March 2 — East Asia: CHINA
A number of Chinese newspapers publish an editorial calling to scrap the hukou system, which prevents rural migrants from access to services, such as healthcare and education. The printing of the editorial, which describes the system as unconstitutional, coincides with an annual meeting of legislators in the country’s capital, Beijing, and urges them to overhaul it.
March 3 — Europe: GREECE
The Greek government approves a new austerity plan in response to the country’s budget crisis amidst strong protests from the people. The cost-cutting plan includes a pensions freeze, an increase of sales tax, and significant cuts in the public sector.
March 7 — Africa: NIGERIA
One-hundred nine people, mostly Christians, are killed during an outbreak of communal violence between Christians and Muslims in several villages near the central Nigerian city of Jos. The attacks are in reprisal for the similar clashes in January. Nigerian police arrests 200 people and charges 49 with murder. The suspects are mostly Muslims from the Fulani ethnic group.
March 7 — Middle East: IRAQ
Iraq votes in the country’s second parliamentary elections despite multiple violent attacks by Islamic militant groups aimed at disrupting the polls. Voters are electing the parliament from among over 6,000 candidates and 86 parties. Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s secular al-Iraqiyya (Iraqi National Front) wins a narrow majority, with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s State of Law coalition coming second. The two front runners are followed by the Iraqi National Alliance (INA) and the Kurdistan Alliance. The results mean that Iyad Allawi will form the next Iraqi government.
March 11 — Former Soviet Republics/Europe: UKRAINE
Newly elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych forms a new coalition government and names former Finance Minister Mykola Azarov to be the new prime minister. Outgoing Prime Minister and one of the main heroes of the 2004 Orange Revolution Yulia Tymoshenko is forced out after a vote of no confidence.
March 15 — Europe: FRANCE
President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative UMP party fares poorly in France’s regional elections which are seen as a major test before the 2012 presidential election. Dissatisfied voters use the regional elections to express their frustration at the poor state of the country’s economy and unpopular reforms pushed by Sarkozy. The winner of the vote is the opposition Socialist party which, together with other leftist groups, gathers 54 percent of the vote. The far-right National Front also picks up more votes, winning 9 percent. The UMP gathers 34 percent of the vote and is left in control of only one of France’s 22 regions.
March 23 — North America: UNITED STATES
U.S. President Barack Obama signs the historic healthcare overhaul bill into law after months of heated debates and controversy. The House of Representatives narrowly passed the bill, without a single Republican vote. The reformed healthcare expands coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, closes the prescription drug coverage gap, expands Medicaid coverage, prevents insurance companies from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions or dropping coverage when the insured get sick, and allows people to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges. The bill also allows children to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 26. Beginning in 2014, Americans will be required to purchase health insurance or they will face fines. Preliminary estimates show that the new healthcare legislation will cut the country’s federal budget deficit by $143 billion over the next 10 years. To cover the cost of the plan, the government plans to tax investment income of the wealthiest Americans and tax high-cost employer-sponsored health plans. Thirteen states file suits against the federal government, claiming the healthcare reform is unconstitutional.
March 24 — East Asia/South Asia: CHINA/AFGHANISTAN
China and Afghanistan sign agreements on trade and economic cooperation, which include preferential tariffs on a number of Afghan exports to China and China’s help with reconstruction in Afghanistan. China is also interested in developing Afghanistan’s natural resources, such as natural gas and iron ore.
March 26 — Europe/North America: RUSSIA/UNITED STATES
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and United States President Barack Obama agree to a new strategic arms agreement according to which both countries will cut arsenals of deployed nuclear warheads by 30 percent. This agreement, called the Measures to Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, replaces the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and the Moscow Treaty of 2002.
March 29 — Europe: RUSSIA
Two female suicide bombers detonate bombs in the Moscow subway stations during the busy rush hour, killing 39 passengers and injuring more than 60. Chechen separatists claim the responsibility and say that the attacks were a revenge for the killings of regular Chechens by Russian forces last month. They also warn Russia of more attacks.