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 Cameroon gets Bakassi
Nigeria has handed Cameroon the Bakassi peninsula putting an end to a long-standing territorial dispute. About 90 per cent of the population in the area is made up of Nigerian fishermen. But an international court ruled in favour of Cameroon six years ago. .
The ruling was based on an early 19th century colonial agreement between Germany and Britain. Fifty people are reported to have been killed in violent clashes over the plans last year. The offshore waters of the Bakassi peninsula are thought to contain oil fields which have not been used because of the border dispute Russia starts Gori handover
Russian troops have started handing back control of the area around the Georgian town of Gori to Georgian security forces. A Russian general in Gori said Moscow's troops would remain nearby for several days to remove weaponry and to help restore law and order. The United States, whose army will deliver relief supplies in the region, has challenged Russia to keep its word to withdraw its troops from Georgia. Georgia attacked the rebel region of South Ossetia a week ago, prompting fierce retaliation from Russia. Sri Lanka: IDP crisis
Fighting in northern Sri Lanka has forced up to 75,000 people to flee their homes since June. The United Nations says most of the displaced are now living in the open, sometimes under trees. The UN wants more access to the displaced to avoid a humanitarian crisis. Government forces are advancing into territory controlled by the Tamil Tiger rebels, who want an independent state for the island's ethnic Tamil minority. The government says it is on the brink of victory in a war that began a generation ago. The Tigers have issued an urgent call to people in areas they control to dig bunkers in their homes and workplaces. Farmers die in Delhi clashes
At least four protesting farmers have been killed in clashes over land in the Indian capital, Delhi. The farmers were demanding compensation for land recently acquired by a planning authority. Police opened fire at the angry farmers in attempts to disperse them. Officials say farmers were paid compensation by the state government according to an agreement reached in 2006. Farmers reject the claims. Acquisition of land for the expansion of cities and industrialisation in India has become a very sensitive issue. Rocketing prices in Venezuela
Prices of basic foodstuffs have rocketed in Venezuela in the last few days. The government has raised the regulated prices of basic items and also removed price controls on other food products. Prices of products like bread and beef have risen by as much as 50 per cent. It is hoped that higher prices will encourage production of staple items to prevent further shortages. Some food producers welcomed the move though it could add to Venezuela's already high rate of inflation. But the Bread Industry Federation said bread production was still not profitable, even at the latest prices. US: from minority to majority
New figures from the US Census Bureau predict ethnic minorities will make up the majority of the US population by the year 2042. It is projected that people who regard themselves as Hispanic, black, Asian, American Indian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander will make up 54 per of the population, compared to around 36 per cent today. The biggest rises are expected to be among people of Hispanic and Asian background. The US has nearly 305 million people today, predicted to rise to 400 million in 2039 and 439 million in 2050. The population projections are based on rates for births, deaths and immigration.
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