An Cosantóir

10 | world strategic picture EUROPE Military Leader Ratko Mladic went on trial in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity. ter, Geir Haarde, was acquitted of charges of negligence over the 2008 financial crisis. He was found guilty of not holding enough cabinet meetings. He called the verdict absurd. The Former Bosnian Serb dence the centre right govern- ment in Romania fell. Former Icelandic Prime Minis- opposition leader, Yulia Tymosh- enko, went on hunger strike after alleging that she had been beaten and forcibly transferred from prison to a hospital. The authorities denied the claim. After losing a vote of confi- lapsed after Geert Wilders, a right wing populist withdrew from budget talks. The Czech government, on the other hand, narrowly avoided a collapse after a junior coalition partner withdrew its support. The imprisoned Ukrainian tion government. New elections will be held in June. As stock markets tumbled, Greece's future in the euro was in doubt. The Dutch government col- was inaugurated to his third term as Russia's president. Hundreds were arrested during anti Putin protests. Greece failed to form a coali- François Hollande, won France's presidential election. In Moscow, Vladimir Putin The Socialist candidate, Bay naval base, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others were arraigned at a military tribunal for the 9/11 at- tacks in 2001. The men refused to recognise the authority of the tribunal and declined to listen to the transla- tion. The CIA foiled a AMERICAS In Guantanamo plot to blow up a plane using an en- hanced and possibly undetectable bomb. The device was re- portedly handed over by a double agent. Kofi Annan, the UN mediator in Syria, was partially hold- ing. The UN Security Council are sending 300 monitors to assess the situation. Human Rights Watch said Syrian forces killed at least 95 civil- ians and burned or destroyed hundreds of houses in the fortnight before a ceasefire came into effect on April 12th. At least 30 people were killed MIDDLE EAST The ceasefire drawn up by Chief of Staff, seemed to contradict the prime minister, Binyammin Netanyahu by implying that Iran might not build a nuclear weapon. guerrillas broke their promise not to kidnap civilians when they abducted Romeo Langlois, a French journalist. The group claimed he was wear- ing a military helmet. Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia's president said there was merit to the group's claims. The drug war in In Columbia FARC Mexico escalated when 49 mutilated bodies were found near Monterrey. They were apparently killed by the Zetas as a warning to their rivals. An Cosantóir June 2012 www.dfmagazine.ie troops from Heglig oilfield. As their neighbours urged re- straint, both Sudan and South Sudan massed troops along the border. South Sudan withdrew AFRICA Resistance Army, Caesar Acella- ma, was captured by Ugandan soldiers in the Central African Republic. Joseph Kony, the Resistance Army's leader, is still wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. banned all political parties based on religious, ethnic or tribal allegiances. Elections are due to take place in June. The National Transitional Council said its aim was to preserve national unity. A commander of the Lord's In Libya the government reopen NATO supply routes into Afghanistan. A week after India tested a long range ballis- tic missile, Pakistan conducted a missile test of its own. In Myanmar, Aung San Sun Pakistan announced it will ASIA in protests in Cairo against Egypt's ruling generals. Lt Gen Benny Gantz, Israel's Kyi and other members of the democratic movement took their seats in parliament. It is the first time that Ms Sun Kyi has held public office. She spent years under house ar- rest after the military regime ripped up the election result in 1990. A blind Chinese activist, people during demonstra- tions near the Indian border. A little-known group calling Chen Guangcheng, escaped from house arrest in Shan- dong province and fled to the American embassy in Beijing. After six days in the embassy he left after American diplo- mats were given assurance Mr Chen and his family would be unhurt. A bomb in Nepal killed four itself Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha claimed responsibility for the bombing. Obama, paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan where he signed a co-operation agreement with Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. The agree- ment assured US support for Afghanistan after US troops withdraw in 2014. US president, Barrack

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