Portal:Current events/March 2007

See also: March 2007 in sports

2007

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March 2007 was the third month of that common year. The month, which began on a Thursday, ended on a Saturday after 31 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from March 2007.

March 1, 2007 (2007-03-01) (Thursday) Switzerland accidentally invades Liechtenstein after 171 infantrymen get lost and cross the Liechtenstein border. (Fox News) (BBC) A human case of bird flu is confirmed in China. (USA Today) Pakistani authorities capture Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, a former Defense Minister of Afghanistan under the Taliban. (Voice of America) India requests the extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi from Argentina in relation to the Bofors scandal. (NDTV) Ten French tourists are kidnapped in northern Ethiopia. (AP via CNN) The Spanish government moves hungerstriking ETA prisoner Iñaki de Juana Chaos from a cell in Madrid to one in the Basque Country. (AP via the Houston Chronicle) A boat carrying Haitian migrants catches fire off the coast of the Dominican Republic resulting in the death of at least eight people and 44 people missing. (AP via Fox News) Dozens of people are arrested in Copenhagen as the police evict squatters from The Youth House in the centre of the city. (AP via IHT) The government of Turkey orders an investigation into claims that the Kurdish separatist leader Abdullah Öcalan was poisoned. (BBC) A tornado strikes southern Missouri killing a seven-year-old girl. Tornadoes in Alabama kill at least ten people including eight students at Enterprise High School. In Georgia, at least nine people die in storms. It is part of a larger tornado outbreak. (The Birmingham News) (AP via Houston Chronicle) (KDKA CBS) Senegalese election officials confirm that Abdoulaye Wade has been re-elected as the President of Senegal. (Voice of America) The United States formally charges David Hicks with aiding the Taliban. He will be the first person tried under the new law for military commissions. (AP via CNN) Eight people die in a landmine explosion in Chhattisgarh, India. (BBC) A New South Wales coroner issues a warrant for the arrest of Indonesian politician Yunus Yosfiah for failure to appear to give evidence in the coronial inquest into the death of the Balibo Five in Balibo, East Timor, in 1975. (News Limited) The fourth International Polar Year, a $1.5 billion research program to study both the North Pole and South Pole is launched in Paris, France. (BBC) Greek archaeologists announce that a 2,200-year-old statue of the goddess Hera has been found during excavations in the ruins of ancient Dion, a city under Mount Olympus. (AP) March 2, 2007 (2007-03-02) (Friday) Protestors set cars and barricades on fire in Copenhagen over evictions. (Fox News) Italian leader Romano Prodi is reinstated as prime minister after winning his second and final confidence vote in the Parliament, ending a political crisis that began last week when Prodi resigned after losing a foreign policy vote. (CNN) Cuban foreign minister Felipe Pérez Roque claims leader Fidel Castro is recovering from his illness and could come back to lead Cuba again. (CNN) The Bush administration selects a design from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for a new generation of nuclear warheads that could replace the Trident missile on submarines by 2012. (AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Prices at the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange continue to drop after a massive sell-off earlier in the week. (CBC) The Parliament of Chechnya appoints Ramzan Kadyrov as the President of Chechnya after his nomination by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. (BBC) The United States Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey resigns over poor conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. President Bush later orders a full review of health care available to returning soldiers. (New York Times) A bus carrying the baseball team of Bluffton University plunges off an overpass onto Interstate 75 near Atlanta, Georgia, killing six people, including four students. (CNN) Puerto Rico institutes a smoking ban in all public places. Smoking will only be allowed in homes, places dedicated to tobacco sales, and open and ventilated places. (El Nuevo Día) A bomb explodes near a car carrying a judge of the Pakistani anti-terrorist court, Mian Bashir Bhatti, wounding him and killing at least three others. (AP via IHT) Indonesia declares the deaths of the Balibo Five to be a closed case despite a New South Wales coronial inquest into their deaths in Balibo, East Timor, in 1975. (News Limited) The Communist Party of China expels nine senior officials and business leaders over a Shanghai corruption scandal related to misuse of Government pension funds. The nine people will also face criminal charges. (BBC) The Attorney General for England and Wales, Lord Goldsmith, obtains an injunction from the High Court preventing the BBC from broadcasting an item about investigations into an alleged cash for honours political scandal. (BBC) March 3, 2007 (2007-03-03) (Saturday) The eviction of Ungdomshuset by Danish police results in more rioting in Nørrebro, Copenhagen, leading to about 100 arrests during a second night of protests. (BBC) United States President Bush declares Coffee County, Alabama, hit by a tornado last Thursday, to be a federal disaster area. (CTV Canada) Archived 2007-03-06 at the Wayback Machine A total lunar eclipse is visible from the Midwestern United States to Southeast Asia from 22:44 to 23:58 GMT. (BBC) The Cherokee Nation has voted to exclude the descendants of freed slaves from Cherokee citizenship, reversing a decision of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court. (BBC) March 4, 2007 (2007-03-04) (Sunday) Estonian parliamentary election, 2007: Andrus Ansip's Reform Party wins 27% of the vote raising its mandate in the Riigikogu to 31 seats from 19. Approximately 30,000 voters take advantage of electronic voting, becoming the first nationwide election where part of the votecasting was allowed via the Internet. (BBC) Abkhazian parliamentary election, 2007: Separatists in the breakaway Georgian republic of Abkhazia hold elections. The Government of Georgia claims that the elections are not legitimate. (UPI) Sunil Kumar Mahato, an Indian member of parliament from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, is killed by suspected Maoist rebels while watching football in Jharkhand. (The Hindu) Archived 2007-03-06 at the Wayback Machine China raises its defense budget by 17.8 percent, while cutting the budget deficit to 1.1 percent of GDP. (People's Daily) (Reuters) A memorial service is held at St Mary's Church in Dover, United Kingdom, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster. (BBC) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): U.S. troops open fire after a suicide bomb attack on a convoy and kill 8 or more civilians on the main road linking Jalalabad with the Pakistan border. Local people protest at the soldiers' actions. (BBC) Taliban insurgency: Two British soldiers serving with the NATO International Security Assistance Force are killed in Helmand province during clashes with Taliban forces. (BBC) Australian troops enter the town of Same in East Timor where fugitive East Timorese army officer Alfredo Reinado was located with orders to arrest Reinado from the President of East Timor Xanana Gusmão. Reinado evades capture but five of his men are killed in the Battle of Same. (ABC News Australia) (AAP and AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) March 5, 2007 (2007-03-05) (Monday) The United States and North Korea commence talks in New York City to establish diplomatic relations following the abandonment of the North Korean nuclear weapons program. (AP via CNN) Ramush Haradinaj, the former Prime Minister of Kosovo, goes on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague for war crimes allegedly committed while he was a regional leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army. (The Independent) Iraq War: A car bomb in Baghdad kills at least 26 people. (CNN) Two car