FDA approves Tesaro's ovarian cancer drug, Niraparib. (Reuters)

Sports

The National Football League (NFL) owners approve, by a 31–1 vote, the move of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the 2019 or 2020 season. The Las Vegas Raiders will become the second top-level professional sports franchise in the city, following the National Hockey League's Vegas Golden Knights, which will begin play in October 2017. The move now awaits completion of a new Raiders stadium, until which time the Raiders will continue playing home games in Oakland. Bank of America has issued the Raiders $650 million in credit to purchase land and build the new stadium in Clark County. (NBC Sports), (The Washington Post)

March 28, 2017 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Authorities find the remains of two missing U.N. investigators—former Swedish politician Zaida Catalán and U.S. national Michael Sharp—in a shallow grave in the province of Kasaï-Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Reuters), (BBC), (UN News Centre)

Business and economy

Police investigate the discovery of human excrement in cans of Coca-Cola in a Northern Ireland bottling facility. None of the contaminated product left the facility. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- A Category 4 severe tropical cyclone travels over the Whitsunday Islands and crosses the coast of Queensland, Australia, near the town of Airlie Beach. (ABC)
Over the last week, a meningitis outbreak has killed at least 140 people in Nigeria. (BBC)
All 141 people on board Peruvian Airlines Flight 112 escape when the aircraft crashes on landing at Francisco Carle Airport, Jauja, Peru. (The Aviation Herald)

International relations

Georgia–European Union relations
- Georgia's visa-free regime, which allows travel to most member states of the European Union, with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom, enters into force. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Brexit
- British Prime Minister Theresa May signs a letter invoking Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. Its notification to the European Council tomorrow will formally begin the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. (BBC)

Law and crime

A Belgian Court in Brussels declares that Delphine Boël’s case against former king Albert II of Belgium is inadmissible even though genetic testing has proved that her legal father Jacques Boël is not her biological father. (The Royal Central)
Simone Gbagbo, the former First Lady of Ivory Coast, is acquitted of crimes against humanity. She remains in prison for a previous conviction for undermining state security. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Proposed second Scottish independence referendum
- Lawmakers in the Scottish Parliament vote in favor of holding a second independence referendum for the country within two years. (Al Jazeera)
List of executive actions by Donald Trump
- U.S. President Trump signs an executive order undoing former President Obama's climate change policies. (BBC)

Science and technology

Accounts of sightings of animals thought to resemble the extinct thylacine, the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times, prompt a search in the Far North of the Australian state of Queensland. (The Guardian)

Sports

In association football, and as CONMEBOL qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup continues, the Argentina forward Lionel Messi is banned for four matches, five and a half hours before kickoff in his team's match against Bolivia. (BBC)

March 29, 2017 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Turkish military intervention in Syria
- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım announces an end to the operation Euphrates Shield, which was part of international military operations against ISIL. He adds: "Any operation following this one will have a different name." (Deutsche Welle), (Al Jazeera)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- A car bomb attack on a police checkpoint in Baghdad kills at least 15 people and injures 40 others. (BBC)

Arts and culture

The Swedish Academy announces that American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has agreed to accept his Nobel Prize in Literature this weekend at a private location in Stockholm. (BBC)

Business and economy

The European Commission blocks the third attempt of the London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Börse at a merger, citing the danger of a "de facto monopoly in the crucial area of fixed income instruments". (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

A head on crash between a pickup truck and a church bus outside Garner State Park in the American state of Texas kills at least 12 people and injures 3 others. (Fox News)

Law and crime

United States immigration ban
- In response to a federal appeal, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson (Hawaii), who on March 15 issued a temporary, national restraining order on implementation of the revised federal immigration/refugee rules, upgrades his earlier ruling to a preliminary injunction until Hawaii's lawsuit is resolved. (Los Angeles Times), (AP via Chicago Tribune)

Politics and elections

Brexit
- The United Kingdom formally notifies the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community. There is not yet agreement on a negotiations roadmap. (ARD) (Business Green)
French presidential election, 2017
- Former candidate Manuel Valls (PS) announces his support for Emmanuel Macron (En Marche!) rather than for his own party's nominee, Benoît Hamon. (Bloomberg)

March 30, 2017 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the total number of refugees from Syria reaches over five million. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Turkish constitutional referendum, 2017
- Several people are wounded in clashes outside the Turkish consulate in Brussels. (Daily Star)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Debbie
- Authorities of New South Wales issue a State Emergency Service for the towns of Murwillumbah and Lismore, and at least 12 flood rescues are underway as former Cyclone Debbie moves south from north Queensland. (Weatherzone), (9 News)
- Authorities shut down the city of Brisbane and South East Queensland as remnants of Cyclone Debbie move south. (Brisbane Times)
A private Twin Squirrel helicopter crashes in the Rhinog mountains of North Wales, killing all five people aboard. (BBC)
Interstate 85 bridge collapse
- A fire results in the collapse of a bridge on Interstate 85 in Atlanta, Georgia, during rush hour, stranding motorists and resulting in a state of emergency. Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed calls the situation a "transportation crisis" that could close the affected stretch of highway for days or weeks. A 2015 report stated that the highway carried nearly a quarter-million vehicles a day. (NBC News)

International relations

Russian president Vladimir Putin attends the International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia. He says there that he is ready to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Helsinki, Finland. (Reuters)
United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says he thinks the longer term status of president Bashar al-Assad is to be "decided by the Syrian people". This appears as a policy shift, since under president Barack Obama’s administration, the United States made the departure of Assad a key policy aim. (The Times of Israel)

Law and crime

Italian police arrest 34 people of a drug gang who reportedly planned to steal Enzo Ferrari's corpse, and hold it for ransom. (NBC)
2016 South Korean political scandal
- Authorities arrest Impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye on charges of bribery, abuse of authority, coercion, and leaking government secrets. (BBC)
North Carolina House Bill 2
- The state legislature of North Carolina repeals the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, more commonly known as the "transgender bathroom bill." In its place, the legislature enacts a ban on cities in North Carolina from enacting "civil rights" protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people through 2020. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2017 dissolution of Venezuelan National Assembly
- In a ruling, Venezuela's Supreme Court says it "guarantees congressional functions will be exercised by" itself, authorizing president Nicolás Maduro to create oil joint ventures without the previously mandated congressional approval. Opposition leaders call it a "coup", while Peru recalls its ambassador. (Reuters) (BBC)
Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
- Michael T. Flynn is willing to testify under the condition of immunity in the ongoing congressional probe on Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. (CNN)
- A Congressional witness states that Russia hired 1,000 people to create anti-Clinton 'fake news' in key U.S. states during the election. (The Independent)
- During a Senate hearing, United States Senator Marco Rubio states that there have been post-election hack attempts against the U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rubio himself. (CNN)

Science and technology

Scientific Reports publishes Carthage College research that Daspletosaurus horneri, from the same Tyrannosauridae family as the Tyrannosaurus rex, had a sensitive nose. The research describes that foramina sprouted from the trigeminal nerve at the snout and jaws possibly enabling the behavioral functions of exploration, courtship, nesting, foreplay, and parental investment. (The Guardian)
SpaceX successfully places the SES-10 telecommunications satellite on a geostationary transfer orbit. The event is notable because of the implied economic cost savings of reusing, for the first time, a used Falcon 9 first stage which had previously been recovered. That first stage had previously launched a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station and landed on an autonomous drone ship during the CRS-8 mission. (The New York Times)

March 31, 2017 (Friday)