Ukraine: Parliament Approves Azarov As PM
March 11, 2010 1114 GMT
Ukraine's parliament approved President Viktor Yanukovich's ally Mykola Azarov as prime minister, RIA Novosti reported March 11. Azarov received 242 approval votes; a minimum of 226 was needed.

U.S.: Iran's Taliban Support Limited
March 11, 2010 1104 GMT
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Iranian support for the Taliban in Afghanistan is "pretty limited so far," The Washington Post reported March 11. Gates said he talked about Iran playing a double game in Afghanistan, wanting a good relationship with the Afghan government and wanting to make it more difficult for the United States. Gates stated that the level of Iran's support for the Taliban has been pretty limited, adding that he was trying to express the hope that it wouldn't get any worse.

Ukraine: Yanukovich Submits PM Candidate
March 11, 2010 1055 GMT
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich formally proposed to parliament the candidacy of his ally Mykola Azarov for the post of prime minister, RIA Novosti reported March 11.

Ukraine: Parliament To Appoint New PM
March 11, 2010 1044 GMT
The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) plans to form a new coalition and appoint the country’ s new prime minister, Itar-Tass reported March 11. Lawmaker Alexander Yefremov projected that the new coalition will nominate a leader of the Party of Regions Nikolai Azarov as prime minister, adding that “practically no one has doubts” about Azarov’s candidature for the prime minister’s post.

South Korea, Turkey: FTA Talks To Begin Soon
March 11, 2010 0901 GMT
South Korea and Turkey will reportedly begin talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) soon, Korea's KBS reported March 11. The Turkish trade minister stated that the two countries would sign a memorandum of understanding to begin FTA talks during an upcoming round of bilateral trade minister talks. He said FTA negotiations would likely be concluded by the end of this year.

South Korea: FM Travels To Beijing
March 11, 2010 0842 GMT
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan will visit China next week for talks on ways to bring North Korea back to nuclear negotiations and other bilateral issues, Yonhap reported March 11. Foreign Ministry spokesman Kim Young Sun said Yu will fly to Beijing for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Kim said Yu's trip to China will mainly focus on ways to improve bilateral ties between the two countries, but the ministers are also expected to discuss ways to resume six-nation talks on denuclearizing North Korea.

Yemen: 2 Killed As Police, Separatists Clash
March 11, 2010 0823 GMT
At least two people were killed and several others injured in clashes between police and pro-separatist protesters in southern Yemen, DPA reported March 11. Witnesses said one protester was killed and four others injured in clashes in Dhalea, south of Sanaa. Another protester was killed in Tour al-Baha in neighboring Lahj province. Approximately 5,000 people attended a Sanaa sit-in called by the main opposition parties to denounce the violence in the south.

South Korea: Interest Rate Kept At Record Low
March 11, 2010 0807 GMT
The Bank of Korea said it kept the benchmark seven-day repurchase rate at 2 percent, AP reported March 11. The bank's monetary policy committee stated that the economy continues to recover amid rising exports and a steady increase in domestic demand. Uncertainty remains regarding economic growth due to problems of excessive government debt in some countries. The BOK will maintain its accommodative policy stance for an extended period of time but consensus is growing that the degree of the bank's soft credit policy needs to be reduced gradually, Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Seong Tae said.

Afghanistan: Karzai Visits Pakistan
March 11, 2010 0756 GMT
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is visiting Pakistan and wants Islamabad to hand over captured Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and insisted Afghanistan is dedicated to pursuing peace talks with the militants despite lukewarm enthusiasm from the U.S., AP reported March 11. Karzai said the Afghan government is pursuing a fundamentally changed policy approach together with Pakistan, working toward stability in both countries. He said his government had contacts within the Taliban leadership "as high as you wish to go" but would not say if that included Mullah Omar. He reiterated his willingness to talk to Omar "Afghan to Afghan."

Somalia: Fighting Resumes In Mogadishu
March 11, 2010 0730 GMT
Fighting and shelling between government forces and insurgents broke out in Abdiaziz District in Mogadishu, Shabelle Media Network reported March 11. The sound of heavy artillery and gunfire was heard near Behani neighborhood in Abdiaziz District where armed groups and government forces were facing each other.

