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)