Portal:Current events/2012 March 9

March 9, 2012 (Friday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Arab Spring:
- Tens of thousands of people in Bahrain join an anti-government protest outside the capital Manama. (BBC)
- 31 people are killed in anti-government clashes with security forces in Syria. (Reuters)
Secretary-general of the Popular Resistance Committees Zohair al-Qaisi, a senior PRC member and two additional Palestinian militants are assassinated during a targeted killing carried out by Israeli forces in Gaza. (Reuters) (BBC)
A Thai worker in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council in Israel is injured by shrapnel of a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. The Iron Dome mobile air defence system intercepts various rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at Ashdod. (Ynetnews)
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano calls on the British government to explain why it did not inform Italy about an attempt to rescue hostages Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara until after the operation had been carried out. (BBC)

Arts and culture

Simin Daneshvar, Iranian academic, novelist, fiction writer and translator dies at the age of 90. (Tabnak)
The British Film Institute announces the rediscovery of the world's oldest Charles Dickens film, dating from 1901 and featuring a depiction of a character from Bleak House. (The Guardian)
Officials announce the opening of Pottermore this coming April. (The Guardian)

Business and finance

A bankruptcy court appointed examiner, Susheel Kirpalani, issues a detailed report highly critical of the pre-bankruptcy restructuring of Dynegy Inc at the expense of bondholders and for the benefit of Carl Icahn and other shareholders. (Dealbook)

Disasters and accidents

Oxfam warns of a major food crisis in West Africa unless immediate action is taken. (Al Jazeera)
One person is killed and 20 injured in a hotel fire in Bangkok, Thailand. (Channel News Asia)

International relations

China returns 31 North Korean refugees to North Korea, according to activists. (Bangkok Post)

Politics and protests

Chinese politician Bo Xilai speaks out for the first time since his aide attempted to defect at the American consulate. (New York Times)
Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji's military government, says a new constitution will be ready by February 2013. (AFP)
Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina Ken Ard resigns and pleads guilty to criminal charges related to handling of campaign funds. (New York Times)
Indigenous protesters commence a cross-country march in Ecuador against mining concessions. (AFP)