The longest ever Olympic torch relay began in Beijing yesterday under massive security. India's football captain, Baichung Bhutia, in solitary with Tibetan demonstrators, has declined an invitation to carry the torch.

>>Zimbabwe - After three days the winners of 109 of the 210 parliamentary seats have been named, and, according to the count of the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC), President Mugabe's ZANU-PF has pulled two seats ahead of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. Many consider the vote to be rigged. Mugabe's security cabinet met on Sunday night to discuss how to react to the election -- impose a state of emergency, unilaterally declare victory, or rely on the ZEC to falsify the results. They reportedly chose the latter. There is a heavy police presence on the streets of Harare. The independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network has MDC standard bearer Morgan Tsvangirai besting Mugabe by almost 8 points.

>>NATO - Germany has declared that it will veto the U.S. plan to allow Georgia and the Ukraine to join NATO's membership action plan (MAP), the path to eventual entry into NATO. This is a blow to President Bush, who received a mixed reception in Kiev today as he voiced his strong support for both Georgia and the Ukraine's NATO bids. He will travel to the Romania for the opening of the NATO summit tomorrow. Russia has voiced strong opposition to the candidacy of both nations, but Germany has denied the existence of a "Russian veto." France has also announced it won't back the plan.

>>Iraq - A tenuous peace appears to be holding in Baghdad and Basra following a call on Sunday by Moqtada al-Sadr for his followers to stand down.  Shops and schools have reopened.  A New York Times reporter details his personal experience in Basra.  Meanwhile, the deathtoll in Iraq for March was 50 percent higher than in February.

>>Somalia - Two UN Food and Agriculture Organization workers, a Kenyan and a Briton, were captured by gunmen on the road between Bu'aale and Sikow in southern Somalia.

>>Uganda - LRA leader Joseph Kony has delayed signing a peace agreement with the government of Uganda until April 10. Two different reasons have been given for the delay: 1) he just needs more time to reach the meeting place (he was walking to the Congo-Sudan border), and 2) he is sick.

• Next Round of Climate Change Talks
  Underway in Thailand
• For the Record
• UN Plaza: Talking Somalia

Africa

• href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/%7Er/wp-dyn/rss/world/index_xml/%7E3/261367045/AR2008033100899.html">Tanzania
  - Detainee Is Charged With Capital Murder in Embassy Bombing
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261612630/idUSL2350258020080401">Cameroon
  - Hungry crowds spell trouble for world leaders
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/01/france.internationalaidanddevelopment?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">Chad
  - Chad president pardons French charity workers

Americas

• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7324000.stm">Brazil
  - Brazil army aids Rio dengue fight
• href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/%7Er/wp-dyn/rss/world/index_xml/%7E3/261725289/AR2008033100703.html">Cuba
  - Cuba Repeals Ban on Its Citizens Staying in Hotels on Island
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7323715.stm">Ecuador
  - 'Ecuador incursion' into Colombia
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/01/internationalcrime?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">Jamaica
  - Jamaica slums locked in violence, report says
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261405483/idUSN3141011820080331"> style="font-weight: bold;">Ecuador - Ecuador
  sues Colombia over anti-drug spraying
• href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ac547f4e-ff49-11dc-b556-000077b07658.html">Argentina
  - Argentina unveils plan to end farm strike
• href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f0db67d2-ff48-11dc-b556-000077b07658.html">Venezuela
  - Caracas eyes 'dual currency'
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261467191/idUSN3132492920080331"> style="font-weight: bold;">Columbia - Colombia
  intercepts Ecuadorean military helicopter

Asia

• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261843450/idUSPEK640820080401">China
  - China says has evidence linking Lhasa riots to foreign groups
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7324155.stm">China
  - IOC warns China over web access
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/01/korea?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">Korea
  - Pyongyang lambasts new South Korean president
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7323895.stm">Russia
  - Russian cultists 'leave cave'
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7323791.stm">Afghanistan
  - Top Taleban leader 'is arrested'
• href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/28d3e6e6-ffa3-11dc-b556-000077b07658.html">Russia
  - Asian exports shifting to new markets
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261834119/idUSSP532420080401">China
  - China makes security top priority
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport1/hi/tennis/7323230.stm">Russia
  - Sharapova to miss Fed Cup semis
• href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/%7Er/wp-dyn/rss/world/index_xml/%7E3/261725286/AR2008033102691.html">Russia
  - Bin Laden Took Part in 1986 Arms Deal, Book Says
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261720672/idUST707120080401">Japan
  - Japan opposition threatens to censure minister

Europe

• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/01/theairlineindustry?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">France
  - French authorities find evidence of EADS insider trading
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261751232/idUSL0130611620080401">Finland
  - Texting scandal forces Finland foreign minister out
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/entertainment/7323746.stm">Greece
  - Film director Jules Dassin dies
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/world/europe/01cats.html?ex=1364702400&en=5fbaf64081b743f6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Switzerland
  - Lucerne Journal: A Push to Stop Swiss Cats From Being Turned Into
  Coats and Hats
• href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3655976.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093">Germany
  - The Red Baron flies back into role of the hero in Germany
• href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3656349.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093">France
  - Jean Sarkozy promoted to party chief of UMP, Neuilly-sur-Seine
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261383701/idUSMAT00802620080331"> style="font-weight: bold;">Italy - Italian
  city of Milan to host 2015 Expo
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261326794/idUSL3120426920080331"> style="font-weight: bold;">Serbia - Serbia
  says will hold May elections in Kosovo

Middle East

• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/7323910.stm">Iraq
  - Iraq UK troop reduction delayed
• href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/%7Er/wp-dyn/rss/world/index_xml/%7E3/261725287/AR2008033102330.html">Iraq
  - SEAL Killed in Iraq To Get Medal of Honor
• href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/%7Er/wp-dyn/rss/world/index_xml/%7E3/261725290/AR2008033102375.html">Israel
  - Israel Planning to Build Hundreds of New Homes
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/261619358/idUSL3164657920080401">Israel
  - Rice says Mideast talks on track, despite settlements
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/01/israelandthepalestinians1?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">Israel
  - Nomadic bedouin fight to survive in the village which does not exist
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/world/middleeast/01diplo.html?ex=1364702400&en=91e4a68fad59d54c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Israel
  - Pressed by Rice, Palestinian Leader Agrees to Return to Peace Talks
  With Israeli