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 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

• Netherlands–Turkey relations
  • 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)

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 New Zealand)