International Headlines
Mar 21: Cyber attack
Unidentified hackers used a Chinese IP address to contact servers of South Korean banks and plant malware which attacked their computers, South Korean officials say, but the identity of those behind it cannot be confirmed. Hackers can route their attacks through addresses in other countries, but the discovery has strengthened speculation that North Korea was behind the attack.
Mar 20: Body parts Murder
Luke Magnatta, 30, a Canadian pornography actor accused of killing and dismembering his Chinese lover and posting his body parts to politicians has appeared in court. He was arrested in Berlin following an international manhunt after a headless torso was found near his Montreal apartment.
Mar 19: Nuclear power failure
A power failure at Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant has affected cooling systems for the ponds which store spent fuel from the reactors. Cooling to the reactors themselves has not been affected. The plant was crippled by the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, leading to meltdowns, and tens of thousands of evacuees remain unable to return home.
Mar 18: India Rape
Police in Madhya Pradesh have arrested six people in connection with the gang rape of a Swiss tourist who was attacked as she camped with her husband in woodland. A group of men overpowered her husband before gang-raping her, and robbing the couple of their valuables.
Mar 17: Chinese Renaissance
The new Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has said he will fight for "the great renaissance of the Chinese nation". Closing the annual National People's Congress, he urged delegates to reject extravagance and fight corruption. His urged greater national unity and stressed that continued economic development was essential.
Mar 16: Pakistan makes History
Raja Pervez Ashraf, Pakistan's PM, has hailed as "a victory" for democracy the completion of a full term by an elected government for the first time in the country's history. "No-one will be able to harm democracy in future" Mr Ashraf said, "The democratic forces have finally achieved a victory.
Mar 15: China warns Pope
While congratulating the new Pope, China has warned the Vatican not to interfere in what China calls its internal affairs. Hua Chunying, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said the Vatican “must stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, including in the name of religion”. China's new leadership is assuming power, with Li Keqiang named as premier today. He is expected to spend a decade in office.
Mar 14: Latin American Pope
Pope Francis of Argentina is the first pope from outside Europe in 1,300 years. Latin America is home to 40% of the world's Catholics. As a Cardinal, he had a reputation as a humble pastor who even in high office commuted to work by bus, lived in an apartment rather than an apostolic palace and cooked his own meals.
Mar 13: Hostages Released
The Kurdish militant group, the PKK, has released eight Turkish hostages who it has held in northern Iraq for two years, sources at the scene say. The move is being seen as part of efforts to end the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the PKK. "The [peace] process is going just fine” said Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister, Besir Atalay.
Mar 12: Falklands Referendum
The people of the Falkland Islands have voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory. There were only three votes against out of 1,517 votes cast, with a turnout of more than 90%. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner had said the inhabitants' wishes were not relevant in what is a territorial issue.
Mar 11: Rapist Dead
A suspect in the abduction, rape and murder of a student in Delhi has been found dead in prison. Police say Ram Singh hanged himself in Tihar jail, Delhi, although defence lawyers have questioned this. He was one of five men being held in the case. They all deny the charges.
Mar 10: Aleppo
Syrian opposition campaigners said at least 20 bodies of young men shot by security forces were found on Sunday in a small waterway running through the contested city of Aleppo. Syrian authorities have banned most independent media, making it difficult to verify reports from inside Syria.
Mar 9: Protests in Egypt
Egyptian protesters torched buildings in Cairo and tried to disrupt shipping on the Suez Canal. The protest was sparked by a court ruling: death sentences were imposed on 21 local soccer fans for their role in a riot last year when more than 70 people were killed. The protest shows that Islamist President Mohamed Mursi is struggling to maintain law and order at a time of economic and political crisis.
Mar 8: Peace Pact scrapped
North Korea says it is scrapping all non-aggression pacts with South Korea, closing its hotline with Seoul and shutting their shared border point. This follows UN sanctions punishing Pyongyang for its nuclear test last month. Earlier, Pyongyang said it reserved the right to a pre-emptive nuclear strike against its "aggressors".
Mar 7: Citizens’ rights
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has denounced new laws passed in Russia as an "attack on citizens' rights". He has called on President Vladimir Putin "not to be afraid of his own people". The laws include fines for organising unsanctioned protests, stiffer libel penalties, a wider definition of treason and restrictions on websites.