bombs kill at least 9 United States Army soldiers north of Baghdad. (AP via IHT) (BBC) Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen, Denmark, is demolished to prevent it from being re-occupied. (AP via CNN) The government of Vanuatu declares a state of emergency in Port Vila following ethnic clashes. (AP via Washington Post) Archived 2012-10-26 at the Wayback Machine (Radio New Zealand) The 2007 National People's Congress opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. In his report to the nation, Premier Wen Jiabao focuses on environmental concerns, narrowing the wealth gap, controlling housing prices, and "resolute opposition" to Taiwan independence. (BBC) (Reuters) (CNN) (China Daily) March 6, 2007 (2007-03-06) (Tuesday) Iraq War: Two suicide bombers in a crowd of Muslim pilgrims in Al Hillah kill at least 115 people and wound 150. (BBC) Foreign Minister of People's Republic of China Li Zhaoxing criticises President of the Republic of China Chen Shui-bian for making calls for Taiwan independence. (The Times) United States v. Libby: Former Bush administration aide Lewis Libby is found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice. (CNN) The United States Congress opens hearings into the dismissal of eight U.S. Attorneys, probing whether the Bush Administration had political motives for ousting the federal prosecutors. (AP via The Guardian) Heavy security operations begin in Bogotá, Colombia, for the visit of U.S. President Bush on March 11. Security forces expect protests on Wednesday. (El Tiempo) Japanese news agency Kyodo News reports that Empress Michiko is suffering from internal bleeding. (BBC) Two earthquakes measuring 6.4 and 6.3 on the Moment magnitude scale hit Sumatra in Indonesia, with the epicenter near Lake Singkarak. At least 82 fatalities are currently reported. The earthquakes were felt as far as in Malaysia and Singapore. (The Age) (USGS on the 6.4 quake) (USGS on the 6.3 quake) India and Pakistan hold a meeting in Islamabad to discuss joint actions against terrorism with discussion focussing on the Samjhauta Express bombings. (BBC) Celebrations in Ghana mark the fiftieth anniversary of its independence. (BBC) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): NATO-led forces launch Operation Achilles against the Taliban in Helmand province. (AP via IHT) March 7, 2007 (2007-03-07) (Wednesday) Reform of the House of Lords: In a British House of Commons vote, a majority of MPs express support for a fully elected House of Lords. A smaller majority support an 80% elected, 20% appointed chamber. Other options with a lower elected component are rejected. The proposals were put forward by Leader of the House of Commons Jack Straw, who describes the votes as "a historic step forward". (BBC) (Telegraph) Archived 2007-03-16 at the Wayback Machine (AP via Boston Globe) At least 30 Shia pilgrims heading to the city of Karbala for Arbaeen die as a suicide bomber attacks a café in Balad Ruz in Iraq's eastern Diyala Governorate. (BBC) Three Jordanians go on trial for plotting to assassinate U.S. President George W. Bush. (Al-Bawaba) The People's Republic of China announces that its first probe to the Moon, Chang'e 1, will be launched later in 2007, with the eventual goal of landing a man on the moon by 2022. The probe is supposed to orbit the Moon at least three times. (BBC) President of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth threatens to leave the Commonwealth of Nations over the British government's treatment of the Îlois of the Chagos Archipelago. (BBC) Foreign Minister of Iran Manouchehr Mottaki confirms that Iran will attend a conference on Iraq featuring Iraq's neighbours and the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. (Dow Jones via NASDAQ) The Israel Defence Forces raid the Palestinian Authority's military intelligence headquarters in Ramallah. (AFP via News Limited) (AlJazeera) The Taliban claim that they have kidnapped Daniele Mastrogiacomo, an Italian journalist working for La Repubblica newspaper. (Washington Post) Rogerio Lobato, former Interior Minister of East Timor, is found guilty on five counts of arming hit squads during civil unrest in 2006. (The Melbourne Age) Voters in Northern Ireland go to the polls to elect new members to the Northern Ireland Assembly. (BBC) (BreakingNews.ie) Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 crashes and catches fire during a landing in Yogyakarta, Indonesia resulting in 21 confirmed deaths. (The Age) (CNN) (ABC News Australia) The United States Department of State issues a report saying that human rights in Fiji have sharply deteriorated since the 2006 coup. (NZ Herald) Iranian general Ali Reza Askari is reported to have to defected to US custody after disappearing on February 7 in Istanbul.(The Jerusalem Post) Turkey bans user generated content web site YouTube after insulting clips of Turkish founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk are discovered. (BBC) March 8, 2007 (2007-03-08) (Thursday) Georgia increases the size of its contingent in the multinational force in Iraq from 850 to 2000. (Fox News) 2006-07 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season: Tropical Cyclone George crosses the coast of northwest Western Australia near Port Hedland, resulting in at least three deaths and serious property damage in the area. (AAP via News Limited),(NineMSN),(BBC) Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives propose legislation that would withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by August 2008 or sooner if certain requirements are not met. (CNN) (BBC) 2007 National People's Congress: The People's Republic of China launches a property law designed to better protect individual property rights. (BBC) Sri Lankan Civil War: Thousands of civilians flee their homes in Sri Lanka because of fighting between government troops and the Tamil Tigers. (BBC) War in Somalia: African Union peacekeepers are ambushed by insurgents in Mogadishu for a second successive day. (BBC) U.S. President George W. Bush departs on a tour of Latin America that will take him to Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico. Upon arrival in São Paulo he is greeted with protest demonstrations. (AP via CNN) (BBC) Greek Cypriots dismantle the portion of the separation fence between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in Nicosia. (BBC) March 9, 2007 (2007-03-09) (Friday) Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf suspends Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on charges of misuse of authority. (IBN) Following a recent referendum, the Portuguese Parliament votes to legalise abortion until the tenth week of pregnancy. (BBC) The European Union agrees to new targets to combat climate change including having a fifth of its power from renewable sources and 10% of its vehicles from biofuels. (Canadian Press) Ugandan judges end a week-long strike after President Yoweri Museveni expressed regret over an incident where security men seized Opposition supporters from the High Court of Uganda. (Reuters Alertnet) The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit strikes down the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975, a local law in the District of Columbia which banned residents from keeping handguns at home, on Second Amendment grounds. (Bloomberg) Nepal: The Interim legislature of Nepal amends the constitution to turn the country into a federal state. (BBC) Nepalese Civil War: The Nepalese government reaches an agreement with Maoist rebels in which the rebels will be represented in the Cabinet and will return property seized to the relevant owners. (PTI via The Hindu) Results from the Northern Ireland Assembly election show the DUP and Sinn Féin making gains, and ensuring that in order for direct rule to cease both parties must agree to cooperate in a powersharing Executive. (BBC) Cuba-United States relations: The United States Coast Guard stages an exercise in Florida in preparation for a possible mass exodus from Cuba in the event of the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. During the drill 40 Cuban exiles reach the United States. (BBC) (BBC) Kelvin Thomson, the Shadow Attorney-General, in Australia resigns after it is discovered that he provided a reference to fugitive accused drug trafficker Tony Mokbel when Mokbel applied for a liquor licence in 2000. (News Limited) Iraq War: Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, leader of the insurgency group the Islamic State of Iraq, is captured in Baghdad. (BBC), (CNN) Doğu Perinçek is found guilty of genocide denial by a Swiss district court, making him the first person ever convicted for denial of the Armenian Genocide by a court of law.