Portal:Current events/2017 March 11

Current events of March 11, 2017 (2017-03-11) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Syrian Civil War
  • Twin bombings kill at least 40 people, mostly Iraqi pilgrims, and wound over 100 in the Bab al-Saghir area of Damascus. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
• Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
  • At least 11 paramilitary commandos 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)

International relations

• Netherlands–Turkey relations
  • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says the Netherlands are "Nazi remnants and fascists", after 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)

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)

Sport

• 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 NZ)