March 1, 2014 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2014 Crimean crisis, 2014 Ukrainian revolution:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin formally asks the Federation Council of the Russian Parliament for approval to use armed forces in Ukraine. He receives unanimous support. The Council also demands for President Putin to recall the Russian Federation ambassador to the United States. (RT) (CNN) (BBC News) (Associated Press)
- US President Barack Obama warns Russia, saying that any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be "deeply destabilizing," and that "the United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine." (CNN)
- De facto Prime Minister of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov claims control of all military, police and other forces in Crimea and asks the President of Russia Vladimir Putin for assistance. (AP)
- Russian Federation ambassador to the United Kingdom is summoned by the British Secretary of State William Hague. (BBC News)
- The U.N. Security Council is to be summoned for the second time in just two days. (BBC News)
- War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
- A welcome home parade in Darwin marks the official end of Australia's active involvement in the Afghanistan War. (ABC News Australia via Yahoo! 7)
- War in North-West Pakistan
- A bomb attack on a polio vaccination team in a village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province kills at least ten people. (BBC News)
- The Pakistan Taliban announces a one-month ceasefire aimed at reviving peace talks. (Reuters)
- Kunming station massacre
- A group of knife-wielding terrorist suspects attacks people at the Kunming Railway Station in the city of Kunming in Yunnan province, south-western China. At least 29 people are killed and 130 others injured. (xinhuanet.com)(BBC News)
Arts and culture
- An entry on the documentary film Fuck causes offence after the Wikipedia website features it prominently on its home page. (The Houstonian)
Politics and elections
- 2014 Venezuelan protests: Clashes continue between anti-government protesters and security forces after 41 people are arrested. (Al Jazeera)
- Proposals to change the automatic trade union affiliation with the UK Labour Party are passed at a special party conference vote by 86% to 14%. (BBC News)
Sport
- In association football, having headbutted a player on the opposing team, an unprecedented incident during a Premier League match, Alan Pardew faces the sack. (Metro) (BBC Sport) (Independent)
- In U.S. college basketball, Wichita State becomes the first NCAA Division I men's team to complete an undefeated regular season since Saint Joseph's in 2003–04. (AP via ESPN)