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Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin appeared in court Sept. 21 to face charges of slandering President Nicolas Sarkozy in an attempt to improve his chances in France's 2007 presidential election. The trial hinges on a convoluted case--l'affaire Clearstream--in which French officials, including Sarkozy, were falsely accused of stashing kickback money from arms deals in Clearstream, a Luxembourg bank. Villepin, who could face up to five years in prison, said he expects to be exonerated.
7 | Georgia
A STATE SUBMERGED
Severe flooding triggered by torrential rainstorms killed at least nine people in northern Georgia, rendered major roads impassable, inundated homes and forced schools to close. The flood, which has been called the state's worst in more than a decade, caused an estimated $250 million in damage. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in 17 counties and appealed to President Obama for federal aid.
8 | Honduras
Zelaya's Back In Town
Deposed President Manuel Zelaya stole back into Honduras Sept. 21 and holed up at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, bringing to a head the political crisis that has engulfed the country since his June ouster. Zelaya, whom the international community still considers Honduras' legitimate leader, called for talks with the new government, as thousands of his supporters camped outside the embassy and clashed with police.
JUNE 28
Soldiers arrest Zelaya during a predawn raid and force him out of the country at gunpoint. He is flown to Costa Rica, still wearing his pajamas
JUNE 30
The U.N. General Assembly calls on its member states to recognize the Zelaya government only. Zelaya vows to return to Honduras
JULY 5
Zelaya's dramatic bid to fly home fails after police block the runway at Tegucigalpa's airport. At least one protester is killed during the ensuing melee, and Zelaya's plane is forced to divert to Nicaragua. The U.S. quickly condemns the violence
JULY 24
Zelaya takes a symbolic step into Honduras at the land border with Nicaragua in an attempt to pressure the government to allow him to return
SEPT. 21
Calling himself "the President legitimately elected," Zelaya returns to Honduras, taking refuge at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa
9 | Connecticut
A Murder on Campus
Authorities in New Haven, Conn., wrapped up their investigation into the brutal slaying of a Yale University medical student. Police charged Raymond Clark III, a laboratory technician, with strangling Annie Le, 24, on Sept. 8 in the Yale lab where they both worked. Her body was found in a crawl space behind a wall five days later, on what was to be her wedding day. That heartrending coincidence and Le's promising future helped attract national attention to the Ivy League crime.
10 | Cairo
Unrest over UNESCO
Bulgarian diplomat Irina Bokova edged out Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny to become head of the U.N. culture-and-education body in a vote marred by controversy over Hosny's comment, made last year, that he would burn all Israeli books in Egyptian libraries. Hosny blamed a "group of the world's Jews" for the defeat.