APRIL 2008

Haiti

By early this month, discontent over rising food prices led to rioting and violent protests in Port-au-Prince. UN peacekeepers were able to protect the presidential palace and to patrol but were unable to control the violence. (AP)

2 APRIL 2008

Ireland, politics

Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced he would resign on 6 May. He denied any wrongdoing but said a scandal over his business contacts was becoming a distraction for the government. (AP)

6 APRIL 2008

Diplomatic affairs

US President Bush met Russian President Putin in Sochi, Russia. (CNN.com)

Montenegro, politics

Presidential elections were held. Filip Vujanovic won with 51.9% of the vote; his closest challenger, Andrija Mandic, received 19.6%. Turnout was 68%. (IFES, www.rulers.org)

9 APRIL 2008

South Korea, politics

The Grand National Party won parliamentary elections, taking 153 of 299 seats in the National Assembly, a slight increase. The United Democratic party won 81 seats, down from the 141 they won in the April 2004 elections. (IFES, AP)

11 APRIL 2008

Nepal, politics

Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held. The Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) (CPN-M) won 220 of 601 seats, the Nepali Congress (NC) won 110, the Nepal Communist Party/United Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) won 103 and the Madhesi Jan Adhikar Forum, Nepal (MJF) won 52. (www.rulers.org, IFES)

13 APRIL 2008

Italy, politics

Parliamentary elections were held. In the Senate, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom alliance (PDL --includes the People of Freedom party, the Northern League and the Movement for Autonomy) won 171 seats, a slight increase. The Democratic Party alliance (PD -- includes the Democratic Party and Italy of Values) won 132, a slight decrease. In the Chamber of Deputies, PDL won 344 seats, a significant increase, while PD won 246, a major drop. Turnout was over 80%. (IFES, www.rulers.org)

14 APRIL 2008

Iraq

A car bomb attack in Baquba killed 40 people and wounded 75. (CNN.com)

19 APRIL 2008

Diplomatic affairs

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met US President Bush at Camp David, Maryland. Afterwards they urged patience in efforts to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. Lee said, "We need persistent patience, ladies and gentlemen....It's difficult to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programs, but it is not impossible." (AP)

20 APRIL 2008

Paraguay, politics

Fernando Lugo won a presidential election with 42.3% of the vote; Colorado Party candidate Blanca Ovelar had 31.8% and Lino Oviedo had 22.8%. (IFES, CNN.com)

21 APRIL 2008

Indonesia

A court sentenced Abu Dujana to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing firearms and explosives and harboring suspected terrorists. Dujana is the alleged leader of the military wing of Jemaah Islamiyah and is believed to have been involved in the Bali nightclub bombings of 2002 and other attacks on Western targets, as well as violence against Christians in Poso, on Sulawesi island. (CNN.com)

1 MAY 2008

Iraq

Two suicide bombers killed 35 people and wounded 76 in Balad Ruz. (CNN.com)

Somalia

Two leaders of the al-Shabab militia, Adan Hashi Ayro and Sheik Muhidin Mohamud Omar, were killed by a US airstrike on Ayro's house in the central Somali town of Dusamareeb. Several other people were reportedly also killed in the strike. (AP)

2-3 MAY 2008

Myanmar

A cyclone struck the Irrawaddy delta, killing tens of thousands of people and causing massive damage. As of 16 May the government was reporting a death toll of 78,000. On 23 May the government reportedly agreed to allow all aid agencies into the country. (CNN.com, AP)

7 MAY 2008

Russia, politics

Shortly after being sworn into office, President Dmitry Medvedev named Vladimir Putin as prime minister. (CNN.com)

7-14 MAY 2008

Lebanon

There were clashes on 7-9 May between Hezbollah and pro-government militants, mainly in Beirut, accompanied by accusations and recriminations between Hezbollah and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. On the 9th Hezbollah militants took over West Beirut. The next day it appeared that Hezbollah had agreed to withdraw and let the army assume control of the area. But on the 11th there were more clashes, this time in Tripoli, as well as near Beirut as anti-government forces attacked pro-government Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's positions in the Mount Lebanon area.

On the 14th the Cabinet reversed two decisions believed to have triggered the clashes: the firing of the chief of security at Beirut's airport and the order that Hezbollah's telecommunications system come under state control. (CNN.com)

10 MAY 2008

Iraq

An operation began in Nineveh province against al Qaeda in Iraq, involving 3,000 police, 1,000 special forces and 10,000 other troops backed by US forces. (CNN.com)

12 MAY 2008

China

A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck in Sichuan province, killing over 60,000 people, injuring over 200,000 and leaving over five million homeless. (CNN.com)

13 MAY 2008

India

Eight bombs exploded nearly simultaneously in the old city area of Jaipur, killing at least 63 people and wounding over 200. The bombs went off within 12 minutes and within 500 meters of each other in markets and a Hindu temple. On the 15th a group calling itself 'Indian Mujahideen' claimed responsibility for the attack. (CNN.com)

13-18 MAY 2008

Diplomatic affairs

US President Bush visited Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, attempting to encourage progress in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and urging governments in the region to carry out democratic political reforms. (CNN.com)

14 MAY 2008

Iraq

A suicide bombing in Abu Ghraib killed at least 22 people. (CNN.com)

17 MAY 2008

Dominican Republic, politics

President Leonel Fernandez was reelected by a comfortable margin over Miguel Vargas. (CNN.com)

19 MAY 2008

Taiwan

Ma Ying-jeou was inaugurated President. Ma, unlike his predecessor, is not in favor of formal independence for Taiwan, instead seeking improved relations with mainland China and greater economic engagement. At the same time, he has recently said it was highly unlikely that unification talks with the mainland would be held "within our lifetimes." In his inaugural speech he said, "We will adopt the principle of no independence, no unification, and no use of force." (AP)

Iraq

Al Qaeda operative Abdul Khaleq al-Sabawi was arrested in Tikrit. (CNN.com)

20 MAY 2008

France

Four ETA members, including leader Francisco Javier Lopez Pena, were arrested outside Bordeaux by Spanish Civil Guards and French police. (CNN.com)

21 MAY 2008

Lebanon

After five days of talks in Doha, Qatar, the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Hezbollah reached agreement on a consensus government in which the Cabinet will consist of 30 posts -- 16 for the majority, 11 for Hezbollah and 3 set aside for the President to nominate. This gives Hezbollah the power to veto major decisions. Hezbollah agreed to end its sit-in protest in downtown Beirut. The deal also cleared the way for parliament to elect a new President; on the 25th it elected Gen. Michel Suleiman. (CNN.com)

26 MAY 2008

Sri Lanka

A bomb attack in southern Colombo killed nine people and wounded at least 72. (CNN.com)

Diplomatic affairs

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, in a report to the Board of Governors, said the Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran, but that concerns remain over the "uranium metal document" pertaining to uranium metal machining and over other indications of a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear program. Iran has insisted that there is no such dimension and that all indications to the contrary are fabrications. The Agency is evaluating Iran's information and explanations but still believes that there is additional information and cooperation which Iran could and should provide to give assurance as to the exclusively peaceful nature of its program. (www.iaea.org, GOV/2008/15)

28 MAY 2008

Nepal

The Constituent Assembly voted to abolish the monarchy. (CNN.com)