August 6 — Middle East: SYRIA
Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab is the most senior official in President Bashir al-Assad’s government to defect and join the rebel forces. This defection is seen by many as a final stage of the Assad regime. Before Hijab, there have been 30 Syrian generals and another two ministers who fled the country. Finance Minister Mohammad Jalilati was arrested during his attempt to flee.
August 19 — East Asia: CHINA/JAPAN
A group of Japanese nationalists lands on the Senkaku Islands, a cluster of islands in the East China Sea administrated by Japan, and raise the Japanese flag. The event angers China, which also claims the islands, calling them the Diaoyu Islands, and sparks widespread anti-Japanese demonstrations. The islands are located on an important shipping path and are surrounded by rich resources. Taiwan also claims the islands.
August 20 — Africa: SOMALIA
Somalia swears in its first parliament in more than 20 years at a highly secured by the African Union forces Mogadishu airport. The event marks the end of eight years of the transitional government. The new parliament is now expected to elect a new president.
August 22 — Africa: KENYA
More than 50 people die in ethnic clashes between the Orma and Pokomo groups in Coast Province in south-eastern Kenya, the latest in a string of attacks in this poor semi-arid region. These clashes are sparked by disputes over land, grazing and water rights.
August 22 — Former Soviet Union/International Organizations: RUSSIA/WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
After 18 years of negotiations, Russia joins the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is expected that both Russia and WTO members will benefit from Russia’s accession. Foreign companies will have a greater access to Russia’s vast market with the largest population in Europe, while Russia can expect easier access to international markets and greater foreign investment.
August 28 — East Asia: MYANMAR
As part of its recent reforms, Myanmar removes more than 2,000 names from its black list, which contained critics of the government and political activists, both Myanmar’s citizens and foreigners. The move will allow many dissidents to come back home to Myanmar.
August 29 — Former Soviet Union/Europe: UKRAINE
Ukraine’s Supreme Court rejects Former Prime Minister YuliaTymoshenko’s appeal to overturn her conviction. An opponent of current President Viktor Yanukovych, Tymoshenko was imprisoned for seven years over the gas deal signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a move seen by many as politically-motivated. The imprisonment has soured relations between Ukraine and the European Union.
August 29 — East Asia: CHINA
China’s local party secretary in Liaoning province flees the country with an estimated $31 million of embezzled funds. He is yet another case of thousands of corrupt government officials and managers from state-owned companies who siphon millions of dollars out of China and then flee the country. According to China’s estimates, in the last 15 years, the country lost more than $120 billion through these corrupt practices.