Around the World for 03/27/08

Clinton, Obama offer economic recovery plans - Democrat Barack Obama said today tougher government regulations that reflect the realities of modern finance are needed to get a grip on the economy before it gets even worse. Rival Hillary Rodham Clinton said Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain isn't prepared to handle a call about an economic emergency.

Thousands in Baghdad Protest Basra Assault - In direct confrontation with the American-backed government in Iraq, thousands of supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia took to the streets of Baghdad on Thursday to protest the Iraqi Army’s assault on the southern port city of Basra, as intense fighting continued there for a third day.

Dollar gains on weak economic growth - The dollar gained against the euro on Thursday as data confirmed that the United States economy was still growing in the fourth quarter, albeit weakly. The euro bought $1.5784 in afternoon European trading, down from $1.5815 in New York late Wednesday.

Oil hits $107 on pipeline blast - Oil prices touched $107 a barrel after one of Iraq's main export pipelines was blown up. The rise extended Wednesday's gains of $4 a barrel after a US report showed lower-than-expected petrol stocks.

YouTube Feature Tells Video Creators When and Where a Clip Is Being Watched - In a move to provide better data to its users, YouTube formally announced late Wednesday that it had added a free feature that will show video creators when and where viewers are watching their videos. With this, the company hopes to turn YouTube from an online video site into a place where marketers can test their messages, Tracy Chan, YouTube product manager, said.