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15 British Royal Navy sailors captured at gunpoint by Iranian guards Iranian forces have captured 15 sailors and marines after an inspection was performed by the British Royal Navy on a ship believed smuggling cars into Iraq. French Space Agency CNES releases UFO files French space agency CNES released its UFO files to the public through its website on Thursday. The 100,000 pages of witness testimony, photographs, film footage and audiotapes is an accumulation of over than 1,600 sightings since 1954 and will include all future UFO reports obtained by the agency.

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Mass wedding held against racism in Belgium In February, three couples refused to pledge their wedding vows in front of the black alderman of the city of Sint-Niklaas, because of the colour of his skin. So he decided to organise a mass wedding, to send a positive signal against racial discrimination in Belgium.

Wikipedia Current Events
At least 150 people have died in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo and forces loyal to Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba. The United Kingdom announces the withdrawl of all British Armed Forces serving as part of the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At least 47 people die in insurgent strikes incuding 20 as a result of a suicide truck bomb in a Baghdad police station. The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 1746, imposing additional economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran for its ongoing nuclear programme. Elections in the Australian state of New South Wales sees the Australian Labor Party led by Morris Iemma retain government despite a small swing against it.

Muslims told not to wear veils when they vote in Quebec
Muslims in the province of Quebec have been told to remove their veils on next Monday's Quebec general election.

Marcel Blanchet, Quebec's chief returning officer, says he is using special grants to make this law. He also hired two bodyguards after the office had received threatening phone calls and e-mails. Some residents were also threatening to wear the niqāb, a veil which covers the whole face except for the eyes, on Monday's vote.

A niqab But before he made this decision, Blanchet allowed voters to wear the niqāb on voting day only if they showed their ID and voting card. Blanchet, however, was critized by all three main Quebec party leaders for that decision.

"Relevant articles to electoral laws were modified to add the following: any person showing up at a polling station must be uncovered to exercise the right to vote," he said.

Sarah Elgazzar, of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, said, in her opinion, that this will discourage Muslim voters to show up on election day.

An eleven-year-old Ontario girl, who played at a soccer tournament in Quebec in February, was removed from the tournament after she refused to take off her headscarf at the request of the referee. A Muslim woman, who worked at a prision in Quebec, last week, was fired from her job after she also refused to take off her veil.

2007 Cricket World Cup: Australia vs South Africa
Australia beat South Africa by 83 runs in the final Group A match in the World Cup at the Warner Park Stadium, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

As both teams had already progressed through to the Super 8 stage, this game was effectively a Super 8 encounter, with the points won here being carried through.

Australia set the the third highest total in World Cup history (377 runs), with Matthew Hayden grabbing the fastest century in World Cup history off just 66 balls, beating John Davison's 67 ball century for Canada against the West Indies in 2003.

Toss: South Africa won, and elected to field first.

2007 Cricket World Cup: England vs Kenya
England beat Kenya by 7 wickets (with 60 balls remaining) in the final Group C game in the World Cup at Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia.

England will now advance through to the Super 8 stage.

Rain delayed the start of the match by some two hours, and therefore the match was only a 43 over game.

Toss: Kenya won, and elected to bat first.

NHL: Penguins defeat Thrashers, catch Devils
After chasing the New Jersey Devils the entire season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have finally caught up. With only 15 games remaining between the two clubs, the Penguins have arrived at 94 points, to pull into a virtual tie with New Jersey. Pittsburgh also holds the tiebreaker, winning the majority of the games between the two clubs throughout the regular season. The two points that the Penguins recieved today wouldn't prove to be easy, though, as they would have to defeat the Southeast division leading Atlanta Thrashers.

