Portal:Current events/2015 March 15

March 15, 2015 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- Fighting rages near the western Libyan city of Sirte between Islamic State affiliated militants and a local militia alliance. (BBC)
The United States embassy and consulates in Saudi Arabia close for Sunday and Monday due to heightened security concerns. (Fox News)
Two suicide bombers belonging to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar blow themselves up in twin bomb attacks on two churches in the Pakistani city of Lahore, killing at least fourteen people with 70 more injured. (The News Pakistan) (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Pam
- The government of the island nation of Vanuatu declares a state of emergency for Shefa Province containing the capital Port Vila as authorities struggle to assess the full impact of the category 5 storm. Once assessments of the damage have been done in other provinces, authorities are likely to widen the declared area in a state of emergency. (The Guardian) (ABC via Weatherzone)
- Enele Sopoaga, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, estimates that 45% of the population has been displaced by the cyclone. (Radio New Zealand)
A car crash kills South African Minister of Public Service and Administration Collins Chabane. (News 24)
Rainstorms hit northern India, resulting in fourteen deaths and widespread damage to crops. (Times of India)
A fire breaks out in the bell tower of Moscow's Novodevichy Convent, established in 1524 and added to UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. (The Guardian)

International relations

Myanmar denies claims by the People's Republic of China that one of its aircraft crossed the Chinese border and dropped a bomb killing four people. (AP via ABC News America)

Politics and elections

The National Assembly of Venezuela grants President Nicolás Maduro the power to legislate by decree for nine months. (AP)

Sports

In basketball, the NCAA announces the field for the Men's Division I Tournament. Undefeated Kentucky is the top overall seed, with Duke, Villanova, and Wisconsin earning the other three #1 seeds. (ESPN)
In auto racing, defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick wins the 2015 CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway in his fourth straight win at the track, extending a streak of top-2 finishes dating back to last November. At 7 races, this is the longest such streak since Richard Petty's 11-race streak in 1975.
- The race also features a top-5 finish for 2004 champion Kurt Busch in his first race after being suspended for three races on domestic abuse charges. Earlier in the week, a federal court declined to charge Busch with abuse of his ex-girlfriend occurring last September, leading to his reinstatement. (ESPN)

Weather

The U.S. city of Boston sets an all time snow record, with 108.6 inches of snow for the season. (USA Today)