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Joel and Ethan Coen, as well as Daniel Day Lewis and Javier Bardem, took home some well-deserved hardware at the Oscars last night. The NY Philharmonic meanwhile plays Pyongyang.

>Cuba - Raul Castro became the new president of Cuba on Sunday, promising immediately to consult his brother on every major decision. The National Assembly stuck to the old guard when filling other major responsibilities as well, selecting 76-year-old Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, "a Communist hard-liner fiercely loyal to Castros," to be the First Vice President and 70-year-old Ricardo Alacron to be the Assembly President. Some in Cuba had hoped that the mantle of leadership would pass to a younger generation.

>>Cyprus - Demetris Christofias, leader of the Communist Party, was elected president of Cyprus on Sunday, bolstering hopes that reunification of the island might be a possibility. He agreed to meet with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Mehmet Ali Talat, "at the earliest possible date."

>>Turkey - Several hundred Turkish troops and dozens of tanks entered Northern Iraq at the end of last week, following hours of shelling and bombing by the Turkish military. Reports of casualties vary, but Turkey admits to the loss of one of its helicopters, which the PKK claims to have shot down. The incursion sparked intense criticism from the Iraqi government, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has urged Turkey to keep it short.

• Bergmann on Funding UN Peacekeeping - by Mark Leon Goldberg
• Stiffing the Blue Helmets - by Mark Leon Goldberg
• Secretary-General Introduces his Adviser on the "Responsibility to Protect" - by John Boonstra

Africa ...	China presses Sudan over Darfur peacekeepers Japan in talks for peace mission to Sudan Sudan 'renews Darfur air strikes' Madagascar cyclone toll doubled Islamists overrun Somali town SA power cuts threaten gold jobs Thousands of Darfuris 'desperate'
Americas ...	In Argentina, No Assistance From Region on Gas Needs
Asia ...	Manila security forces support Arroyo amid rallies Afghan drugs agency hit by staffing crisis Pakistan 'sparks YouTube outage' Russia pledges support to Serbia Pakistan army's top medic killed Chinese Submarine Fleet Is Growing, Analysts Say South Korea's New President Takes Office
Europe ...	State vote seen boosting tensions in Merkel govt
Middle East ...	Israeli PM calls for new sanctions against Iran Turkey admits loss of helicopter Iran Stepping Up Its Uranium Work Unrest Spreads in Armenia, and Some Are Arrested Suicide Bomber Kills 40 at Iraq Highway Rest Stop Rising Inflation Creates Unease in Middle East Israel Adds Border Forces Ahead of Protest in Gaza
Oceania ...	Australia ends "Pacific Solution" for refugees

Posted by Matthew Cordell at 8:09 AM