(PHOTO: Tian Tian, `Sweetie'/Telegraph)

(PHOTO: Edinburgh Zoo/Telegraph)Tian Tian had "called out incessantly to Yang Guang" & pressed her paws & nose up to the grate separating them.  Both were keen to mate & have both bred before with other pandas, but their inexperience together showed.  Keepers say that while a baby panda would have been a "bonus", it is only the 1st attempt in a 10-year project.  They are the 1st giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years.  (Read more at The Independent-Watch Pandacam HERE) 

Pakistan has banned India's James Bond, outlawing a high-octane Bollywood action flick in which an Indian secret agent thwarts Pakistani spies from detonating a nuclear bomb in Delhi, stating "The film contains anti-Pakistan material".  Agent Vinod, which grossed US $9.7 million on its opening weekend, shows an Indian agent jetting around the world, dodging assassins to save his country from nuclear Armageddon & colluding with Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani terror group which was blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead & ruptured peace talks between India & Pakistan for 3 years. Saif Ali Khan, an Indian & its producer & star, has defended the film saying "Our film shows there are good Pakistanis & bad Pakistanis. We have shown both the sides".  The `Bollywood' Bond comes at a sensitive time for Pakistan's intelligence service, still dealing with the fact that al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden spent years living in the garrison city of Abbottabad. India & Pakistan have fought 3 wars since partition in 1947 & came to the brink of nuclear conflict in 2002.  (Read more at The Sun Daily)

(Video: RT via National Geographic Society)

National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron completed a record-breaking dive to the lowest point of the Mariana Trench, when his "vertical torpedo" sub broke the surface of the western Pacific, some 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Guam.  (See raw video above).  Cameron emerged from the pilot's capsule around noon, local time (10 p.m. ET March 25th). The  Mariana Trench's `Challenger Deep' - the deepest point on Earth - "looks as bleak & barren as the moon", according to Cameron.  After a descent that took roughly 2 1/2 hours, Cameron spent about 3 hours in the trench, filming, before making an even quicker than expected 70-minute ascent to the surface.  (Read more at NatGeo)

(Map: Mariana Islands at map-right, east of the Philippine Sea & just west of the Mariana Trench in the ocean floor/Wikipedia) Titanic filmmaker & ocean enthusiast James Cameron has become the 1st solo explorer to reach the deepest point of the world - the western Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench - just east of the 14 Mariana Islands (11"21' North latitude; 142" 12' East longitude) near Japan.  The deepest part of the Mariana Trench is called `The Challenger Deep', so named after the British exploratory vessel HMS Challenger II, a fishing boat converted into a sea lab by Swiss scientist Jacques Piccard, which 1st pinpointed & surveyed the trench's deepest point, giving it the name, "The Challenger Deep". 

Only 4 descents have ever been achieved. The 1st  manned descent was by Trieste in 1960. In March of 1995, the Japanese unmanned submarine Kaiko - a sophisticated vessel with a highly accurate positioning system - allowed scientists to gather important data without the need to endanger a human diver. 

(Map: Location of Challenger Deep within the Western Pacific Ocean/Wikipedia)  Cameron took his own custom built submarine - the lime green `Vertical Torpedo'  - almost 7 miles down - leaving the ocean's surface at approximately 2:00am local time, touching down in the Mariana Trench at 7:52am (5:52pm EDT) according to a statement from the National Geographic Society, which is sponsoring the expedition.  In the trench Cameron is experiencing total darkness at 36,000 ft. below the surface & is expected to spend 6 hours collecting samples & filming in 3D.  Cameron tweeted:  "Just arrived at the ocean's deepest pt. Hitting bottom never felt so good. Can't wait to share what I'm seeing w/ you @DeepChallenge".

Check out the women’s Google Doodle here, and great photos of ladies around the world here and here.

