French president Jacques Chirac accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, thereby dissolving his cabinet. Chirac then rehired Raffarin as prime minister, and made a number of other changes. The move comes on the heels of France's regional elections, which saw a drastic drop in support for Chirac and his political party. Russian president Vladimir Putin performed a similar reorganization of his cabinet in February.
The International Court of Justice at The Hague has ruled that the United States did not give fair trials to 51 Mexicans currently awaiting execution. The ruling, issued on Wednesday, March 31, states that the convictions should be reviewed because the accused were not advised of their right to consular help. The decision, which is legally binding, is being protested by the U.S. government, which claims the men have already had fair trials.
The central Asian country of Uzbekistan has been in turmoil recently as four straight days of violence have left at least 42 people dead. The fighting, which began on Sunday, March 28, is believed to be orchestrated by members of Wahhabis, a strict Islamic group originating in Saudi Arabia. Explosions and gunfire have been common in the streets of the Uzbek capital of Tashkent and the city of Bukhara, where nearly all of the violence has been concentrated.
The United States announced it would be suspending its aid to Serbia, citing a lack of cooperation with a United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague. As part of a plan to reform Serbia's economy, the U.S. promised $100 million in aid, contingent on Serbian cooperation with the tribunal. The remaining $25 million from this plan is being withheld. The suspension is likely tied to Serbia's reluctance to turn over certain accused war criminals, such as former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic. Analysts believe the move is not likely to have any short-term effects on the Serbian economy, but may have long-term effects.
Oil ministers from the 11 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to a 4% cut in oil output on Wednesday, March 31. The cut, which amounts to 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, is claimed to be a preventive measure, "avoiding a price-deflating buildup of oil supplies in world markets." Economists say that such a measure is unnecessary, and that 'cheating' by the member nations of OPEC is likely to ensure that oil prices will not rise as a result of the announcement.