Portal:Current events/2004 March 31

March 31, 2004 (Wednesday)

Four U.S. civilian contractors are killed in a grenade attack by Iraqi guerrillas in Fallujah, Iraq. A violent mob pulls charred bodies from the burning vehicles and hang two bodies from a bridge over the Euphrates. In a separate incident, five U.S. soldiers are killed in a large roadside bomb attack 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Fallujah. (CNN) (BBC)
The Korea Train Express high-speed rail line opens, connecting Seoul to Busan and Mokpo. (CNN)
The Guardian newspaper quotes British security service sources as believing that yesterday's raids may have stopped a major terrorist bombing. The sources state that MI5 and MI6 worked with police during the investigation leading to the raids. (Guardian)
The International Court of Justice rules that the US violated the rights of 51 Mexican citizens on death row for murder and orders a review of their cases. (AP) (BBC)
The controversial Higher Education Bill, which will introduce variable tuition fees in England and Wales, passes its third reading in the House of Commons by 316 votes to 288, despite many MPs still vocally opposed. The Bill's second reading in January was passed with a majority of only 5 votes. (BBC) (Guardian) (Reuters)
Politics of Austria: Jörg Haider, a leading figure in the Freedom Party who is widely viewed as neo-fascist, is re-elected governor of the state of Carinthia. (Scotsman) (Die Presse)
A Canadian court rules that the Canadian Recording Industry Association did not prove that the downloading of music from the Internet is a copyright violation. The ruling is in line with a decision from the Copyright Board of Canada that downloading music is legal. (Toronto Star) (Bell Globemedia)
Air America Radio, a self-styled liberal alternative to conservative talk shows on the radio, is launched on six stations from New York City to Los Angeles. (Kansas City Star)
East African artifacts support evolution of symbolic thinking in Middle Stone Age. (National Geographic Society via EurekAlert)