Michel Ouellet, assisted by Gary Roberts and Evgeni Malkin, gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 7:55 when he beat Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen to score his 17th goal of the season. Jocelyn Thibault would hold Atlanta scoreless through the first two periods until Scott Mellanby finally broke through to score at 6:18 into the final period. With the score tied 2-2, Jordan Staal would score what would prove to be the game winner on a fluke shot from behind the goal line at 10:19. Assists were credited to Ryan Malone and Josef Melichar. Despite desperate play and a pulled goalie in the final minutes, Atlanta couldn't find the net, and the Penguins would hold on for the win. Thibault was spectacular for the Penguins, stopping 25 of 26 shots. Thrashers goaltender Kari Lethonen was almost as good as Thibault, stopping 26 of 28 shots faced.

Three Stars of the Game

#1 - Jocelyn Thibault, G, PIT - 25 saves, .962 save pct.

#2 - Kari Lehtonen, G, ATL - 26 saves, .929 save pct.

#3 - Michel Ouellet, RW, PIT - 1 goal

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation CEO resigns
CEO of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, Corp., Duncan Brown, has stepped down after recent allegations that lottery retailers are winning more than customers.

"By mutual agreement, Duncan Brown and the Board of OLG have decided a change of leadership is appropriate," the lottery corporation said on Friday. "Brown has stepped down from his post as CEO."

Before Brown joined OLG in 2004 he was CEO of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. He has worked in the lotto industry since the 1970s.

A new CEO will be chosen by the Board in the comming months, the Interim CEO will be chosen in a few days.

Investigation of retailers

This month OLG recalled over 1,000,000 scratch and win tickets. The "Super Bingo" tickets were also removed after complaints that one could see which were the winning tickets.

Ontario Ombudsman André Marin will conduct an investigation into allegations that lottery retailers are winning more than customers.

"They're faced with a wall of silence," Marin said. "The OLG essentially turns against them and instead of investigating the complaint, investigates the complainant."

Marin will release the report on Monday.

Labor retains power in NSW, earning fourth consecutive term
The Labor party has earned a fourth consecutive term as the governing party in New South Wales, Australia, following an election held today. The incumbent government, lead by Morris Iemma is predicted to lose two seats despite a state-wide swing of around four percent against the party.

The state of the 93-seat Legislative Assembly prior to the election was Labor with 52 seats, the Liberal-National coalition with 30 and 10 independents, with one previously Labor seat left vacant.

The coalition would have needed a gain of 16 seats in order to govern in its own right. Political analysts predict the coalition will gain two seats from independents and one from Labor.

Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner conceded defeat shortly after 9:00PM AEDT. He said while Labor lost votes, the swing was not enough to change government in NSW.

Shortly before 10:00PM AEDT, Peter Debnam, leader of the Liberal party conceded defeat, saying a lot of people "came home" to the Liberal and National Parties. He said the people of NSW have given Labor "one last chance to fix the problems in the state".

Mr Debnam said the coalition was in an almost impossible position to win the election. "What we've achieved today is a really healthy result. We've got the first swing away from Labor since 1988," he said.

"Tonight's result is really about consolidation for us. I'm very proud of the result we've achieved right across the board.

"We have clawed back so much ground in this election. And the reason we've done that is because we've got great people."

Premier Morris Iemma has told supporters he has been "moved and humbled" by the result. He said his government would be getting back to work. "Tonight we have been given another chance, and it's a mandate with a message and the message is get back to work," he said.

"We will get back to work and build the services that you want, that you need and above all that you will be proud of."

In the state's Legislative Council 21 seats are up for election. At 11:45PM tonight, the coalition appeared to have won around 7 seats, Labor 8, Christian Democrats 1 and The Greens 2. Another 3 seats are to be allocated. Around 75% of ballots have been counted.

Today in History
1306 - Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland at the Scone Palace in Perth.

1634 - The English colony of Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore and a group of Catholic settlers.

1655 - Christiaan Huygens discovered Titan, the largest natural satellite of the planet Saturn.

1931 - The Scottsboro Boys were arrested and charged with rape.

1957 - West Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, France and Belgium signed the Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community.

March 25 is Independence Day in Greece (1821), Feast of the Annunciation in Western Christianity.

Quote of the Day

What is humility but truthfulness? There is no real difference.
~ Walter Hilton

Word of the Day

pusillanimous; adj

Faint of heart; cowardly; contemptibly timid.

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