LATIN AMERICA TURNS LEFT

• In recent years countries of south America are increasingly being ruled by leftist governments

MEXICO (CAP. MEXICO CITY)

• By electing leader of conservative party (PAN) - Felipo Calderon, Mexico seems to have ducked the left-ward turn of Latin America

NETHERLANDS (CAP: AMSTERDAM)

• Jan Peter Blackened of Christian Democrats re-elected P.M. of Netherlands

FIJI (CAP: SUVA)

• Military coup led by V.Bainimarama overthrew government led P.M. Laisenia Qarase

BAHRAIN (CAPITAL MANAMA)

• Shia group INaa made great gains in Bahrain parliamentary elections winning 16 seats out of 40
• Though Bahrain has 60% population of Shias it is ruled by Sunni group

CANADA (CAPITAL OTTAWA)

• The French speaking region of Quebec is again in news as it is demanding more autonomy
• The extremist among Quebec nationalist are also not ruling out possibility of independence

NORTH KOREAN ISSUE

• Held at Beijing
• China's interest in Africa is strategic as well as economic. This summit shows China's increasing role at global level.
• President of Pan-African Parliament: Gertrude Mongello

CHINA - AFRICA SUMMIT

• 6 party talks - China, Russia, U.S., Japan, DPRK, RoK (South Korea) - are committed to finding solution to Korean peninsula nuclear issue.

BAKER REPORT

• Bipartisan study group on Iraq chaired by James Baker and Democrat Lee Hamilton has asked US to call back its troops from Iraq by 2008

XINJIANG PROVINCE OF CHINA

• Ulghur separatist are active in this troublesome Muslim area of China