Around the world in 180 characters

Every weekend, USA TODAY takes a bite-size look in approximately 180 characters per item at the past week's top stories from around the world.

Malaysian mystery

Two weeks on, the international hunt for the missingMalaysia Airlines jet has yielded few tangible clues about its disappearance.

Access denied

Turkey temporarily blocked access to Twitter after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to "rip out the roots" of the social media network.

Gunned down

Taliban gunmen killed nine people, including four foreigners, execution-style in a landmark luxury hotel in Kabul.

FLOTUS abroad

First lady Michelle Obama kicked off a week of gentle diplomacy in China, in the company of her Chinese counterpart, plus Obama's mother and two daughters.

No peace

Israeli warplanes unleashed a series of airstrikes on Syrian military posts in one of the most serious clashes between the countries in the past four decades.

Part of Russia

Russia annexed Crimea after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law the incorporation, calling it a "remarkable event." The United States and Europe announced sanctions.

For sale

Oscar Pistorius' lawyer said the double-amputee athlete is selling the house where he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp to raise money for his legal bills.

Presidential violence

Egyptian militants have intensified violence before a presidential election to pick a replacement for jailed ex-president Mohammed Morsi.

Notable date: Water day

March 22 is World Water Day. About 3.4 million people die each year from a water-related disease. More information is available at http://water.org/.