September 1 — Oceania/Europe/International Organizations: FIJI/UNITED KINGDOM/COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS

The Commonwealth of Nations suspends Fiji’s membership after Commodore Frank Bainimarama refused to hold elections by 2010, which he promised after seizing power in a 2006 coup. Bainimarama claims he needs more time to reform a voting system that favors ethnic Fijians. His critics, however, say he suspended the constitution and detained his opponents. With its full suspension, Fiji will not be eligible for the Commonwealth aid.

September 4 — South Asia/International Organizations: AFGHANISTAN/NATO

At least 90 people are killed and many injured, including scores of civilians, during an air strike by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on fuel tanks hijacked by the Taliban insurgents in the Afghan province of Kunduz. The Afghan government is outraged at the civilian casualties and the NATO promises investigation.

September 4 — Latin America/North America: HONDURAS/BRAZIL/UNITED STATES

The United States freezes $30 billion of its humanitarian aid to Honduras in response to the country’s coup in June and its refusal to allow deposed President Manuel Zelaya back in Honduras. It also says it will not recognize the new elections scheduled for November as legitimate. (September 21): Ousted President Zelaya makes a surprise return to Honduras and seeks refuge in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says that the international community calls for Honduras to reinstate Zelaya.

September 5 — Latin America: VENEZUELA

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans take part in two rival rallies: one in opposition and one in support of the country’s President Hugo Chavez. The anti-Chavez demonstrators protest the new education law, described as socialist indoctrination, and massive closing of radio stations by the government. The protests come a day after similar anti-Chavez demonstrations in other Latin American countries, with the largest in Colombia and Honduras.

September 8 — South Asia: AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan’s Election Complaints Commission (ECC), the United Nations-backed organization, orders some recounts of the votes from the August election after widespread fraud became evident. (September 10): The ECC invalidates some ballots and orders a recount of those polling stations where turnout was over 100 percent and where one candidate won more that 95 percent of the vote.

September 8 — Africa: SUDAN

A female Sudanese journalist Lubna Ahmed Hussein is released after spending one day in jail. Her case brought international attention and pressure to free her. She was sentenced to a month in jail and 40 lashes under Sudan’s indecency law for wearing trousers. She claims, however, that the case has had nothing to do with the Islamic law, but rather bad treatment of women, which she campaigns to have it changed.

September 8 — Latin America: GUATEMALA

Guatemala announces a state of public calamity referring to severe food shortages among tens of thousands of families, especially in the country’s eastern part, caused by a combination of poor weather conditions and recent recession. The Guatemalan government hopes that this announcement will give it access to funds for emergency food purchase.

September 9 — Middle East: ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Israel says it restores the settlement plan and prepares to build about 450 new homes in the West Bank and 500 in Jerusalem for Jewish settlers. The total freeze of settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories is a prerequisite for restarting peace talks.

September 16 — Middle East/International Organizations: ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES/UN

A judge and judicial investigator, Richard Goldstone, turns in a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on the recent armed conflict in the Gaza Strip that left about 1,400 Gazans and 13 Israelis killed. The report presents evidence that both Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters committed war crimes. It accuses Israel of purposely using disproportionate force and targeting civilians. It also condemns Palestinian groups of launching rocket attacks that aimed at civilians in Israel. The document encourages both sides to launch their own investigations on the alleged crimes and report their findings to the UN Security Council within six months.

September 17 — North America/Europe: UNITED STATES/POLAND/CZECH REPUBLIC

The United States President Barack Obama cancels the controversial plan to build anti-ballistic missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. The plan, initiated by the George W. Bush Administration and strongly opposed by Russia, intended to destroy incoming ballistic missiles from North Korea and Iran. It involved using radar and interceptors in the U.S., but also installing additional interceptors in Poland and building a radar station in the Czech Republic. President Obama says that more an effective way to tackle Iran’s short- and medium-range missiles will be a system that uses land- and sea-based interceptors.

September 21 — Middle East/International Organizations: IRAN/IAEA

In a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran admits that it has a second uranium enrichment plant near Qom. The first one is in the city of Nantaz. At the same time, it says that the plants are only for developing fuel for nuclear power plants. However, the world fears that Iran is developing its nuclear-weapon capabilities in these plants. The IAEA requests access to inspect the facility.

September 25 — International Organizations: G-20

World leaders forming the Group of Twenty (G-20), a forum for finance ministers and central bankers, conclude the two-day summit in the city of Pittsburgh in the United States, where they discussed the world economy and financial markets. Among other issues, the Group discussed plans to prevent future financial crises, which included fixing financial regulations, linking bankers’ bonuses to long-term performance, and increasing the amount of capital that banks would be required to keep on reserves.

September 28 — Latin America

The leaders of several Latin American countries agree to create The Bank of the South, a development bank that would work for the benefit of developing countries, unlike, as the leaders say, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela would provide the initial fund of $20 billion.

September 29 — Africa: GUINEA

Troops in Guinea open fire on tens of thousands of anti-government protesters, killing dozens. Demonstrators oppose the plan of the country’s interim leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara who seized power in a coup last year, to run in the presidential election planned for January 2010. This would violate an agreement to return power into civilian hands.