[World] Pope Francis sets out to defend weak, poor and the environment in first mass

Pope Francis sets out to defend weak, poor and the environment in first mass
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/19/pope-francis-first-mass-vatican
Pope Francis has urged the princes, presidents, sheiks and thousands of ordinary people gathered for his installation mass to protect the environment, the weakest and the poorest as he set out his priorities as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

Syria rebels and regime blame each other for 1st alleged chemical weapons attack
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57575054/syria-rebels-and-regime-blame-each-other-for-1st-alleged-chemical-weapons-attack/
Updated at 8:21 a.m. Eastern. DAMASCUS, Syria Syrian state media accused rebels of firing a chemical weapon for the first time on Tuesday in the north of the country, killing at least 15 people in the war-torn Aleppo province.

Obama's Mideast trip: how he plans to win over the Israeli public, and why
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2013/0319/Obama-s-Mideast-trip-how-he-plans-to-win-over-the-Israeli-public-and-why
President Obama's visit to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan this week is scheduled to include more than five hours of meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as the president seeks to reduce tensions with the leader of America's closest ...

Syria says opposition usage of chemical weapon "dangerous escalation"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9940103/Syria-accuses-rebels-of-using-chemical-weapons.html
... • Syrian Information Minister Zoubi slammed the armed groups firing of a chemical rocket in Aleppo. • "In today's crime, the terrorists have used an internationally- prohibited weapon," Zoubi said.

Xi Stresses Positive US Ties in Lew Meeting Amid Tensions
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/china-s-leader-xi-jinping-meets-us-treasury-secretary-jack-lew-344172
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed positive ties with the U.S. in his first meeting with a foreign official since taking the post amid tensions between the world's two biggest economies over espionage and exchange rates.

Death toll from Nigeria bus station attack at least 22
http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/new-video-of-french-hostages-surfaces-1.1488842
An attack that saw two suicide bombers ram their car into a bus station in northern Nigeria has killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens more, police said Tuesday.

Iran, P5+1 review proposals in Istanbul meeting: statement
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/take-immediate-steps-to-reduce-tensions-obama-tells-iran/379764-2.html
TEHRAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran said in a statement issued here on Tuesday that the Iran's experts and the P5+1 group reviewed proposals by both sides in their latest meeting in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Press TV reported.

Cameron's Leveson deal is 'threat to press freedom'
http://www.channel4.com/news/leveson-press-regulation-talks-david-cameron-royal-charter
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which usually polices elections to ensure against human rights abuses, said that the phone hacking scandal should not be used as an "excuse" to restrict free speech.

Supreme Court Publishes Cord Petition Ahead of Hearing
http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/kenyans-try-to-move-on-from-another-election-debacle/
The Supreme Court has today published the petition by the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord) challenging the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman's announcement of Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner of the March 4 election ...

Philippine court delays contraception law
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21842167
The Philippine supreme court on Tuesday temporarily blocked President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino's social programme expanding poor couples' access to artificial contraceptives days before its March 31 implementation.

Pakistan arrests former militant leader over Daniel Pearl killing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/19/pakistan-arrest-over-daniel-pearl
Pakistan has arrested a former militant leader in connection with the 2002 murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, security officials said on Monday.

Irish leader Enda Kenny makes historic visit to New York's Freedom Tower - VIDEO
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-leader-Enda-Kenny-makes-historic-visit-to-New-Yorks-Freedom-Tower---VIDEO-198944861.html
The Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the reconstruction of the Twin Towers site is “symbolic of the path Ireland is taking” on its path to economic recovery.