(swissinfo) March 10, 2007 (2007-03-10) (Saturday) Five people drown in heavy flooding around the town of Labasa on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji. (ABC News Australia) Twenty people die and 9 are missing after a flood in a coal mine in Fushun, a city in the province of Shenyang in China. (AP via Forbes) President George W. Bush approves 8,200 more United States troops for Iraq and Afghanistan. (Washington Post) Thousands of supporters of legislation giving equal rights on issues to heterosexual and gay couples in Italy attend a rally in Rome. (AP via the Houston Chronicle) Sri Lankan Civil War: More than 30,000 Sri Lankans flee intensifying fighting between the Government and the Tamil Tigers in the east of Sri Lanka. (ABC Australia) Tens of thousands of people in Madrid protest the release of jailed Basque separatist José Ignacio de Juana Chaos. (BBC) The launch of the European Space Agency's latest Ariane 5 mission from French Guiana, carrying a platform for the Skynet 5 military satellite system for use by the UK Ministry of Defence, is postponed due to a minor technical failure (BBC) Zambia starts a program of mass demolition of illegal housing starting in the capital Lusaka. The demolitions are to end corruption in the distribution of land plots highlighted by the recent sacking of Lands Minister Gladys Nyirongo. (Reuters via IOL South Africa) Yearlong talks on the future of Kosovo end in stalemate between the Serbian Government and the ethnic Albanian leaders of the province. (CNN) Iraq War: A major international conference starts in Baghdad to look at ways to stabilise Iraq featuring representatives from Iran, Syria and the United States. (BBC) A number of bombs detonate at the above event, but there are no casualties. (SkyNews) March 11, 2007 (2007-03-11) (Sunday) Leading opponents of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, including Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, and four other members of parliament and party activists, are arrested for defying a ban on protest rallies in Harare. Riot police shoot one activist dead. (AFP via News Limited) (BBC) The President of France Jacques Chirac announces that he will not be seeking a third term. (ABC News Australia) (BBC) Voters in Russia go to the polls in elections in 14 regions including Saint Petersburg. The elections have been widely criticised by the Opposition. (AP via IHT) The Ariane 5 rocket carrying the new generation Skynet 5 military satellite system is launched successfully from Kourou in French Guiana at 22:03 GMT. (BBC) Mauritanian voters go to the polls to elect a new President to replace Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall who took power in a coup d'état two years ago. It is likely that a runoff election will be held as there is no clear frontrunner. (BBC) The ninth Cricket World Cup opens in Trelawny Stadium, Montego Bay, Jamaica. The 2007 championship will feature cricket matches staged in various locations across the Caribbean. (BBC) March 12, 2007 (2007-03-12) (Monday) While identifying as a Unitarian, Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) becomes the first member of the United States Congress to openly acknowledge that he does not hold a "god-belief". (Press Release) (AP via Guardian.co.uk) The BBC's correspondent in the Gaza Strip, Alan Johnston, who is the only Gaza-based foreign reporter from a major media organisation, is kidnapped. All the main Palestinian militant groups have called for his release. (BBC) The High Court of Zimbabwe rules that detained opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change must either be brought into court on Tuesday or released. (BBC) Nigel Griffiths resigns as the Deputy Leader of the British House of Commons over the proposed expansion of the Trident missile system. (The Scotsman), (BBC) Lieutenant General Kevin Kiley resigns as the Surgeon General of the United States Army over the Walter Reed Medical Center scandal. (CNN) (BBC) Asanbekov Sarybayev, the Deputy Culture Minister of the Government of Kyrgyzstan, resigns and joins the United Front For A Worthy Future For Kyrgyzstan opposition coalition. The United Front says it will hold protests in Bishkek in April against the Constitution and in favor of early presidential elections. (RFE/RL) United Nations investigators criticise Sudan for gross human rights violations in Darfur, including murder, mass rape and kidnapping. (BBC) The blueprint for the Chinese space program, including the first Chinese-built astronomy satellite, a joint unmanned mission to Mars with Russia, and other extensive international cooperation, is released. (PTI via the Hindu),(Xinhua) Lawyers in Pakistan boycott courts in protest at President Pervez Musharraf's suspension of the country's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for alleged "misuse of authority". More than 20 lawyers were injured in clashes with police during demonstrations in Lahore. (BBC) 2007 National People's Congress: After announcements in February that China's trade surplus is near a record high, in an open press conference, People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai were both vocal in their criticism towards the United States in a proposed 27.5% tariff, with Bo calling it "destructive to bilateral trade". (The New York Times) (BBC) March 13, 2007 (2007-03-13) (Tuesday) Demonstrators in Mexico City clash with police as U.S. President George W. Bush meets with Mexican President Felipe Calderón in Mérida, Yucatán. (AP via Jerusalem Post) Relatives of the 17 victims of the USS Cole bombing take Sudan to court in a civil suit claiming that the terrorist attack could not have happened without Sudan's help. (AP via Houston Chronicle) Twenty Ecuadoran lawmakers clash with police after trying to regain their seats in Congress. The legislators were part of a group of 57 dismissed by President Rafael Correa for trying to block a referendum. (BBC) Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe, appears in court limping and with a head wound after having been arrested on Sunday. Tsvangarai is later taken from court to a hospital under police guard. (New York Times) Spanish police arrest Brian David Anderson, a Canadian citizen, in Madrid, on behalf of the U.S. government, for allegedly engaging in fraud and funding a terrorist camp in Afghanistan. (The Columbus Dispatch) Alexander Veshnyakov, the head of Russia's Central Election Commission, is removed after criticising changes to electoral laws favouring United Russia associated with Vladimir Putin. (BBC) Alberto Gonzales, the Attorney General of the United States, acknowledges that mistakes were made in the handling of the firing of eight federal prosecutors. His top aide Kyle Sampson resigns for not advising other senior officials of the Department of Justice about discussions with former White House counsel Harriet Miers regarding the possible firings. (AP via the Advocate) At least 50 people die due to heavy snow in Kashmir and thunderstorms in the rest of northern India. (AFP via News Limited) Five British Embassy workers kidnapped in Ethiopia twelve days ago have been set free in neighbouring Eritrea. (The Times) The first match of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, between West Indies and Pakistan, takes place at Sabina Park in Jamaica. The West Indies win by 54 runs.