The World

1 | Iran Nuclear Negotiations The Obama Administration is trying a new tack in its discussions with Tehran, calling on other nations to exert their influence to compel Iran to give up its suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons. In a letter to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Obama asked for Moscow's help in dealing with Tehran, although the White House denied offering to curtail U.S. plans for a missile-defense shield in Eastern Europe as a quid pro quo. The Administration has also asked Syria and China to pressure Iran, but the diplomatic focus remains on Russia, which is helping Iran complete its first nuclear reactor in the southern port city of Bushehr, scheduled to go on line this summer. Iran claims its nuclear program is solely for peaceful electricity generation.

2 | Phoenix U.S. Guns On Trial? Jury selection began March 3 in the trial of George Iknadosian, an Arizona gun-shop owner accused of knowingly selling weapons to buyers working for Mexican drug cartels. Federal authorities estimate that nearly 9 out of every 10 guns recovered at Mexican crime scenes can be traced to U.S. gun shops. Iknadosian faces a sentence of up to 250 years if convicted. Last year alone, more than 6,000 people were killed in Mexican drug violence.

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U.S. guns traced to Mexico

2,100 2006

3,300 2007

7,700 2008

SOURCE: WALL STREET JOURNAL

3 | New York City Still Too Big to Fail Insurer AIG, reeling from the collapse of mortgage-backed securities it underwrote, received a fourth massive infusion of federal funds, bringing total taxpayer liability to $180 billion. The same day, it posted a $61.7 billion quarterly loss--the largest in U.S. corporate history.

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Federal funds to AIG (in billions)

SEPT. 2008

$85 Sept. 16, 2008 A loan in exchange for giving the government a 79.9% stake in the company

$38 Oct. 8, 2008 A second loan provided after AIG used ¾ of the cash from the first loan in just two weeks

$27 Oct. 31--Nov. 10, 2008 Additional infusions, bringing total to $150 billion

$30 March 2, 2009 Loan and purchase of company shares

MARCH 2009

4 | Havana Cuban Shuffle In what analysts called the nation's biggest shake-up in decades, President Raúl Castro dismissed several top officials with ties to his ailing brother. The move, which some say indicates Castro is placing his imprimatur on the Cuban government, comes after his first year in office. Among those affected were Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque and Vice President Carlos Lage, both of whom had been considered potential presidential candidates. Fidel Castro backed the moves, blasting some of his former cohort for being corrupted by 'the honey of power.'

5 | The Netherlands Sudan Leader Charged The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's Darfur region, where about 300,000 people have been killed since 2003. The charges are the first for a sitting head of state since the court opened in 2002. While many hailed the milestone, others believe al-Bashir is unlikely to face justice.