An Cosantóir

10 | world strategic review AMERICAS Commemorations were held in the United States to mark ten years since the 9/11 attacks. President Barrack Obama and former president George Bush Jr attended services at the World Trade Centre. At ground zero a na- tional memorial was opened. President Obama attended further commemoration ceremonies at the Pentagon and at the field in Pennsylva- nia where one of the hijacked planes crashed. Oil reserves off the Falkland Islands are now estimated to be up to 1.3 billion barrels according to British company Rockhop- per. Argentina which claims the Falklands (known as the Malvinas), has banned ship- ping from its ports that is related to oil development in the area. AFRICA Colonel Muammar Qaddafi's (below) regimes have fallen after more than 40 years of dictator- ship. As rebels took Tripoli, his wife, two sons and daughter fled to Algeria while remaining elements of his military retreated across the border into Niger. The international community has pledged to help rebuild the country. ASIA China takes to the high French Woman cap- Mexico declared three days of mourning after 52 people died after a gang set fire to a casino in Monterrey. Presi- dent Felipe Calderón (above) called it an 'act of terrorism'. In Bolivia the five former army officers were convicted of the deaths of 64 civilians during protests that toppled the government in 2003. An Cosantóir October 2011 tured by suspected Somali Pirates is released by EUNAVFOR. On 10 September EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA as- sets intercepted and forc- ibly stopped a suspected Somali Pirate skiff which was involved in the abduc- tion of a crew member from the French Sailing Yacht (SY) TRIBAL KAT. The successful operation resulted in the safe release of Mrs Colombo, who was unharmed. Several people suspected of carrying out the pirating and abduc- tion have been detained. For the first time since 1962 the Algerian govern- ment announced plans to allow independent radio and television stations. It is a move by President Ab- delaziz Bouteflika to fend off more protests. seas. Its navy launched their first aircraft carrier. The unnamed ship was hailed by Chinese media as the nations emergence as a Seapower. Launched from the port city of Da- liam the ship was originally bought in 1998 off Ukraine. The Ukrainians had been originally been told it was going to be used as a floating casino. Two other ex-Soviet aircraft carri- ers had been turned into theme parks. Up until now China has been the only permanent member of the UN Security Council without a carrier, while its neighbours India, Thailand, and Japan have aircraft and helicopter carriers. MIDDLE EAST Tensions between Turkey and the Kurds went to an all time high. In the south east the Kurdistan Workers Party killed nine Turkish soldiers. In retaliation Turkey bombed the rebel group's bases in Kurdish controlled northern Iraq. After a week of air and artillery strikes Turkey claimed it had killed over a 100 rebels. Relations between Turkey and Israel have seriously de- teriorated. On a visit to Cairo Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdiogan (above), was hailed as a hero when he told Arab foreign ministers that recognition of an independent Palestine was an 'obligation'. Also in Cairo a mob smashed In mid August 12 people were killed in Afghanistan when the British Council compound was stormed by the Taliban in Kabul. Later in September the Taliban launched an all out attack in the centre of Kabul. The American embassy and ISAF headquarters and other buildings used by diplomats were attacked. 27 people including 11 insurgents were killed. It took 20 hours for security forces to get the situation under control. through security barriers and broke into the grounds of the Israeli embassy. 80 diplomats and their families left in Israeli aircraft as Egyptian military per- sonnel moved in. Iraq was hit by a series of bombs, most likely set by al-Qaeda. A suicide bomber pretending to be a beggar killed at least 30 people in one of Baghdad's main Sunni mosques. Tensions mount in Israel as it is expected that Palestine will formally ask for UN recognition as an independent state. Israel's army has been training Jewish settlers in the West Bank in case protests break out.

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