Top story: Inspectors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Monday that Iran had opened a new uranium enrichment facility near the city of Qom. The plant is known as Fordo and is buried under a mountain, likely to make it less vulnerable to attack.
Fordo is Iran's second major uranium enrichment site after its main plant in Natanz. Its operation remains open to the inspection of the IAEA, which has monitored the plant since the United States, Britain, and France revealed its location two years ago.
An IAEA spokeswoman said that the plant allowed Iran to produce uranium enriched to 20 percent purity. That would allow it to make fuel for a research reactor in Tehran, but it is also a much higher level than the enriched uranium produced at Natanz - meaning that it is also easier to turn into fuel for an atomic bomb.
Syria's leader blames conspiracy for unrest: In his first public speech in months, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that the turmoil in his country was caused by outside powers, and that "terrorism" would be met with an "iron first."
Asia
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An explosion at a bus terminal in Pakistan's northwest tribal region killed at least 30 people.
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North Korea announced a prisoner amnesty in honor of its two previous leaders, Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung.
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India's Muslim leaders demanded that author Salman Rushdie be banned from entering the country.
Middle East
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The deadline for Libya to give the International Criminal Court information about Saif al-Islam's status is approaching, but the Libyan government has yet to respond.
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A Bahraini policeman who joined the anti-government protests in February was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
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A satellite operator said that Iran was jamming the signal of the news station al-Jazeera.
Europe
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Disabled rights groups were alarmed by a Greek government plan to categorize pedophiles and pyromaniacs as "disabled."
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Britain approved the construction of a high-speed train line linking the cities of London and Birmingham.
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Egyptian Finance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali appeared at a lecture at the London School of Economics, but a hostile crowd led him to be escorted out of the room.
Africa
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Nigerian protesters used burning roadblocks during the second day of a strike protesting the removal of a fuel subsidy.
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A former U.S. army soldier was charged by U.S. prosecutors with trying to help Somalia's al-Shabab militant group.
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One person was killed during a stampede at Johannesburg University among people trying to enroll for classes.
Americas
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U.S. car manufacturers General Motors and Ford reported record sales in China.
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Nicaragua is poised to swear in Daniel Ortega as president for a third term.
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A landslide killed eight people in Brazil.
HMIDREZA NIKOMARAM/AFP/Getty Images
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