Main news of February 25

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has repeatedly come under heated criticism for involvement in prostitution and fraud scandals during his term in office, expressed his confidence he is the best possible national leader

* Russia condemns Libyan authorities over its use of force against civilians, President Dmitry Medvedev said

* Tens of thousands of demonstrators converged on Cairo's central Tahrir Square demanding the resignation of the cabinet appointed four weeks ago by President Hosni Mubarak before he stepped down

* The U.S. ambassador to Moscow has formally returned to Russia 21 historical documents that were recovered by U.S. law enforcement after being smuggled from Russia to the United States

* The Gaddafi family will "live and die in Libya," Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son and heir-apparent of the Libyan leader, told CNN-Turk

RUSSIA

* Three groups of militants comprising up to 12 assailants attacked various law-enforcement buildings in Russia's North Caucasus city of Nalchik, a police source said.

* Teenage schoolchildren in Moscow will be tested for drug use this spring on a voluntary basis despite the opposition of some parents, the city administration announced

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has fired seven high-ranking police officers as part of his drive to improve policing in the country, the Kremlin announced

BUSINESS

* The Russian government should support the development of heavy crude oil deposits with tax breaks, Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutnev said

* Russia is ready to quit the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, a joint project with Bulgaria and Greece, and is likely to demand compensation from its partners, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said