Current events: 2025-03-21

Wikipedia Current Events · Mar 21, 2025

Armed conflicts and attacks

Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
  - Kursk offensive
    - A gas pumping and measuring station in Kursk Oblast, Russia, is set on fire after a major explosion occurs. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the attack. (Reuters) (Reuters)
  - An explosion occurs at an oil depot in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, caused by a fire that has been burning since Tuesday. The fire spreads to another tank and increases to {{cvt|10000|m2}}, injuring two firefighters. (Reuters)
- International sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
  - The German Navy reportedly seizes the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Eventin that is suspected to be part of the Russian shadow fleet, along with at least {{Euro}}43.3 million ($46 million) worth of cargo in the Baltic Sea. (DW) (The Times)
Sudanese civil war
- Battle of Khartoum
  - The Sudanese Armed Forces retakes the presidential palace in Khartoum, Sudan, after the Rapid Support Forces' withdrawal. (BBC News)
Middle Eastern crisis
- Red Sea crisis
  - Israel intercepts a ballistic missile that the Houthis in Yemen claim to have fired at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse
- A 19-year-old dies in hospital from his injuries after a canopy collapsed in 2024 at the Novi Sad railway station in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia, which killed 15 others. (CTV News)
According to the International Organization of Migration, a record 8,938 migrant deaths was recorded in 2024, over 200 more than 2023, the previous record year. Most deaths are attributed to Asia, the Mediterranean Sea, and Africa. (DW) (Al Jazeera)
Heathrow Airport in London, England, closes for most of the day due to a "significant power outage" resulting from a fire at an electrical substation in nearby Hayes. At least 1,351 flights are affected by the shutdown, with many diverted to alternative airports or returning to their origin airport. (CBS News) (BBC News) (NBC News)
The Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano erupts, prompting at least 4,700 villagers to evacuate and causing at least seven outbound flights from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia, to cancel. (DW)

International relations

Politics and elections

2024 Namibian general election
- Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is sworn in as the first female President of Namibia, suceeding Nangolo Mbumba. (BBC)
2025 Turkish anti-government protests, Arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu
- Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters hold demonstrations in Istanbul, İzmir, Ankara, and several other cities in Turkey against the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following its detention of over 100 opposition figures and crackdown on public gatherings and social media content. (Reuters)
Tunisian president Kais Saied appoints Sara Zaafarani as the new Prime Minister. She succeeds Kamel Madouri, who has been sacked by Saied amid an economic and migration crisis. (Reuters)

Science and technology