March (undated): AfghanistanÕs 87-year-old former King Zahir Shah, who has lived in exile in Rome for nearly three decades, plans to return home permanently in support of efforts to restore democracy in his strife-torn country.

March 2: The biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, postponed in the wake of September 11, will be the largest meeting of international leaders ever held in Australia. The event, in Queensland, is to be opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

March 3: The Formula One racing season roars off in Melbourne, with Ferrari opening their bid for a fourth consecutive championship title.

March 6: Ireland holds a referendum on strengthening the countryÕs ban on abortions -- which applies in all cases except where a motherÕs life is in danger. The plebiscite seeks support for a move that would prevent Òrisk of suicideÓ being given as a reason to end pregnancy.

March 9: Talks on the impending establishment of an EU-style African Union, a successor to the Organisation of African Unity, will top the agenda when the OAUÕs council of ministers meet in Addis Ababa.

March 9: Presidential elections in Zimbabwe see the increasingly autocratic Robert Mugabe, 78, fighting to retain power in the face of formidable opposition from the Movement for Democratic Change.

March 13: The worldÕs largest IT and telecomms trade fair, CeBIT, opens in the German city of Hanover, where more than 8,000 exhibitors will showcase cutting-edge gizmos for the delight of some 50,000 industry visitors.

March 24: Whoopi Goldberg hosts the glittering Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The Lord of the Rings, with 13 nominations, is front-runner for best picture Oscar, while Russell Crowe and Judi Dench are hotly tipped in the best actor and actress categories.

March 18: Chiefs of the World Bank, IMF and WTO, as well as representatives of governments, civil society and business, meet in Monterrey, Mexico, for a five-day UN summit on finance and global development.

March 23: President Bush will become the first U.S. leader to visit Peru when he heads to Lima for talks with President Alejandro Toledo on trade, drug trafficking and terrorism.

March 27: The threat of U.S. action against Iraq, and the escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, will dominate discussions at the Arab League summit in Beirut.

Parliamentary elections in Togo (March 10), Colombia (March 10), Portugal (March 17) and Ukraine (March 31).

First round of presidential election in Congo Republic (March 10).
/ENDS