(BBC) A draft Climate Change Bill is published in the United Kingdom, outlining a framework for achieving a mandatory 60% cut in carbon emissions by 2050. (BBC) Japan and Australia sign a security pact, the first defence treaty for Japan with a nation other than the United States since the end of World War II. (BBC) The Mauritanian government announces that Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Ahmed Ould Daddah have won the most votes in the first round of the 2007 presidential election, and their runoff election will be held on March 25. (Reuters)(Xinhua via People's Daily) (BBC) March 14, 2007 (2007-03-14) (Wednesday) Four people die in a shootout in Greenwich Village in New York City. (AP via CNN) Twelve people die in Nandigram near Kolkata in India, as police shoot at farmers protesting the establishment of a special economic zone. (BBC) Nancy Worley, former Secretary of State of the U.S. state of Alabama, is indicted for violations related to solicitation of campaign contributions from Secretary of State employees.(Associated Press) Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, long suspected as the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, confesses to that and a string of others in a closed military hearing held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. (AP via CBS Atlanta) Dutch police seal off the streets of Ondiep in Utrecht on the second day of rioting. (DutchNews) (Canada Free Press) The United States military states in a report that some aspects of the situation in Iraq could be described as a "civil war". (AP via Houston Chronicle) The United Kingdom Government wins the support of the House of Commons to update the Trident nuclear missile system. There was a significant revolt within the Labour Party, with two PPSs, Stephen Pound and Chris Ruane, resigning. (UK Telegraph) NASA announces that the Cassini spacecraft has captured images of several sea-sized bodies of liquid, likely hydrocarbons, on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. (AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Police in India arrest two people in relation to the Samjhauta Express bombing. (BBC) Eight people in southern Thailand are shot dead after their vehicle is bombed by suspected Islamic insurgents. Law enforcement warns of more violence by separatists, citing the anniversary of the founding of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional. (AP via CNN) An explosion at a gun shop in Kabul kills at least six people. (AFP via Melbourne Herald-Sun) Tonga is considering options for the redevelopment of its capital city, Nukuʻalofa, after 2006 riots destroyed the CBD. (Radio NZ) The U.S. state of Colorado adopts "Rocky Mountain High", written by John Denver, as its second official state song. (Denver Post) The trial against former media baron Conrad Black begins in Chicago. He is accused of defrauding Hollinger's shareholders of millions of dollars. (CBC News) The WWF declares a new species, the Bornean clouded leopard. (WWF) March 15, 2007 (2007-03-15) (Thursday) Hungarian police use water cannon and tear gas to disperse a crowd of anti-government protestors in Budapest. (AP via CNN)(BBC) Four United States soldiers die in Baghdad in a car bomb attack, while 12 Iraqis die in Baghdad and Iskandariya in the south of Iraq. (BBC) Willie Brigitte is sentenced to nine years' jail in France for planning terrorist attacks in Australia. (ABC News Australia) Researchers discover that the polar ice cap at Planum Australe, the south pole of Mars, is thick enough to cover the planet with water if melted. (National Geographic) The Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a bill to move the California primary from June to February 5. (AP via CBS News) Russia, Greece and Bulgaria sign a deal to build a pipeline to transport Russian oil to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. (AP via Houston Chronicle) The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany agree on a proposal for sanctions against Iran for its nuclear programs to be discussed by the Security Council. (Reuters via CNN) The BBC issues a plea for information on the whereabouts of its Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston, who has been missing for three days and is believed by Palestinian security officials to have been kidnapped. (BBC) The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta frees two Italian oilworkers that it took captive last year in Nigeria. (Reuters via CNN) Naxalite rebels attack a police outpost in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, India, killing at least 49 officers and looting their weapons. (Times of India) (AP via Canada.com) France's SNCF inaugurates the LGV Est route between Paris and Strasbourg. (BBC) March 16, 2007 (2007-03-16) (Friday) Two Iraqi police officers are killed and hundreds wounded or sickened as three suicide attacks using chlorine gas occur in Anbar province. (New York Times) The Inter-American Development Bank forgives US$4.4 billion in debt owed by Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti and Guyana, five of the poorest countries in the Americas. (AP via San Diego Union Tribune) Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa becomes the first cricketer to hit six sixes in one over in a One Day International at the 2007 Cricket World Cup. (BBC) Three officers of the New York Police Department are indicted on charges related to the death of a black man, Sean Bell, on his wedding day. (AP via IHT) British coroner Andrew Walker finds that the death of soldier Matty Hull in the 190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals "friendly fire" incident was "unlawful and criminal". (AP via CNN) (BBC) The U.S. Department of State rejects this ruling. (BBC) Airbus workers in Germany, France and Spain hold protest meetings and strikes in response to plans to cut 10,000 jobs and close six plants. (AP via ABC News America) Livedoor founder Takafumi Horie is sentenced to two and a half years for his role in securities fraud at the company. (BBC) Santo Santoro, the federal Minister for Ageing in Australia, resigns after revealing that he owned shares in at least 50 companies not disclosed on the Senate register of interests. (ABC News Australia) The Property Law of the People's Republic of China is adopted at the 2007 National People's Congress. (BBC) Foreign ministers of Pacific Islands Forum countries meet in Vanuatu and call on Fiji to hold elections within two years. (ABC) (Radio New Zealand) March 17, 2007 (2007-03-17) (Saturday) Thousands of activists march to The Pentagon in Washington D.C. to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. (New York Times) 2007 Zimbabwean political crisis: Three activists in the Zimbabwe opposition are arrested as they attempt to leave the country for South Africa including Arthur Mutambara, leader of a faction in the Movement for Democratic Change. Two of the activists were seeking medical treatment after having been arrested a week ago. (AP via Washington Post) In major upsets, Bangladesh beats India by 5 wickets in a 2007 Cricket World Cup tie-up, (BBC Sports) (The Age) (Reuters) while Ireland knock Pakistan out of the competition with a 3 wicket win - Ireland's first ever victory in the Cricket World Cup. (Reuters) The Prime Minister of Australia John Howard makes a commitment to keep Australian troops in Iraq until Iraq is able to control its own security. (BBC) The Palestinian Legislative Council endorses a unity cabinet containing members of Fatah and Hamas. (Reuters via News Limited) President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan apologises for a police raid on Geo TV's offices in Islamabad the day before, with 14 police officers suspended for their alleged part in the incident. (IBN) At least seven people die in a TU-134 plane crash in Samara in Russia. (BBC) A heavy metal band tours India for the first time. Iron Maiden, at Palace Grounds, Bangalore. March 18, 2007 (2007-03-18) (Sunday) A gas explosion in a coal mine in Shanxi province in northern China traps 21 miners. (Radio Australia) Cesare Battisti, convicted in absentia of two murders in Italy in the 1970s and who later became a crime writer in France, is arrested in Brazil. (Fox News) Iraq War: Explosions in Baghdad kill eleven people. (CNN) Two cargo ships collide in the East China Sea. 23 crew members are missing. (AP via CNN) Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan cricket coach, dies in a Kingston, Jamaica hospital following his team's shock loss to Ireland and consequent early elimination from the 2007 Cricket World Cup. (BBC) Finnish parliamentary