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Major Events of March 2016: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from March 2016 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of March 2016: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Mar 2016 Super Tuesday Democratic Primary Results: Hillary Clinton wins Democratic Party primaries in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Bernie Sanders secures victories in Vermont, Minnesota, and Oklahoma.
  • 02 Mar 2016 Super Tuesday: Trump and Clinton Dominate: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton emerged as the primary winners of Super Tuesday, each securing victories in seven states. Clinton won Massachusetts and Southern states, while Trump consolidated his Republican Party leadership.
  • 03 Mar 2016 UN Imposes Harsh Sanctions on North Korea: The United Nations Security Council approved unprecedented sanctions against North Korea, collaboratively drafted by the United States and China, marking a significant diplomatic response to North Korea's nuclear program.
  • 04 Mar 2016 North Korea's Nuclear Readiness Threat: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered nuclear weapons to be prepared for immediate firing, escalating tensions in the region and raising international concerns about potential nuclear conflict.
  • 05 Mar 2016 Democratic Party Primary Results: Bernie Sanders claimed victories in the Democratic Party contests in Kansas and Nebraska, while Hillary Clinton won Louisiana, reflecting the competitive nature of the primary season.
  • 06 Mar 2016 Suicide Bombing in Hillah, Iraq: A devastating suicide bombing by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) killed at least 60 people and wounded 70 others. The attack occurred when a bomber drove an explosives-laden truck into a security checkpoint at the entrance of Hillah, a city south of Baghdad.
  • 07 Mar 2016 South Korea and U.S. Begin Joint Military Exercise: In response to North Korea's threats of 'indiscriminate nuclear attacks', South Korea and the United States commenced a joint military exercise, heightening tensions in the region.
  • 08 Mar 2016 US Military Eliminates ISIL Leader: The United States military conducted a strategic airstrike near Al-Shaddadi, Syria, successfully neutralizing Abu Omar al-Shishani, a key ISIL military leader also known as Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili.
  • 09 Mar 2016 AI Milestone: DeepMind Beats Go Champion: Google's DeepMind AlphaGo artificial intelligence program achieved a historic victory by defeating South Korean Grand Master Lee Se-dol in the ancient game of Go.
  • 10 Mar 2016 Record-Breaking Space Mission Concludes: US astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko completed a historic 340-day mission aboard the International Space Station, setting a new endurance record for human spaceflight.
  • 11 Mar 2016 UN Report Highlights South Sudan Human Rights Crisis: A United Nations report described the human rights situation in South Sudan as one of the most horrific globally, primarily implicating government forces. The report recommends a complete arms embargo and potential referral to the International Criminal Court.
  • 12 Mar 2016 US Presidential Primaries: Significant primary elections were held in Guam, Washington D.C., and Wyoming. Ted Cruz won Wyoming's delegates, Marco Rubio won Washington D.C., and Hillary Clinton secured victory in the Northern Mariana Islands caucus.
  • 13 Mar 2016 Ankara Bombing: A devastating suicide bombing occurred in central Ankara, Turkey, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 37 lives and causing significant injuries to many more. The attack highlighted ongoing tensions and security challenges in the region.
  • 14 Mar 2016 NASA Confirms Warmest Month on Record: NASA released data showing February 2016 as the warmest month ever recorded globally, with temperatures 1.35°C above the long-term average, highlighting ongoing climate change concerns.
  • 15 Mar 2016 Super Tuesday 2 Primaries: Voters in Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, and North Carolina participated in Republican and Democratic Party primaries, a significant event in the 2016 U.S. presidential election cycle.
  • 16 Mar 2016 Obama Nominates Merrick Garland to Supreme Court: President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court of the United States, sparking significant political debate during an election year.
  • 17 Mar 2016 US Declares ISIL Genocide Against Christians and Yazidis: US Secretary of State John Kerry officially stated that the Islamic State (ISIL) committed genocide against Christians and Yazidis in Syria and Iraq. Simultaneously, Islamic State commander Hassan Aboud was reported killed near Aleppo after being wounded in a roadside bomb attack.
  • 18 Mar 2016 Brussels Police Raid: Paris Attack Suspect Arrested: Belgian authorities arrested and shot Salah Abdeslam, the primary suspect in the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, during a significant police operation in Brussels.
  • 19 Mar 2016 Airstrikes on ISIL in Syria: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 39 people killed in airstrikes on ISIL's capital Al-Raqqah. As the Syrian Army advanced, approximately 18 ISIL militants were killed in strikes on Palmyra and nearby villages during the ongoing Syrian Civil War.
  • 20 Mar 2016 Obama's Historic Cuba Visit: President Barack Obama began a groundbreaking three-day visit to Havana, Cuba, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. The visit symbolized the thawing of 54 years of diplomatic tensions between the United States and Cuba.
  • 21 Mar 2016 Ankara, Turkey Suicide Bombing: A devastating suicide bombing in Ankara, Turkey resulted in the tragic loss of 37 lives.
  • 22 Mar 2016 2016 Brussels Terrorist Attacks: Three suicide bombers conducted coordinated terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium, killing 32 people and injuring 316 at the airport and Maelbeek/Maalbeek metro station. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the deadly assault.
  • 23 Mar 2016 ISIS Brussels Suicide Bombings: ISIS claimed responsibility for the Brussels suicide bombings, which resulted in approximately 28 fatalities and 260 injuries.
  • 24 Mar 2016 Radovan Karadzic Convicted of Genocide: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia found Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes during the Bosnian War. He was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment, specifically for his role in the Srebrenica massacre.
  • 25 Mar 2016 Kerry Visits Brussels for Counterterrorism Talks: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Brussels to discuss counterterrorism efforts with European Union and Belgian leaders. He also paid respects to the 31 people killed and 270 wounded in the recent Islamic State-linked suicide bombings at the Brussels airport and subway station.
  • 26 Mar 2016 U.S. Considers Increased Troop Presence in Iraq: Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford proposed to President Barack Obama an increase in U.S. troop presence in Iraq to provide more advisors near frontlines and support the Iraqi Army's efforts to recapture Mosul, which had been seized by ISIL in June 2014.
  • 27 Mar 2016 2016 Lahore Easter Sunday Suicide Bombing: A devastating suicide bombing occurred at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore, Pakistan, targeting Christians celebrating Easter. The attack claimed over 70 lives and left approximately 300 people injured. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the horrific act, specifically targeting Christian families enjoying the holiday.
  • 28 Mar 2016 FBI Drops Apple Encryption Case: Federal prosecutors withdrew their case against Apple Inc. regarding encrypted data from a San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, as the FBI discovered an alternative method to access the information.
  • 29 Mar 2016 2016 Brussels Bombings Aftermath: Belgian officials reduced the Brussels terrorist attack death toll to 32 from 35, with nearly 100 people still receiving treatment. Brussels Zaventem International Airport CEO Arnaud Feist announced the airport would reopen at less than 25% capacity, with a potential several-month timeline to reach full operational status.
  • 30 Mar 2016 Myanmar Elects First Civilian President in 54 Years: Htin Kyaw, a close aide of Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn in as Myanmar's first civilian president since 1962, marking a significant transition of power from military rule.
  • 31 Mar 2016 NASA Astronaut and Cosmonaut Complete Year-Long Space Station Mission: NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko successfully returned to Earth after completing an unprecedented yearlong mission aboard the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in human space exploration.