NPR: Korva Coleman

French troops extricated Japan's ambassador to Ivory Coast from his home in Abidjan last night. The Guardian reports Ambassador Yoshifumi Okamura and seven staff members were sheltering in a safe room at his home when supporters of intransigent Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo broke in.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is visiting Capitol Hill, telling U.S. lawmakers despite economic hard times, the world body depends on American financial support. Today on Morning Edition, NPR's Michele Kelemen talks with Ban about the UN's more aggressive role in conflicts in Ivory Coast and Libya.

The Times of India says Pakistan would welcome an Indian commission that's examining the Mumbai terror attacks. In November, 2008, a handful of Pakistani-based gunmen terrorized the city over three days, killing 160 people. The countries are old enemies and the BBC describes the agreement as a diplomatic breakthough.

Leaders and foreign ministers of some 40 countries are meeting in London to discuss the next military steps in Libya. Rebels continue to battle fighters loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi for control of coastal cities. (This post will refresh every 30 minutes unless we jump in with breaking news.)

NATO has assumed control of the no-fly zone in Libya. Rebels in Libya are advancing west, clashing with fighters loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi. (This post will refresh every 30 minutes unless we jump in with breaking news.)

The Allies have two reasons for entering Libya: first, to encourage Col. Moammar Gadhafi to leave power and second, to meet the humanitarian needs of Libyan civilians.

Nobody has any clear idea what those needs are, other than the situation is dire.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan says the nuclear disaster at Fukushima is "grave and serious". Earlier, the government called for more people to leave a wider area circling the stricken nuclear complex.

The U.S. is transferring control of the no-fly zone over Libya to NATO. That means no Libyan aircraft will be able to take to the skies in any part of Libyan airspace.

But NPR's Tom Bowman tells Morning Edition it's still unclear who will lead the second part of the mission in Libya - protecting civilians from attack by fighters loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Tom says that's the harder task still being worked out, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mentioned:

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told a crowd of protesters in Sanaa today he's prepaerd to leave power but he'll only give it to someone with 'safe hands'. The New York Times and the Telegraph report Saleh and top Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar are negotiating the president's exit; Ahmar defected from the government earlier this week.

The report in Kyodo puts it so mildly: "The Japanese government has encouraged people living within 20 to 30 kilometers of the troubled nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture to leave voluntarily, with concerns over access to daily necessities rather than resident safety prompting the advice."

Here's a quick look at stories making headlines today:

For another night and day, Allied fighter planes attacked targets held by forces loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi, while Gadhafi's forces continue to attack rebels. (This post will refresh every 30 minutes unless we jump in with breaking news.)

Update at 6:55 a.m. ET: Rebels Besieged In The East: the BBC cites reports of fighting in Ajdabiya and burning houses; the city lies to the south of the main rebel city, Benghazi.