election: Voters go to the polls, with the centre-left governing coalition between the Centre Party and the Social Democratic Party continuing for another term under the leadership of Matti Vanhanen. The National Coalition Party had a strong result finishing with one seat less than the Centre Party. (BBC), (Daily Telegraph Australia) More than 200,000 Sydneysiders walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark the 75th anniversary of the icon's opening. The bridge had been closed to vehicular traffic for one day to mark the occasion. (BBC) March 19, 2007 (2007-03-19) (Monday) The Marshall Islands declares a state of emergency after thousands of people lack drinking water due to a long drought. The government despatches boats to outlying islands. (AFP via News Limited) In a 2007 Cricket World Cup tie-up, India beats Bermuda by 257 runs, the highest margin of victory in the history of One Day Internationals. (BBC Sports) (Reuters) The Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper releases a budget forecasting a surplus of C$3.3 billion, and offers tax cuts for families and seniors and increased spending in Ontario and Quebec with the possibility of an election later this year. (Bloomberg) People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan starts talks with leadership of the Inter-American Development Bank to include the People's Republic of China as its newest member. This may signal erosion of Taiwan's status in the Latin American and Caribbean region. (AP via Houston Chronicle) The government of Iraq seeks custody of former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan so he can be hanged at dawn tomorrow after having been recently sentenced to death for his role in killing 148 Shiites in 1982. (Washington Post) Waleed bin Attash, a suspected al Qaeda operative, confesses plotting the USS Cole bombing as well as the bombing of two United States embassies in Africa. (AP via Houston Chronicle) The Supreme Court of the United States hears Morse v. Frederick, in which an Alaskan high school student argues free speech rights in connection with his displaying a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" in front of a Juneau high school. (MSNBC) Daniele Mastrogiacomo, an Italian journalist working for la Repubblica, is set free by the Taliban. He had been kidnapped in the Afghan province of Helmand on March 6. (BBC) The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Symbols and Ceremonies declares the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict a war. (Ynetnews) At least 75 miners are dead after a methane gas explosion in the Ulyanovskaya coal mine in the city of Novokuznetsk in the Kemerovo region of Siberia. (Reuters) The Airbus 380 makes a publicity flight with Lufthansa to New York and then Chicago. (BBC) A suicide bomber attacks a Western convoy in Kabul, causing casualties. (Reuters via ABC News Online) Six-party talks resume to discuss progress in implementing last month's agreement, with North Korea and the United States having resolved an issue about North Korean funds frozen in a Macau bank. (Bloomberg) March 20, 2007 (2007-03-20) (Tuesday) At least 27 people are killed in a landslide in northern Pakistan following days of heavy rain. (Reuters via the Irish Times) Indonesian police shoot dead a suspected member of Jemaah Islamiyah, wound three people and arrest others in an anti-terrorist raid. (AP via USA Today) The G33 group of developing countries meet in Indonesia to develop what they consider to be fairer trade options and restart the stalled Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations. (BBC) Commercial spaceflight venture SpaceX launches the second Falcon 1 rocket into space, though failing to reach orbit. (Space.com) Jamaican police announce investigation into the death of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer with suspicions that it was murder. (ABC News Australia) Local tribesmen and Uzbek militants clash in South Waziristan, Pakistan, leaving at least 46 people dead. (The Independent) Britain releases a school uniform policy allowing schools to ban the niqab or full-face veil for girls. (ABC News Australia) Up to 65 people die as a truck overturns on a bridge near Gueckedou, Guinea. (AP via Houston Chronicle) (BBC) United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne orders the military to destroy cluster bombs that lack self-destruct mechanisms in order to avoid harming civilians. (AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy: The Bush administration agrees to allow Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers to testify but not under oath. France signs an extradition treaty with the People's Republic of China but will only extradite people in death penalty cases when China agrees that the person will not receive a death penalty. (BBC) European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana says that the EU is doing all it can to find Alan Johnston, the BBC Gaza correspondent who has been missing for 8 days. (BBC) At least 63 people die in a fire in a home for elderly and disabled people in a village in Russia's Krasnodar Krai. (AFP via Independent Online South Africa), (AP via CNN) Taha Yassin Ramadan, former Baathist Vice President of Iraq and the Ten of Diamonds in the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards, is hanged in Baghdad for his role in the Dujail killings. (BBC) The wife of Sami Al-Arian, a former university professor convicted by a United States district court of funneling money to Islamic Jihad, fears for his life as his hunger strike to protest his imprisonment enters its 58th day. (St. Petersburg Times) March 21, 2007 (2007-03-21) (Wednesday) Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer in the United Kingdom, delivers the 2007 budget. The main rates of corporation tax and income tax will both be reduced by 2% from April 2008, but other taxes are increased. (BBC) Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and the broker of the Dayton Peace Accords Richard Holbrooke warns that if the United Nations votes against independence for Kosovo in April the region may erupt into violence. (RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty) An Israeli Special committee decides the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbullah is to be named the Second Lebanon War. (Ynetnews) Two British sailors die and a third is injured as a result of an accident on the nuclear submarine HMS Tireless in the Arctic Ocean. (AFP via News Limited) (Wikinews) United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announces that the Bush administration will cut its security package to the government of the Palestinian National Authority by nearly half in order to ensure that Hamas does not receive funding. (AP via IHT) Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warns that Iran will pursue nuclear development outside regulations if the United Nations Security Council imposes sanctions. (AP via CNN) A labour strike in Israel led by union Histadrut shuts down all government offices and transportation. (BBC) War in Somalia (2006–2009): At least seven people die in heavy fighting in Mogadishu as Somalian and Ethiopian troops enter an insurgent stronghold. (AP via Houston Chronicle) Sri Lankan Civil War: Eleven people die in fighting between the Sri Lanka Army and the Tamil Tigers in the Batticaloa district. (BBC) President of Russia Vladimir Putin declares a national day of mourning after three separate disasters kill at least 173 people in three days: the Ulyanovskaya Mine disaster, the crash of UT Air Flight 471 and a fire in a retirement home. (Bloomberg) March 22, 2007 (2007-03-22) (Thursday) An arms depot explodes in Maputo, Mozambique, killing at least 93 people and injuring hundreds more. CNN (AP via CNN) French space agency CNES releases its UFO files to the public via its website. (Washington Post) Jamaican Police announce that Bob Woolmer, the coach of the Pakistan national cricket team, was murdered on Sunday, and proceed to question all members of the team. (This is London), (IOL (S. Africa)) NBC, News Limited, AOL, MSN and Yahoo! join forces to develop an ad-supported online video network to compete with YouTube. (Business Week) 2007 