Headlines from around the world: 4-23-12

Norwegian Anders Bering Breivik is on trial for the murder of 77 people last year, whom he killed in shooting and bombing attacks. Breivik says that he has been mentally preparing himself for what he calls a “war on the Muslim invasion of Europe,” by mentally de-humanizing Muslims and teaching himself to build car bombs. If the court decides he is sane, then he will likely be sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Last week, the Indian military demonstrated that they have the ability to launch a nuclear missile as far into China as Beijing and Shanghai. The test of the new Agni-V cruise missile accomplished what India had hoped it would – showing the Chinese their long-range capabilities.

George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February, 2012, has been convicted of second-degree murder. The judge granted him $150,000 bond and released him on the condition that he will wear an electronic tracking device and will not be allowed to use guns, drugs, or consume alcohol for an unspecified length of time.

The South Koreans tested a new long-range missile with the capability to reach anywhere in North Korea, and have issued a warning to North Korea that they will retaliate if the North takes any hostile action. This comes only a week after North Korea failed to launch an orbital satellite into space. Given the new circumstances, it is unclear whether or not North Korea will continue to test its nuclear program.

The Syrians defied a United Nations-backed internal cease-fire that took place two weeks ago, and bloodshed escalated in the last week. The UN approved a 300-man observer military mission to Syria in order to determine the extent of the ongoing bloodshed. The Syrian government has been ordered to withdraw all of its military vehicles from the cities and towns throughout Syria. Al-Assad’s government has yet to respond.

British Petroleum has been ordered to pay $64 million to roughly 7,300 residents and businesses that were affected by the oil spill two summers ago. The residents and businesses were wrongfully denied payment initially, or had their claims incorrectly processed and received less than they were guaranteed. To date BP has paid over $6 billion for the spill.