March 14, 2004

• The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) wins the Spanish Legislative elections. The outgoing government's support for the US-led invasion of Iraq was cited as a major factor leading to the Socialists' 43% plurality. (El Mundo) (BBC) (CNN) (Ministry of Home Affairs)
• Two suicide bombers kill 10 people in Ashdod, Israel. (BBC) (CNN)
• Madrid bombings: Spanish police receives a videotape where a man identifying himself as an al-Qaeda spokesman says the organisation claims responsibility for the attack, according to an announcement from the country's interior minister. The authenticity of the video has not been verified. The al-Qaeda claim overshadows voting in the general election. (BBC) (BBC) (Toronto Star)
• Occupation of Iraq: Six United States soldiers are killed over the weekend in three separate insurgent roadside bomb attacks, two in Baghdad and one in Tikrit. This occurs amidst the largest U.S. troop rotation since World War II.
• The National People's Congress of China changes the constitution to protect private property, in order to stop state officials from requisitioning property and private possessions. (BBC) (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)
• Voting takes place in the Russian presidential election. Incumbent Vladimir Putin wins by a large majority. The election is widely criticised by external observers who said Russian state television was very biased towards Putin during the campaign. (BBC) (Reuters)
• Pope John Paul II becomes the third-longest reigning pope in history, the other two being Saint Peter and Pope Pius IX. (Detroit Free Press)
• Several Kurds storm the Syrian embassy in Brussels protesting about violence and deaths in north-east Syria over the weekend. (BBC)