Zimbabwean political crisis: The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube calls for mass protests to force President Robert Mugabe from power. (BBC) Fighting erupts in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, between Government troops and the personal militia of Jean-Pierre Bemba, defeated presidential candidate in 2006 and recently elected Senator. The Spanish embassy is caught in the crossfire, leading to its evacuation under United Nations guard. (Reuters via CNN) Bemba seeks refuge with the South African embassy. (BBC) The European Union agrees to open the trans-Atlantic air market to greater competition. (New York Times) A senior U.S. District Judge, Lowell Reed Jr., strikes down the Child Online Protection Act, which made it an offence for commercial website operators to allow minors to access "harmful" material. (The Times) Police arrest three men in England in relation to the 7 July 2005 London bombings. (Bloomberg) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is left shocked, but uninjured at a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in Baghdad as a nearby bomb explodes. (BBC) Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John R. Bolton claims the United States deliberately resisted calls for an immediate ceasefire during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. (BBC) Amnesty International calls on governments not to co-operate with U.S. military in trials of detainees at Guantánamo Bay. (BBC) The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is identified as the part of the human brain that combines logic and emotion in order to make moral decisions. (The Times) Insurgency in Somalia: Clashes flare up in Mogadishu between the interim government forces and local militiamen. (Shabelle.net) Heavy fighting between interim government forces from Puntland and local militia erupts in Adado, 500 km north of Mogadishu. (Shabelle.net) March 23, 2007 (2007-03-23) (Friday) Condoleezza Rice, the United States Secretary of State, travels to the Middle East to talk with Israel and the Palestinian National Authority about the peace process. (CNN) Sami Al-Arian, the former university professor convicted of funneling money to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, ends his hunger strike to protest his imprisonment, after 60 days. (AP via Yahoo! News) Jorge Noguera, former Colombian intelligence chief, is freed from prison following a ruling by an appeals court after having been jailed last month for collaborating with right wing militia. (BBC) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): A Taliban attack on a convoy carrying supplies to foreign troops in southern Afghanistan kills 17 Afghan security guards and drivers. (AFP via ABC Australia Online) US Marines accused of shooting and killing civilians after a suicide bombing in Afghanistan are under investigation and their unit has been shipped out of the country.(AP via Forbes) The President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cancels a trip to address the United Nations Security Council before it decides whether to impose further sanctions, saying the United States government had been "obstructive" in issuing visas to members of his entourage. (AP via CBS) A missile hits an Ilyushin airplane assisting the African Union Mission to Somalia as it takes off from Mogadishu, killing up to 11 people. (Reuters via ABC Australia) The United States Senate votes 52-47 to approve a budget plan that aims to achieve a balanced budget within five years and aims to find offsets for tax cuts passed in President Bush's first term. (Dow Jones via Nasdaq) Iraq War: The United States House of Representatives votes in favor of withdrawing all U.S. troops from Iraq by August 2008. President Bush promises to veto the bill. (BBC) Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zaubai is injured in a bomb attack. (BBC) Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen describes the reconstruction program in Iraq as "chaotic and badly managed" in an official report. (BBC) 15 Royal Navy servicemen of the HMS Cornwall operating in Iraqi waters are seized by Iranian authorities after inspecting a ship suspected of smuggling. (BBC) (ITV) Nepal's Government orders a judicial probe into clashes between Maoists and supporters of the Madhesi People's Rights Forum. (Yahoo News) Heavy fighting is reported in northwest Sri Lanka between the Army and the Tamil Tigers. (BBC) Democratic Republic of Congo's chief prosecutor issues an arrest warrant for Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba who has sought refuge in the South African embassy as fighting continues in Kinshasa. (AP via IHT) Celebrations to mark the 50th birthday of the European Union begin. (Sky) At least three people die after an accident involving four cars and three trucks causes a fire in the Burnley Tunnel in Melbourne, Australia. Both the Burnley tunnel and nearby Domain Tunnel are evacuated. (Herald Sun) Veterinarians warn that thousands of cats and dogs may die in the wake of the Menu Foods voluntary recall of over 60 million cans of aminopterin-contaminated pet food across North America. (ABC) 16 people are dead and twelve more missing after a passenger schooner capsized in the Toe River, Myanmar. (Press TV) March 24, 2007 (2007-03-24) (Saturday) At least 150 people die in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo in fighting between the military and forces loyal to Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba. (BBC) The United Kingdom announces the withdrawal of all British Armed Forces serving as part of the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (BBC) Iraq War: At least 47 people die in insurgent strikes including 20 as a result of a suicide truck bomb in a Baghdad police station. (AP via The Guardian) The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 1747, imposing additional economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran for its ongoing nuclear programme. (Washington Post) Xi Jinping is appointed the new CPC Shanghai Committee Secretary, thus becoming the number one figure in Shanghai, replacing acting party chief Han Zheng. He leaves his post as Party chief in Zhejiang. (Xinhua) (New York Times) Elections in the Australian state of New South Wales sees the Australian Labor Party led by Morris Iemma retain government despite a small swing against it. (ABC News Australia) March 25, 2007 (2007-03-25) (Sunday) Business and economy Bangkok's former Don Muang International Airport reopens for domestic flights to relieve strain on Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is undergoing repairs. (People's Daily) Disasters and accidents Vanuatu is struck by an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude southeast of its capital Port Vila. (News Limited) A tsunami occurs on the northern coast of Japan after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 in the Sea of Japan. NHK reports that 1 person has died and 40 have been injured. (AP via FOX) (AFP via News Limited) Ten people are killed after a fire in a nightclub in Moscow, Russia, caused by a 'fire show'. (CBC) Health The Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan dies of a heart attack. (BBC) International relations John Holmes, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, warns that the situation in Darfur could collapse if aid workers are prevented from doing their work. (Reuters via CNN) Iran announces that it is partially suspending cooperation with the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency and will no longer advise it of new steps taken in its nuclear program. (AP via Houston Chronicle) UK says requests for access to 15 Royal Navy personnel held by Iran have been denied. (BBC) Law and crime Up to 10,000 people protest in Minsk against President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. (Washington Post) Sport Donald Tsang wins a second term as the Chief Executive of Hong Kong in the city's first contested race. (BBC) March 26, 2007 (2007-03-26) (Monday) President of Chile Michelle Bachelet sacks several ministers including the Minister for National Defence Vivianne Blanlot Soza and the Minister for Justice Isidro Solís Palma for perceived poor