Israel — Shimon Peres was elected the ninth president of Israel on June 13, and sworn in on July 15. Though having previously served as prime minister of Israel three times, Haaretz speculated that his political career would not have been cemented without his election to the office of President.
Sierra Leone — Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu were found guilty on June 20 of war crimes in Sierra Leone. The three men are the first to be found guilty of using child soldiers. Brima and Kanu were sentenced to 50 years in prison, while Kamara was sentenced to 45, according to the BBC.
IRAQ — Ali Hassan al-Majeed, or “Chemical Ali”, of Iraq was sentenced to death on June 25 for organizing the killing of an estimated 180,000 Kurds during the 1980s. Al-Majeed is a cousin of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Two other defendants were also sentenced to death, according to the BBC.
UNITED KINGDOM — Tony Blair stepped down as prime minister after serving for over 10 years in that capacity. Gordon Brown succeeded Blair as the 76th prime minister of the United Kingdom. Blair received a rare standing ovation following his final 30-minute address to Parliament, according to the BBC.
LONDON — On June 30, a Jeep Cherokee carrying a car bomb was driven into the side of Glasgow International Airport and set ablaze. The BBC reported that the incidents are believed to be connected to the discovery of car bombs in London the day before.
RUSSIA — On July 4, the International Olympic Committee selected the city of Sochi in Russia as the host of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The selection of Sochi will “inspire the youth of the nation and energize the growth of winter sports,” according to the IOC’s Web site.
LONDON — On July 8, Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal to win his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title in London. Björn Borg, who won five consecutive Wimbledon titles during the late 1970s, presented the trophy to Federer, according to the BBC.
NORTH KOREA — On July 16, the United Nations verified that North Korea has shutdown the Yongbyon nuclear reactor. The Yongbyon site was North Korea’s main nuclear reactor, according to the BBC.
JAPAN — The Japanese government ordered Tokyo Electric Power Co. to cease operation of the world’s largest nuclear power plant following an offshore earthquake that caused a radioactive leak. According to Bloomberg.com, the 6.8 magnitude earthquake killed 9 people and contaminated water in the Niigata region of central Japan on July 16.
PERU — An 8.0 magnitude earthquake shattered Pisco, Peru, and surrounding cities on Aug. 15. The quake left 85 percent of the city’s homes in rubble. Killing at least 510 people and injuring more than 1,500, tens of thousands of people were left without food and fresh water. Peruvian President Alan Garcia said he plans to rebuild every structure lost.
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