August 2012

1

French Polynesia: Jean-Pierre Laflaquière is named high commissioner.
Honduras: Finance Minister Héctor Guillén resigns. Wilfredo Cerrato is named finance minister on August 9.
Peru: Former foreign minister (1990-91) Luis Marchand Stens dies.

Qandil

2

Egypt: Hisham Qandil's government is sworn in with Mohamed Kamel Amr, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, and Mumtaz al-Said retaining foreign affairs, defense, and finance respectively, and Gen. Ahmed Gamal Eddin at the interior. On August 12, however, Tantawi is asked to retire; Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is appointed as defense minister and Mahmoud Mekki as vice president.
Switzerland: Former Schultheiss of Luzern (1976, 1982) Walter Gut dies.

3

Curaçao: Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte resigns.

Borel-Lincertin

France: Josette Borel-Lincertin is elected president of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe (33 of 38 votes).
South Korea: Former chief cabinet minister (1961) Chang Do Yung dies.

Temu

Pato

Papua New Guinea: Peter O'Neill is elected prime minister by the newly-elected parliament (94-12), with the support of his former rival Sir Michael Somare. In a caretaker cabinet announced on August 6, Sir Puka Temu becomes foreign minister, William Duma defense minister, and Don Polye treasury and finance minister. The full cabinet is announced on August 9 with Rimbink Pato as foreign minister, Fabian Pok as defense minister, James Marape as finance minister, and Polye remaining treasury minister.

4

Afghanistan: Parliament votes to dismiss Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak (146-72) and Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi (126-90). Wardak resigns on August 7.

5

Congo (Brazzaville): In the second round of parliamentary elections, the Congolese Labour Party wins 32 of the 67 seats still to be filled, thus having a total of 89 of the 136 seats, while independents allied with it have 12, the allied Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development 7, and the main opposition Pan-African Union for Social Democracy 7.

6

Ghana: Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur is sworn in as vice president.

Casimir

Corlatean

Haiti: In a cabinet reshuffle, Pierre Richard Casimir is appointed foreign minister and Ronsard Saint-Cyr interior minister.
Romania: Interior Minister Ioan Rus resigns. In a cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Victor Ponta names Mircea Dusa as interior minister and Titus Corlatean as foreign minister.

Ghalawanji

al-Halki

Syria: Prime Minister Riyad Hijab is dismissed. Omar Ghalawanji is appointed acting prime minister. On August 9 Wael al-Halki is named new prime minister; he is sworn in on August 11.

7

Russia: President Vladimir Putin signs a decree appointing incumbent Sergey Mitin, whose regular term ends this day, as acting governor of Novgorod oblast from August 8 until the inauguration of an elected governor.

8

Timor-Leste: A new cabinet is sworn in with José Luís Guterres as foreign minister and Cirilo José Cristóvão as defense and security minister; Emília Pires remains finance minister.

9

Japan: Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda survives a no-confidence vote, which is defeated 246-86.

Megarif

Libya: The chairman of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, passes the reins to Muhammad Ali Salim, the oldest member of the new General National Congress. On August 10 the GNC elects Muhammad al-Megarif as its permanent chairman; he wins 113 votes against 85 for Ali Zidan.

Altankhuyag

Bold

Mongolia: Parliament elects Norov Altankhuyag as prime minister (42 of 58 votes). On August 17 some members of the new cabinet are elected (taking office August 19), including Luvsanvandan Bold as foreign minister and Dashdemberel Bat-Erdene as defense minister. The cabinet is completed on August 20, Chultem Ulaan being approved as finance minister.

11

United States: In mayoral elections in Honolulu, Ben Cayetano wins 44.1% of the vote, Kirk Caldwell 29.1%, and Peter Carlisle 24.8%. The runoff will be on November 6.

13

Georgia: Aleksandre Khetaguri is appointed finance minister.

14

India: Former chief minister of Maharashtra (1999-2003, 2004-08) Vilasrao Deshmukh dies.

Roux

Panama: In a cabinet reshuffle, Rómulo Roux is named foreign minister; he takes office August 20.
United States: In mayoral elections in Miami-Dade County, incumbent Carlos Gimenez wins 54.2% of the vote and Joe Martinez 30.8%.

15

Myanmar: Adm. Nyan Tun is sworn in to replace Tin Aung Myint Oo (resigned) as first vice president.
Uganda: Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa is reinstated after stepping aside in October 2011.

16

Medina

Dominican Republic: Danilo Medina is sworn in as president. In his cabinet, Carlos Morales Troncoso remains foreign minister and José Ramón Fadul interior minister, while Adm. Sigfrido Pared Pérez becomes defense minister and Simón Lizardo finance minister.

18

Philippines: Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo is killed in a plane crash. On August 21 his body is found and Paquito Ochoa, Jr., is named officer-in-charge of the Interior Department. On August 31 Mar Roxas is appointed as new interior secretary.

20

Makei

Coulibaly

Belarus: Syarhey Martynau is relieved of the post of foreign minister and Vladimir Makei appointed in his place.
Ethiopia: Prime Minister Meles Zenawi dies. Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn becomes acting prime minister.
Mali: A national unity government is named including Tieman Coulibaly as foreign minister, other key portfolios being unchanged.
Malta: Former prime minister (1955-58, 1971-84) Dom Mintoff dies.

Jawari

Somalia: Muse Hassan Abdulle, the eldest legislator, becomes interim speaker of the new parliament and as such acting president. On August 28 Mohamed Osman Jawari is elected speaker.

21

Romania: The Constitutional Court certifies the result of the July 29 referendum, i.e., insufficient turnout. President Traian Basescu resumes office on August 28.

22

Benin: Former foreign minister (1987-89) Guy Landry Hazoumé dies.

23

Colombia: Mauricio Cárdenas is named finance minister. On August 31 Fernando Carrillo is named interior minister.
The Gambia: Mamadou Tangara becomes foreign minister in a minor cabinet reshuffle.

24

Faeroe Islands: Former prime minister (1981-85) Pauli Ellefsen dies.

25

Australia: In parliamentary elections in the Northern Territory, the Country Liberal Party wins 50.6% of the vote (16 of 25 seats) and the Labor Party 36.5% (8). On August 29 Terry Mills is sworn in as chief minister.
Kazakhstan: Former chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh S.S.R. (1989-90) Makhtay Sagdiyev dies.

26

Libya: Interior Minister Fawzi Abdelali announces his resignation, but withdraws it on August 28.

27

Myanmar: In a cabinet reshuffle, Finance Minister Hla Tun is reassigned as a minister at the president's office.

Marx

Réunion: Jean-Luc Marx takes office as prefect.

31

Angola: In parliamentary elections, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola wins 71.8% of the vote (175 of 220 seats), the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola 18.7% (32), and the Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola-Electoral Coalition 6% (8). Turnout is 62.8%.