Main News of March 31

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours.

WORLD

* The Japanese destroyer Kirishima left the Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture for the East China Sea ahead of a planned rocket launch by North Korea, Kyodo News reported

* At least eight people were killed and dozens more injured in a series of explosions in Thailand's southern province of Yala

* China successfully put a French-made communication satellite, APSTAR-7, into orbit with its Long March-3B carrier rocket, Xinhua reported

RUSSIA

* U.S. prosecutors asked a New York federal judge to give a life sentence to convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout

* Police detained about 60 demonstrators in central Moscow, the Interior Ministry said

BUSINESS

* Russia has pledged an 11-percent gas discount for Bulgaria in exchange for faster progress on the construction of the Bulgarian leg of the South Stream gas pipeline, Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Delyan Dobrev said

SPORTS

* Zenit St. Petersburg took a big stride toward the Russian Premier League title with a 2-1 win at Spartak Moscow, going nine points clear at the top with seven games remaining

* An overtime strike from defenseman Nikita Pivtsakin earned Avangard Omsk a 3-2 away win at Traktor Chelyabinsk and leveled the Eastern Conference final at 1-1