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Global Focus

June 9, 2009
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1. RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
An Air France plane has disappeared on a flight from Rio to Paris, sparking a search by the Brazilian Navy and a French nuclear submarine. The last messages from the plane showed computer failure in the midst of an electrical storm. The Airbus A330, which disappeared last Monday, was carrying 228 passengers, the loss of whom is the largest civilian aviation disaster since an American Airline crash in New York which killed 260 people. Currently 16 survivors have been found.

2. BAGUA, PERU
Security forces have clashed with indigenous tribesmen in the culmination of a two-month fuel blockade. Currently 31 people have been killed in the incident, when police opened fire on demonstrators from a helicopter. The indigenous leaders were blocking the jungle highway over President Garcia’s proposals to make communal jungle area available for logging, mining and oil exploration. Protestors claim that the demonstration and road block were peaceful.

3. COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
After three decades of resistance, Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tamil Tigers, was ambushed and killed by government commandos. The Tigers reported a resulting massacre, although reporters were kept out of the area. The conflict between the group and the government has claimed over 70,000 lives. The Government took control of the entire country and declared it free of terrorism.

4. SWAT VALLEY, PAKISTAN
40 have been killed in a suicide attack during Friday prayers simultaneous to arrests of attempted suicide bombers in Islamabad and Rawalpindia. The Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani immediately resolved that the incident would not stop governmental attempts to eliminate all terrorism from Pakistan.

5. NORMANDY, FRANCE
Commemorations to mark the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings saw 800 veterans returning to the Normandy beaches to witness reenactment jumps in the opening of an international ceremony. Amid various controversies over invitations, guests who attended included the Prince of Wales, President Obama, and President Sarkozy.

6. BISSAU, GUINEA-BISSAU
A leading contender in the Presidential race has been killed by police who cliam that he was plotting a coup. Baciro Dabo was shot while asleep at his home at the same time as a former defence minister was killed for alleged involvement in the same plot. The election, due to happen later this month, was called after the previous President was assassinated in March in response to the death of an army chief. The election is now more than likely to be delayed.

7. NAIROBI, KENYA
The first commercial flights between Kenya and America have been cancelled by the USA over security fears, sparking an angry reaction from the Kenyan government. The first flight, which would have been the only one in the last 20 years, was cancelled a week ago today despite Kenya claiming to have met the US security concerns.

8. COSTA SMERALDA, ITALY
Naked photographs of the former Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek with topless women at the private villa of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi were published in an Italian newspaper last Friday. The villa has played host to many world leaders, including the Blairs in 2004. The controversy is expected to have limited effect on Berlusconi’s current popularity.

9. BEIRUT, LEBANON
Elections were held in Lebanon on Sunday. The results, which by now have been announced, are expected to reduce the influence of the pro-Western Sunni coalition and give victory to an Iranian-backed coalition fronted by Hezbollah. The bloc also feature a secular Shia party, and Christian supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement.

10. HAVANA, CUBA
A retired US state department official and his wife have been charged for spying for Cuba on the US for over 30 years. Walter and Gwen Myers had previously met with Fidel Castro, such was the status of their achievements within the Cuban administration. The couple were caught after telling an undercover FBI agent about their work during a sting. If convicted, they will both get life sentences.

11. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Prime Minister Gordon Brown was forced to reshuffle his cabinet on Friday morning following the resignation of James Purnell upon the close of the European polls on Thursday night. The move, which many see as an attempt by Brown to maintain power at any cost, came at the end of a week in which four Cabinet ministers resigned from office. In the Council Elections, Labour lost over 250 Councillors and overall control of their only four Councils.

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