performance as well as her Chief of Staff. The Minister for Transport Sergio Espejo Yaksic is sacked for problems with Santiago's new transport system Transantiago. (BBC) A Guatemalan prison riot results in the death of three prisoners. Carlos Vielman, the Interior Minister, resigns over police involvement in the killing of three politicians from El Salvador last month. (AP via the Ottawa Recorder) (Washington Post) Archived 2012-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Quebec general election: The governing Quebec Liberal Party wins a minority government, with the conservative Action démocratique du Québec a strong second and the separatist Parti Québécois third. (CBC) Nine United States Army officers including four generals could face disciplinary proceedings as a result of mistakes made in the aftermath of the friendly-fire death of Pat Tillman. (San Francisco Chronicle) India's DRDO successfully test fires a new version of the Astra air-to-air missile. (Jerusalem Post) (ITAR-TASS) (Washington Times) Scientists discover how fossilized dung-eating mites can provide vital information on the rise and fall of the Inca civilization in South America. (The Times) Alan Johnston, a BBC News journalist, begins his third week in captivity, making him the longest-held foreign hostage since kidnappings began in Gaza. Reporters Without Borders urges the Arab League to make an appeal for his release at an upcoming summit. (MidEast Times) (RSF) Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe apologizes for Japan's use of women as sex slaves in frontline brothels during World War II. (AP via the Daily Comet) French presidential election: Nicolas Sarkozy resigns as Interior Minister to concentrate on his presidential candidacy. (BBC) Egyptians go to the polls to vote on 34 amendments to the constitution of Egypt which the government claims will help combat terrorism. Opposition groups are boycotting the referendum claiming that they will erode civil liberties. The amendments achieved approval with 76% of the vote but with only a 27% turnout. (New York Times) (BBC) Health officials meet in Jakarta to resolve a dispute between Indonesia and the World Health Organisation about access to H5N1 vaccines. (AP via IHT) President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao begins a three-day tour of Russia to promote trade and energy ties. (BBC) The military commission process begins for detainees accused by the United States of war crimes, with the first person to face trial being Australian David Hicks. Hicks pleads guilty to providing material support for terrorists.(New York Times) (ABC News Australia) A 5.3 magnitude aftershock hits the Noto Peninsula of Honshū, 300 km northwest of Tokyo, a day after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hits the same area. (AFP via News Limited) Sri Lankan Civil War: The Sri Lanka Army claims that an airbase adjacent to Bandaranaike International Airport was subjected to air attack by the Tamil Tigers, making it the first air attack launched by the Tigers. (The Australian) Northern Ireland Peace Process: Members of the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Ian Paisley, and Sinn Féin, led by Gerry Adams, meet face-to face for the first time, and agree a timetable for implementing the St. Andrews Agreement. (BBC) The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan votes against allowing polygamy, maintaining the two-year imprisonment punishment for offenders. (RFE/RL) March 27, 2007 (2007-03-27) (Tuesday) More than ninety people are burnt to death after a fire following a petrol spill in Kaduna State, Nigeria. (All Africa) The village of Um el-Nasser in the Gaza Strip is flooded with sewage after the wall of a sewage pond gives way resulting in at least four deaths. (Washington Post) Heavy flooding after several days of heavy rain in Hispaniola have resulted in 11 people dying and thousands of people being evacuated in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. (BBC) A 12-km stretch of the Rhine near Cologne, Germany is closed to shipping following the loss of 31 containers from a container ship with 200 ships backed up. (Washington Post) Iraq War: Suicide car bombings kill at least 55 people and injure 120 in Tal Afar. (ABC News Australia) The United States Senate votes 50-48 to set a deadline for withdrawal from the war in Iraq as part of a measure providing continuing funding. (CBC)(AFP via New Straits Times) United States district court judge Thomas Hogan dismisses a case of alleged torture against former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld brought by nine former prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan. (USA Today) Taiwan unveils an upgraded version of their Ching-kuo fighter aircraft called the Hsung Ying made by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation. (AFP via News Limited) The Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert and the President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas agree to limited biweekly peace talks. (New York Times) The Blair Government introduces legislation into the Parliament of the United Kingdom to facilitate a power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland between Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin. (BBC) March 28, 2007 (2007-03-28) (Wednesday) As many as 60 people die off the coast of Guinea as a pirogue or open fishing boat carrying 120 people capsizes. (Reuters via CNN) The Czech government announced that it will open negotiations with the US Government over participation in the missile defense shield. (Washington Post) Ecuadorean judge Juan Ramirez reinstates 57 members of the National Congress of Ecuador only to be dismissed by the electoral tribunal that dismissed the members of Congress. (BBC) A collapsed tunnel during construction of a Beijing Subway line results in six trapped. (ABC) Former Major League Baseball pitcher Ugueth Urbina is sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder in Venezuela. (ESPN) The President of Guinea Lansana Conté names a new government led by the Prime Minister of Guinea Lansana Kouyaté. (BBC) Arab and Middle East leaders meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to discuss reviving the Middle East peace process. (Los Angeles Times) Iraq War: 2007 chlorine bombings in Iraq: The U.S. military reports that insurgents with two chlorine truck bombs have attacked a local government building in Fallujah. (Reuters) 2007 Tal Afar bombings: Gunmen kill dozens of people in Tal Afar a day after approximately 50 people die in suicide bombings. (BBC) A Sydney Ferries jetcat collides with a private charter vessel beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the waters of Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia, killing three people with another person missing. (Sydney Daily Telegraph via Courier Mail) Zimbabwean political crisis: The Movement for Democratic Change says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been arrested by police. He was later released but other activists remained in police custody. (BBC) (Zim Daily) The Southern African Development Community holds an emergency summit in Dar-es-Salaam to discuss the crisis. (Voice of America) The UK Ministry of Defence has published exact co-ordinates of the location of the Royal Navy personnel when they were seized by Iran. According to this data the soldiers were 1.7 nautical miles within Iraqi waters at the time of their capture. (The Times) Gangs of youths riot in Paris with the violence centred on the Gare du Nord, one of the main railway stations. (ITV) The World Food Programme warns that millions face starvation in North Korea as it is facing a food gap equivalent to 20 per cent of its requirement. (Reuters via Washington Post) Archived 2012-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Pakistani militants attack security bases in the town of Tank in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan resulting in two deaths. (Reuters Alertnet) Armed gunmen take 32 children and two teachers hostage in the centre of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The gunmen later surrendered and released the hostages. (BBC) (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) March 