- March 31, 2005
March 31 2005 * Cesar Chavez Day celebrated throughout California takes place every March 31 as it was on March 31, 1994.
* The last day to apply for the Sales Tax Amnesty Program from the California State Board of Equalization was March 31, 2005.
* The rebelDemocratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda , members of which had participated in the1994 Rwandan Genocide , announces that it is giving up its armed struggle. The FDLR has been a key source of instability in the aftermath of theSecond Congo War . [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4396785.stm (BBC)]
*Pope John Paul II 's condition has once again worsened. The pontiff, 84, suffers from a drop inblood pressure and a highfever . He is reportedly given Last Rites. [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/03/31/pope1/index.html (CNN)]
*Terri Schiavo dies 13 days after her feeding tube was removed by court order inFlorida , USA. [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20050331/ts_nm/rights_schiavo_dc (Reuters)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4398131.stm (BBC)]
*Matthew Nagle , a 25 year old paralysed man, has become the first person known to have benefited from a microchip implanted into his brain which can "read" thoughts. He can think hisTV on and off, change channels and alter the volume thanks to the technology and software linked to devices in his home. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4396387.stm (BBC)]
* AUN report has stated thatmalnutrition rates in Iraqi children under five have almost doubled since the US-led invasion of Iraq. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4395525.stm (BBC)]
* TheUN -backedMillennium Ecosystem Assessment , the most comprehensive survey of theEarth 's ecological condition to date, finds that the condition of the world'secosystem s is deteriorating at a dangerous rate. There has been "substantial and largely irreversible" loss ofbiodiversity , the report says. Basic resources liketimber ,water , andfood are at risk in some areas, and may be put at risk in more. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4391835.stm (BBC)] [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/218091_ecoreport30.html (Seattle PI)] [http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20050328/resources.html (Discovery)] [http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=13803&Cr=ecosystem&Cr1= (UN News Centre)]
* The elections inZimbabwe have proceeded with large queues seen at many polling stations. No violence has been reported, and Incumbent presidentRobert Mugabe of theZANU-PF party has declared the elections to be free and fair. Opposition leader,Morgan Tsvangirai of the party MDC, disputes this, but still believes his party will win. The election has already been branded unfair by both the U.S. and theEU and their observers have been barred from monitoring the poll. Results are expected in two days. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aH_fBpk.d0j4&refer=top_world_news (Bloomberg)] [http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/03/31/zimbabwe.mugabe/ (CNN)] [http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_1683144,00.html (News24)] [http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=8043431 (Reuters)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4395681.stm (BBC)]
*Israel has allowed people who received non-Orthodox training in Israel but were converted overseas to becomeJews . These people will now be eligible for Israeli citizenship. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4396285.stm (BBC)]
*Malta commemorates the 26th anniversary of the departure of the last British forces from the island [http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/portal.jhtml?id=177936 (di-ve)]
*Marburg virus death toll inAngola rises to127 [http://allafrica.com/stories/200503310608.html (AllAfrica)] [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=qw1112275801430B252 (IOL)] [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L31446574.htm (Reuters AlertNet)] [http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=22004 (Medical News Today)]
*Canada andEuropean Union plan to impose a 15% tariff on some US exports because Washington has not repealed anti-dumping law theByrd Amendment .World Trade Organization declared the law illegal last August. The products includepaper ,cigarette s,oyster s and liveswine [http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=8050902 (Reuters)] [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=ax2A0kCkyE6M&refer=europe (Bloomberg)] [http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2005/03/31/ap1918201.html (Forbes)]
* InSouth Africa ,Johannesburg 'sLabour Court rules that the mining strike of the 30,000 employees of mining companyGold Fields is "unlawful and unprotected" and orders them to go back to work. TheNational Union of Mineworkers states that it expects its members to obey the ruling [http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp?type=businessNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=8050922 (Reuters SA)] [http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D89630700.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down (BusinessWeek, SA)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4399241.stm (SA)]
* InPakistan ,Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement organizes partial strikes in various cities to protest over Punjabi influence in the country [http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=169205 (KeralaNext)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4397315.stm (BBC)]
* InUkraine , security service states that the death of former interior ministerYuri Kravchenko was probably suicide [http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/04/01/014.html (Moscos Times)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4399187.stm (BBC)]
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