Stories: Turkish women face discrimination, violence, illiteracy despite small gains 

Discrimination, violence, unequal power relations, lack of education and child marriage are still problems that Turkish women face on this year's March 8, International Women's Day, which is being marked by several events highlighting the worrying issues women have to deal with instead of joyful celebrations. “Aren't you ashamed?” asked the Association for Education and Supporting Women Candidates (KA.DER)which has been keeping track of the number of women in public offices for the last five years. (READ MORE at Today's Zaman) 

MORE STORIES: 'Let's Make a Commitment to Education' from The Guardian; 'IWD 2012 Marks Little Progress Worldwide in Women's Health and Education' from The Toronto Star;'Celebrating International Women's Day 2012: UNESCO's efforts for Rural Women' here

(PHOTO: Aden Adde International Airport, Mogadishu, Somalia/Google Earth)It was the latest sign of confidence in growing stability in the Somali capital – & of Turkey's emergence as an influential geopolitical player. TA was the 1st airline to offer renewed international service to Tripoli,Libya after the government of Muammar Gaddafi fell last summer. As a gesture of the importance of this diplomatic milestone, Bekir Bozdag, the Turkish deputy prime minister, was among a high-profile delegation on board the flight from Istanbul's Atatürk airport.

(PHOTO: Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ/SONNA)He was welcomed by Somalia's president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, as well as the acting prime minister, parliamentary speaker & other members of the Somali cabinet. UN ambassadors & other international officials were also present. A group of women danced & sang as the aircraft landed at an airport that for many years was controlled by rival militia groups. Istanbul will host a follow-up to the recent London conference on Somalia in June. (Read more at Garowe Online)

Britain' Prince Harry arrived Monday Kingston for his 1st official visit to Jamaica,  after having toured Brazil, Belize, the Bahamas as a representative of Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee on the British throne.  Harry is scheduled to meet with newly elected Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller at a time when many islanders want out of the British realm. In 1655 Jamaica became an English (later British) colony, known as "Jamaica". It achieved full independence on August 6, 1962 & is celebrating its 50th year in August. It remains a Commonwealth realm in concert with theMonarchy of Jamaica holding ultimate executive power, where Queen Elizabeth II is the current head of state & Queen of Jamaica.

(PHOTO: Bob Marley's flat in 1972 at 34 Ridgmount Gardens, London, his first UK address/Wikipedia)With 2.8 million people, it is the 3rd most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States & Canada.  In Jamaica for 4 days, Harry will meet with superstar sprinter Usain Bolt. He's also a huge rap fan who & is expected to make the club scene.   Jamaica's own influence on British culture can be traced to the `ska' revolution of the early 1960s.  Superstar Bob Marley recorded 3 of his most famous albums (Live!, Exodus, Kaya) there & reggae music was the soundtrack for rebellious British youth in the 1970s.  (Read more at The Jamaica Observer)

(PHOTO: Shareef Sarhan/UN)FIFA's headscarve ban has become a political football, sparking outrage across the world from players and fans.  While the UN  has asked soccer's world governing body to overturn its decision not to allow women to wear Hijab (the Islamic headscarf) during game play, Prince Ali Al Hussein of Jordan, at 36 the youngest member of FIFA`s executive committee, will address the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its annual meeting in England on Saturday.  On Thursday he said he would be very disappointed for millions of women players if IFAB did not sanction its use, reversing a decision it made in March 2007.  "It is not a religious garment, it is a matter of culture.  It`s prejudice. It's not fair. It has to be dealt with. Long sleeves & leggings are already allowed."  CAF, the African confederation, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), & a number of Premier League players have given their support to wearing Hijab. Additionally, a number of sports already allow Hijab including rugby, fencing, netball & taekwando.  (Read More at Bangkok Post)

(PHOTO: Rio Carnival goers celebrate during the Banda de Ipanema street parade on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro/AFP)

(PHOTO: Carla del Ponte as witch at the Rijeka Carnival/Wikipedia)Carnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February & typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask & public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations, which mark an overturning of daily life. (via WIKIPEDIA)

(PHOTO: Masquerade ball at the Carnival of Venice/Wikipedia)The festival of Carnival is celebrated worldwide in nations including:  Andalusia, Angola, Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Azores, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Catalonia, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica,  Macedonia, Madeira, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands-Antilles, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saba, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, the USVI, & Venezuela.