AP Digital News: Musharraf Swears in New Prime Minister 25 March

Pakistanis hope that the new Prime Minister will bring democracy and stability to the country.

There has been some apprehension within Pakistan that the US could try to prop up Musharraf so that counter-terrorism operations in the region are not disturbed by the changing of the guard in Islamabad. Members of Sharif's party wore black armbands as they were sworn in, to protest against Musharraf, whom they consider an unconstitutional president. HL

Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf will face further political isolation after the swearing-in of the country's likely new prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Prime Minister Soe Win, 58, presumed to have been the architect of an attack on supporters of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2003, was believed to be suffering from leukaemia and had been treated for several months in a top Singapore hospital. Video shot by pro-democracy activists in Myanmar, showing September's monk-led demonstrations and the crackdown that followed, has been smuggled out of the country.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vowed on Thursday to pursue a crackdown on Shiite gunmen despite mounting casualties, as Iraqi troops battled militias in the cities of Basra and Kut. In Baghdad, followers of the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr staged noisy protests. Images and soundbites from AFPTV.

Bhutto's release was welcomed in Washington. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said other political detainees should also be freed. In a separate development, Musharraf swore in an ally as caretaker prime minister -- Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro -- and a 24-member cabinet to oversee the parliamentary elections due by Jan. 9.

Under Palestinian law, an emergency government can stay in power for up to 30 days. The state of emergency could be extended for another period of 30 days, but only after winning the approval of two thirds of parliament. Hamas holds a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council though Israeli arrests of its deputies makes it difficult to reach a quorum and hold decision-making sessions.

Under Palestinian law, Abbas can declare a state of emergency to sack the government for a period of up to 30 days. The state of emergency could be extended for another period of 30 days, but only after winning the approval of two thirds of the parliament. Hamas has a majority in the parliament, although Israel's arrests of nearly half of Hamas's lawmakers put that majority in doubt and also make it hard to reach a quorum. That could enable Abbas to keep the state of emergency in place longer.

Addressing more than two-thousand party activists, Benazir Bhutto said she would take part in the parliamentary elections despite concerns the outcome would be rigged. The former Prime Minister, who returned to Pakistan in October after eight years in exile, is the first major political leader to launch a campaign since President Musharraf stepped down as leader of the army.

Political parties in Thailand face the challenge of forming a new coalition government. This follows an overwhelming show of support in national elections for The People Power Party - a party that openly supports the country's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006.