>>Pakistan - Within minutes of assuming his new role, Pakistan's new Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani released a dozen judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, detained by President Musharraf last year. PM Gillani also called for a UN investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

>>Iraq - Government security forces battled with Shi'ite militias in Basra today in an attempt to bring the city under federal control. The battle may prove important in the British exit strategy. Meanwhile, followers of Muqtada al Sadr continued to engage in a national civil disobedience campaign.

>>Comoros - The archipelago nation of Comoros, located off the coast of Mozambique, has, with the assistance of 1,350 African Union troops, taken control of the rebel island of Anjouan. Anjouan, an island of 300,000, was led by Mohamed Bacar, who had clung to power after an illegal election last year. Comoros has endured 20 coups since it gained independence in 1975.

>>Tibet - Protesting Tibetan monks, joined by locals hundreds of locals to call for the return of the Dalai Lama, were fired on by Chinese paramilitaries in Garze, which borders Tibet. Reports suggest that at least two were killed.

• Meanwhile, a Global Food Crisis
• UN Plaza: Parag Khanna explains the
  Second World

Africa

• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7312018.stm">Mining
  forces out thousands in SA
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7312311.stm">Slow
  progress on Kenyan cabinet
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/africa/25briefs-WHOSAYSPOLIO_BRF.html?ex=1364097600&en=bd27a4fc3257a6d6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">TB
  Patients Chafe Under Lockdown in South Africa
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/africa/25briefs-WHOSAYSPOLIO_BRF.html?ex=1364097600&en=bd27a4fc3257a6d6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Somalia:
  W.H.O. Says Polio Has Been Eradicated Again
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7311564.stm">Ugandans
  'forgive' Gaddafi

Americas

• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/257451684/idUSN2535830620080325">Colombia
  revives tensions with comments: Chavez
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/257431385/idUSN2434832720080325">Venezuela
  Chavez basks in needed glory of Exxon win
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/middleeast/25iraq.html?ex=1364184000&en=070fb77149dd6bf4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Two
  Contractors Abducted in Iraq Are Found Dead
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/americas/25briefs-DENGUEFEVERO_BRF.html?ex=1364184000&en=2a9de5828497757d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Brazil:
  Dengue Fever Outbreak
• href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3614127.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093">Economy
  takes place of war in election fight
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7312018.stm">Mining
  forces out thousands in SA
• href="http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/%7Er/wp-dyn/rss/world/index_xml/%7E3/257408637/AR2008032402995.html">Bush
  Says War's Outcome 'Will Merit the Sacrifice'
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7311945.stm">Earthquake
  strikes northern Chile

Asia

• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/25/china.tibet?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">Just
  like America, China is building a multi-ethnic empire in the west
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/25/afghanistan.internationalaidanddevelopment1?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">40%
  of Afghan aid returns to donor countries, says report
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7312335.stm">Fresh
  inquiry into Gujarat riots
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/257553426/idUSPEK35655120080325">Torch
  protest was "disgraceful", says China
• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7312240.stm">BBC
  website 'unblocked in China'
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/257510504/idUSL2511175020080325">Russia's
  Medvedev presses NATO over expansion
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/asia/25afghan.html?ex=1364184000&en=913a5777cd39e14f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">5
  Dead in Attack on Mine-Clearing Team in Afghanistan
• href="http://feeds.reuters.com/%7Er/reuters/worldNews/%7E3/257435849/idUSISL4141920080325">Bhutanese
  vote sees rejection of king's in-laws

Europe

• href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7312477.stm">Up
  to 100 cars in Austrian crash
• href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5f9301dc-fa51-11dc-aa46-000077b07658.html">Iceland
  unexpectedly raises rates to 15%
• href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/25/crash.motorway.austria?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">One
  dead in Austrian motorway crash
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/europe/25briefs-USCUTSEMBASS_BRF.html?ex=1364184000&en=cb785441920da6f7&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Belarus:
  U.S. Cuts Embassy Staff
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/europe/25briefs-USCOMPANYSHU_BRF.html?ex=1364184000&en=6cbff451145916b4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">The
  Netherlands: U.S. Company Shuts Anti-Koran Web
  Site
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/europe/25bulgaria.html?ex=1364184000&en=953e3fe37b46a9f9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Out
  of East Germany via Bulgaria
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/europe/25andorra.html?ex=1364184000&en=991b248b8f970191&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Andorra
  La Vella Journal: Hard Times Hit a Postage-Stamp Land
• href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/europe/25kosovo.html?ex=1364184000&en=79787df479901882&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Serbia
  Formally Proposes Ethnic Partition of Kosovo