Afghanistan: No Indian Advisory Issued
March 11, 2010 0724 GMT
India asserted that its commitment to development partnership with Afghanistan remained "undiluted" and refuted reports that it planned to scale-down its presence in that country, The Hindu reported March 11. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash dismissed reports that New Delhi was issuing an advisory to its citizens in Afghanistan to return home, stating that such reports were baseless and factually incorrect. He confirmed India's commitment to its development partnership with Afghanistan.

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Talks On Hold
March 11, 2010 0649 GMT
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not enter indirect peace talks with Israel as planned due to Israel's approval of plans to build 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo, the Jerusalem Post reported March 11.

China: Inflation, Industrial Production Accelerate
March 11, 2010 0607 GMT
China's National Bureau of Statistics said consumer prices rose 2.7 percent from a year earlier and up from January's 1.5 percent rate, Bloomberg reported March 11. Production expanded 20.7 percent in the first two months of the year. Banks extended 700 billion yuan ($103 billion) of new loans in February, central bank data showed. Retail sales rose 17.9 percent in the first two months from a year earlier, and urban fixed-asset investment gained 26.6 percent.

Japan: Economic Growth Revised Down
March 11, 2010 0601 GMT
Japan's economy expanded an annualized real 3.8 percent in the October-December quarter, revised down from an initially reported 4.6 percent growth, AP reported March 11.

Somalia: Offensive To Begin Within Weeks
March 11, 2010 0039 GMT
Within weeks, the Somali government will begin a highly anticipated operation to retake Mogadishu from Islamist groups with help from the U.S. military, Xinhua reported March 10, citing a Somali military officer. He said the offensive, which has been planned for some time, is being coordinated with the United States because without its help the operation may not be a success. He added that Somali government forces will be responsible for most of the operation once it gets underway.

Pakistan: Passenger With Bullets, Explosives Held At Airport
March 11, 2010 0026 GMT
A passenger was caught with heavy cache of bullets and explosives at Quaid-e-Azam International Airport in Karachi, The News reported March 10. He was on his way to Dubai via a private airline at the time. According to sources, the passenger is reportedly from Rajanpur, as he was holding a Rajanpur passport. Sources also report that the accused did not have an accomplice on the flight.

Brief: Sudan Scrutinizes Nigerian Peacekeepers
March 11, 2010 0010 GMT
Applying STRATFOR analysis to breaking news
Sudan's foreign ministry summoned to Khartoum March 10 the acting head of the U.N./African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) peacekeeping force, after concerns were raised on Darfuri rebels acquiring Nigerian peacekeepers' arms in a mysterious March 5 ambush in the mountainous Jebbel Marrah region. The Sudanese army claimed March 8 that forces belonging to a faction of the Darfuri rebel group Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLA-AW) attacked a UNAMID convoy and reportedly held around 60 soldiers hostage for 24 hours, and the rebels reportedly acquired seven Toyota 4x4's, ten communication devices, seven large artillery and 53 assault rifles. Al-Nur, who lives in France but whose forces have been battling the Sudanese army in Jebbel Marrah for weeks, has denied the allegations, but that has not quelled the Sudanese government's suspicion of the Nigerian UNAMID battalion. Nigerian peacekeepers have been accused by Khartoum of giving materiel to Darfuri rebel groups before, which is why the battalion reportedly losing the arms without firing a shot would raise eyebrows within the Sudanese government. Khartoum has requested that a joint investigation be launched into the matter, as well as that the Nigerian battalion be rotated out of Jebbel Marrah.

Venezuela, Costa Rica: Retired General Dismisses Arrest Report
March 11, 2010 0009 GMT
Retired Venezuelan Gen. Enrique Medina Gomez dismissed earlier reports of his arrest by Venezuela's Bolivarian Intelligence Service at Maiquetia International Airport, El Nacional reported March 10. Medina Gomez said he is currently under political asylum in Costa Rica.

U.S.: Gates Asks For Saudi Support On Iran Sanctions
March 10, 2010 2316 GMT
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on March 10 spoke with Saudi King Abdullah and asked for Saudi Arabia's support in lobbying for U.N. sanctions on Iran, Reuters reported. Gates also spoke with King Abdullah about ways to improve the Saudi air and missile defenses. The United States hopes that "the Saudis will use whatever influence they have, which is considerable, in this region and throughout the world to try to help us," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

Iran: Council's Authority 'Should Not Change'
March 10, 2010 2314 GMT
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said March 10 that the Guardian Council's ability to supervise elections and vet candidates should remain unchanged, Fars News Agency reported. Khamenei said there should be no argument, as the constitution granted the authority to the Guardian Council.