March 7 – Latin America: BRAZIL
Brazil has been in recession for the last two years. Its economy has shrunk by 3.6 percent, while unemployment has risen to over 11 percent.[1] The country’s economy has been disrupted by falling demand for its products, as well as corruption at the highest levels of government and big companies.
March 9 – Europe: EUROPEAN UNION
Leaders of the European Union member-countries, reelect Former Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, as President of the European Council for another term. The European Council, which brings together national and EU-level leaders, sets the EU’s general political direction and priorities, but has no powers to pass laws. Its President, the voice of the Member States, also represents the EU externally on foreign and security issues.
A chart of EU institutions.
How EU laws are made.
March 13 – Africa: SOMALIA
Pirates off the coast of Somalia hijack an oil tanker, the Aris 13, carrying fuel from Djibouti to Mogadishu, in the first such incident since 2012. The attack happens despite safety measures and patrols by naval forces put in place a few years ago. (March 16): The pirates release the ship and its crew without ransom after finding out that the Aris 13 was hired by Somali businessmen.[2]
March 15 – Europe: NETHERLANDS
The ruling People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) wins the most votes in the Netherlands’ parliamentary elections defeating the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) and its populist leader, Geert Wilders, who has been campaigning on an anti-immigration and anti-European integration platform. In the wake of the electoral victories of the Brexit in the United Kingdom and Donald Trump’s populism in the United States, the election campaign in the Netherlands has been watched with special attention. The ruling VVD wins a majority in the parliament, 33 seats (despite losing eight) and the PVV gains five seats in the parliament for a total of 20 seats. The turnout was 82 percent.[3] Incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected to form a new coalition government. However, both the governing Liberals and every other sizeable party rules out cooperation with the right-wing PVV.
March 20 – International Organizations/Africa/Middle East/North America/Europe:
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS NETWORK / CANADA / UNITED STATES / DENMARK / NORWAY / ICELAND / SWITZERLAND / FINLAND
The Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations releases the 2017 World Happiness Report. Using the following variables—social support, freedom of choice, generosity, honesty, health, life expectancy, income and perceived corruption— the study ranks 155 countries based on the happiness of their people. It also analyzes the findings to explain why some countries are happier than others. According to the study, the happiest place is Norway followed by Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, and Canada. At the very bottom of the happiness list are countries from Sub-Saharan Africa and those hit by conflict, such as Syria and Yemen.[4] Despite an improving economic performance and tripling incomes since 1960s, the U.S. happiness report fell from rank 3 in 2007 to 14. According to the study, rising inequality, corruption, isolation, and distrust are the reasons for this decline.[5]
Full World Happiness Report 2017
March 21 – South Asia: INDIA
The High Court of northern Indian state of Uttarakhand declares the Ganges and Yamuna rivers living entities and grants them legal status as persons in an attempt to help in their cleaning and conservation.[6] To protect their rights, the rivers have two appointed legal guardians. The Ganges River is the holiest for the Hindu population, but also the most polluted. People also rely on its waters for their livelihood.
March 23 – Europe/Former Soviet Union Republics:
RUSSIA / UKRAINE
Former Russian Member of Parliament Denis Voronenkov is assassinated on the streets of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev in what it is believed to be a contract killing. In 2016, he fled to Ukraine, where he was a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his policies. He also denounced Russia’s annexation of Crimea as illegal. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko calls the murder an act of Russian “state terrorism”.[7]
March 23 – South Asia: AFGHANISTAN
After a year-long battle with Afghan forces and its Western allies, the Taliban militants capture the crucial town of Sangin, securing the strategic district of Sangin in the southern province of Helmand. The Taliban can now connect Helmand with Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second-largest city. The district is also known for its lucrative opium production. Because of its strategic importance, the Allies invested in its defense of Sangin with many casualties among the NATO troops in the past few years.[8] The loss of Sangin highlights the Taliban’s resurgence and security challenges in Afghanistan.
March 26 – Europe / Former Soviet Union Republics: RUSSIA
Russia’s most prominent opposition leader and anti-corruption activist, Alexei Navalny, is fined for participating in the banned protests and jailed for 15 days for resisting arrest. The anti-corruption and anti-government protests drew thousands of people in many cities across Russia.
March 26 – Europe / Former Soviet Union Republics: Belarus
Special police troops in Belarus arrest hundreds of demonstrators during a rare anti-government protest that turned violent. It is a culmination of weeklong sporadic protests across the country against President Alexander Lukashenko’s decree imposing a special tax on the unemployed, calling them “social parasites”.[9] Opponents of the move accuse the president of punishing people for the lack of jobs. Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, has been dubbed as “Europe’s last dictator”.
March 29 – Europe: UNITED KINGDOM / EUROPEAN UNION
The United Kingdom government triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by sending an official notification letter to the European Union about its intention to leave the EU as a member. The move officially begins a two-year process of complex negotiations on exit terms and future ties between the two sides. The UK became a member of the European Union in 1973, but in June 2016 the people voted to leave.