>>Iraq - A law that would pave the way for provincial elections has been allowed to proceed by Iraq's Presidency Council, possibly opening a new door to political progress. The law was originally part of a trifecta, including the 2008 budget and an amnesty bill, passed on February 14 and originally seen as a major breakthrough by U.S. leadership. The Presidency Council had since held back its enactment amid objections from Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi, a Shi'ite, that the law would allow the central government to dissolve provincial governments.

>>Kosovo - Croatia, Hungary, and Bulgaria have announced that they will officially recognize Kosovo, bringing the total to over 30. Macedonia is also posed to do the same, but a minor border dispute with Kosovo is still outstanding. Kosovo, bound by international commitments to concede the mere 8 square miles in question, has said that it wants recognition first before deciding on the boundary.

>>Osama bin Laden - Last night, Osama bin Laden released a five-minute audio message treatening the EU over the publication of cartoons featuring the Prophet Mohammad, a "crusade" in which bin Laden claims the Pope is involved. This message, coinciding with what is celebrated as the birthday of the Prophet, was bin Laden's first since 29 November 2007. The cartoons were first published two years ago by Danish daily Jyllands-Posten and then reprinted by other papers . Danish newspapers again reprinted the cartoon on 13 February 2008, after three men were arrested in a plot to kill the cartoonist.

• An opportunity for Somalia?
• The UN (Back) in Iraq
• Day One for Iraq
• Human Rights and Security in Iraq
• Five Years Later: Remembering the
  Refugees

Africa

• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7304579.stm">Yemen
  pushes Palestinian talks

Americas

• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7304412.stm">Oil
  debate stirs Mexico passions

Asia

• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/254712831/idUSTP24080220080320">Taiwan
  election likely to breathe life into economy
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/254722734/idUSL2049095420080320">Nine
  killed in Chechnya firefight: Russian agencies
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/19/pakistan?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">Pakistan
  gets first female speaker
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7304557.stm">Indonesia
  'needs bird flu help'
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7305445.stm">Dalai
  Lama urges Tibet dialogue
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7306115.stm">Bail
  denied for Khmer Rouge head
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7306167.stm">Cheney
  in surprise Afghan visit
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/7306223.stm">Shares
  fall on commodity sell-off
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-kashmir-explosion.html?ex=1363752000&en=35bc9bb0a38a1a6c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">At
  Least Two Dozen Wounded in Kashmir Blast
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/world/asia/20tibet.html?ex=1363752000&en=aaacd955f1f6797a&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">In
  Tibetan Areas, Parallel Worlds Now Collide

Europe

• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/world/europe/20briefs-greece.html?ex=1363752000&en=33eaf2a7706f7547&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Greece:
  Walkouts Paralyze Country