29, 2007 (2007-03-29) (Thursday) The United Nations Security Council expresses "grave concern" over the capture of 15 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines by Iran and calls for expedient release of the captives. (AP via CBS) U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates supports closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and moving dangerous inmates elsewhere. (BBC) Powerful tornadoes hit several U.S. states, killing a couple in Oklahoma, a woman in Colorado and a man in Texas. (BBC) Iraq War: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia describes U.S. presence in Iraq as an "illegal occupation." (BBC) At least 104 Iraqis die as a result of suicide bombings in markets in Shi'ite areas of Baghdad and in the town of Khalis. (AP via Detroit Free Press) The U.S. Senate passes a bill 51–47, joining the U.S. House of Representatives, that calls for the U.S. to withdraw all troops from Iraq by March 31, 2008, while continuing to fund the war through 2009 and allowing upwards of 80,000 troops to remain. (Reuters) The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passes a US$2.9 trillion budget blueprint which results in a surplus after five years but relies heavily on the expiration of the Bush tax cuts to do so. The U.S. Senate passed a similar budget blueprint last week with negotiations to ensue. Insurgency in Somalia: helicopters bomb an insurgent stronghold in Mogadishu hours after six people die in a gun battle. (Boston Globe) Beef from the United States goes on sale in Japan as a ban imposed due to mad cow disease in the U.S. is lifted. (AP via The Houston Chronicle) Sri Lankan Civil War: The Sri Lanka Navy intercepts 10 Tamil Tiger boats sinking three of them with 16 people estimated to be dead. (AP via IHT) March 30, 2007 (2007-03-30) (Friday) India's legendary leg spinner Anil Kumble retires from One Day International cricket. (IHT) (Indiatimes) (Eurosport) Insurgency in Somalia: An Ethiopian helicopter is downed in Mogadishu as Ethiopian and Somali government troops battle insurgents. (BBC) Sudanese authorities arrest a man who hijacked a Sudan Airways plane flying from Libya to Sudan. (Boston Globe) Bangladesh hangs six people convicted of killing two judges during a wave of terrorist attacks including the founder of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, Shaykh Abdur Rahman, and his deputy Siddiqul Islam. The convicted men stated they had sought to kill the judges because the judiciary was run by secular rather than Sharia law. (BBC) The United States Food and Drug Administration identifies the chemical melamine in tainted wheat-gluten shipped from China and used by Menu Foods and an unnamed second company to manufacture pet food. (CNN) Iranian seizure of British Navy personnel: A Royal Navy sailor identified as Nathan Thomas Summers appeared on Iranian TV, admitting to and apologizing for entering Iranian territory and his government's wartime actions in general. Tony Blair dismisses the statement as forced. (BBC) Iran releases a second letter written by the only female captured sailor, Faye Turney, who also again apologises. There are numerous grammatical mistakes, suggesting it has been translated into English for Turney to copy. (BBC) (Full letter - BBC) Foreign ministers from the European Union have released a statement offering 'unconditional support' for Britain, urging the 'immediate and unconditional release' of the sailors, adding that the EU reserved the right to take 'appropriate measures' if Iran did not comply - although the exact measures were not mentioned. (BBC) Back to the Future: The Ride closes at Universal Studios Florida. (Orlando Sentinel) March 31, 2007 (2007-03-31) (Saturday) First day of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) 177th Annual General Conference Insurgency in Somalia: Violence continues in Mogadishu for a third day, in what the Red Cross calls "the worst fighting in more than 15 years." (al Jazeera) Telecom New Zealand shuts down its 025 D-AMPS cellular network. (NZ Herald) 2007 Chinese Sandstorms: After severe sandstorms caused communication and transportation problems in Hohhot and other regions of Inner Mongolia, the first severe sandstorm of the year hits Beijing and the surrounding regions of Liaoning, Xinjiang and Tianjin. (CCTV) (SINA) Iranian seizure of British Navy personnel: The United States rules out exchanging five Iranian officials seized in Irbil, Iraq, in January 2007 for the 15 Royal Navy sailors seized by Iran. (BBC) Iran's ambassador to Russia tells Russian TV channel Vesti-24, "It is possible that the British soldiers will go on trial for taking this illegal action." (BBC) The St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians play in Major League Baseball's inaugural "Civil Rights Game" at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee, instituted to honor the history of civil rights in the United States. (MLB)

March 2007 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Events Recent 2007 National People's Congress Ipswich murders investigation Taiwanese political crisis 2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel Ongoing Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy Global spread of H5N1 Iran's nuclear program Lebanese anti-government protest Litvinenko murder investigation NSA warrantless surveillance controversy Six-party talks Natural disasters North Indian cyclone season Pacific typhoon season Southern Hemisphere cyclone season Recent deaths March 25: Andranik Margaryan 23: Robert E. Petersen 23: Ed Bailey 23: Mao Anqing 21: Catherine Seipp 20: Taha Yassin Ramadan 19: Calvert DeForest 19: Luther Ingram 18: Bob Woolmer 17: John Backus 17: Freddie Francis 16: Sally Clark 15: Charles Harrelson 15: Bowie Kuhn 15: Stuart Rosenberg 14: Lucie Aubrac 14: Gareth Hunt 12: Preah Maha Ghosananda 11: Betty Hutton 10: Richard Jeni Ongoing armed conflicts Acholiland insurgency Arab-Israeli conflict (al-Aqsa Intifada) Brazilian gang violence Central African War Colombian armed conflict Iraq War Communist and Islamic Insurgency in the Philippines Ituri Conflict in the DR Congo Nigerian Oil Crisis Hamas-Fatah clashes War in Somalia Ivorian Civil War Kurdish conflict in Turkey Sa'dah conflict Second Chechen War South Thailand insurgency Sri Lankan Civil War Taliban insurgency Darfur conflict Elections Recent March 10: Malta local council elections 11: Mauritania, President 18: Finland, Parliament 24: New South Wales, General Election 25: Hong Kong, Chief Executive 26: Quebec, National Assembly 26: Egypt, constitutional referendum Upcoming March 31: Benin, National Assembly April 12: Malacca, Malaysia, Machap by-election Trials Upcoming U.S.: José Padilla U.S.: Steven L. Jordan U.S.: James Charles Kopp U.S.: Ehren Watada Ongoing Canada: Robert Pickton China: Zhou Zhengyi Peru: Alberto Fujimori (extradition) Ethiopia: CUD relating to 2005 elections. Iran: Nazanin Fatehi Iraq: Iraqi Special Tribunal Netherlands: Hofstad Network Netherlands: ICC Thomas Lubanga Netherlands: ICTY Sierra Leone: SCfSL Charles Taylor UK: Leo O'Connor & David Keogh U.S.: Brian Nichols U.S.: Conrad Black U.S.: Tom DeLay Holidays and observances 1: St Davids Day United Kingdom 4: Purim (Jewish holiday) 10: Arba'een (Shi'a Islam) 12: Commonwealth Day (Commonwealth of Nations) 12: Arbor Day (China) 14: White Day (Japan and Korea) 14; New Year's Day (Sikh Nanakshahi calendar) 15: National Day (Hungary) 15: Hōnen Matsuri (Japan) 17: Saint Patrick's Day 18: Mothering Sunday (Britain) 19: Saint Joseph's Day (Western Christianity) 19: Fathers' Day 19: Canberra Day (Australian Capital Territory) 20: Norouz (Iran and Zoroastrianism) 21: Independence Day (Namibia) 21: World Poetry Day 21: Equinoctial Earth Day 22: World Day for Water 23: Republic Day (Pakistan) 24: World Tuberculosis Day 25: Freedom Day (Belarus) 25: Feast of the Annunciation (Christianity) 28: Teachers' Day (Czech Republic and Slovakia) 30: Spiritual Baptist Shouter Liberation Day (Trinidad and Tobago) 30: Land Day (Palestinian communities) 31: César Chávez Day (various U.S. states) 31: Freedom Day (Malta) 31: Mawlid (Sunni Islam) April 1: April Fools' Day 1: Palm Sunday 2: Passover 5: Qingming Festival (China, Macau)