AFGHANISTAN/UNITED STATES: Riots spread throughout the country, and eight U.S. soldiers were injured in a grenade blast after American military personnel burned several copies of the Koran. In an unrelated incident, two U.S. military officers were shot and killed inside a secure area of Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry building.  (New York Times)
SYRIA: Syrians voted Feb. 26 for a new constitution proposed by President Assad that could potentially end 50 years of one-party rule, despite calls for a boycott of the “farce” by the opposition.  (al Jazeera)
RUSSIA/UNITED STATES: In an article published one week before presidential elections, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin outlined a broad vision of how he would fortify Russia’s place in the world should he win. He heavily criticized U.S. foreign policy and said that America pursues its interests to the detriment of global security.  (RIA Novosti)
SENEGAL: Demonstrators gathered in Dakar and booed President Abdoulaye Wade as he went to the polls to seek reelection despite contradicting term limits that he inserted into the country’s constitution. The West sees the election as a crucial test of the country’s fragile democracy.  (Washington Post)
COLOMBIA: The guerilla group FARC announced it would free all individuals it currently holds captive and would discontinue kidnapping tactics in the future.  (El País)
MEXICO/G20: G20 finance ministers met in Mexico to discuss the global economy.  Discussions focused heavily on creating a financial backstop for the Eurozone.  (Globe & Mail)