Inside
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Month in review: International
Musharraf's crisis Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf faces nationwide turmoil as 30 people die and over 100 are injured in pro- and anti-government clashes in Karachi on May 12. Violence erupts throughout the city following a visit by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudry, who was suspended on unspecified charges by Musharraf in March triggering widespread dissent. Observers say this may be the worst political crisis of Musharraf's rule.
A Nato air strike kills at least 21 civilians, including women and children, according to the governor of the country's Helmand province. The US military later confirm there were civilian casualties during a coalition operation against Taliban militants in the area. The latest strike brings the rising number of civilian deaths from "friendly fire" by Western forces to a total of 90 in two weeks, according to Afghan officials.
Abdullah Gul is forced to withdraw his candidacy for Turkey's presidency after a boycott by the opposition. Protests leading up to the presidential elections have exposed secular fears at having both a PM and president from the ruling Islamist party. However, the party's leader PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now calling for early parliamentary elections and electoral reforms, while Gul says he will stand for president again only if the people vote directly rather than parliament. Wolfowitz finally resigns
World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz finally yields to international pressure by agreeing to step down from his role. After serious ethical questions have been raised over a generous pay rise awarded to his girlfriend, he comes to an agreement with the bank's executive board to resign on June 30, preempting the possibility of being fired. Having lost credibility within the organization, which has been virtually paralysed for two months, Wolfowitz says he is stepping down "in the best interests" of the bank.
France's new president, Nicolas Sarkozy, is sworn in on May 16 after he defeats socialist Segolene Royale in the run-off election. He pledges national unity and calls for an era of change. The right-of-center president claims there is great need for domestic reforms in France and opposition to change is a danger to the country. He also reaches out to his political opponents to reunite the country. He says his first decision will be to make all schools read out a letter home from a WW II resistance fighter.
The government of Zimbabwe decides to ration households to four hours of electricity a day in order to help farmers who need power to irrigate their crops. |
