Iraq: hung parliament

Britain's politicians aren't the only ones struggling to form a coalition government. But maybe they should count their blessings: two months after Iraq's elections, ongoing political instability has led to the worst violence seen so far this year. On 10 May, more than 100 people were killed and 350 injured in bombings and drive-by shootings targeting both Sunnis and Shias. The attacks, in cities including Baghdad, Basra and Fallujah, appear to have been co-ordinated. The unrest follows the creation of an alliance between the party of the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and a Shia coalition, in an attempt to leapfrog the election front-runner, Iyad Allawi, a secular Shia with strong Sunni backing. But al-Maliki faces a dilemma that might be familiar to Britain's outgoing Prime Minister - despite the alliance, he is still four seats short of a majority.

Nigeria: new president

On 6 May, Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's former vice-president and its acting leader prior to the recent death of President Umaru Yar'Adua, became the country's official leader. His accession is constitutional, but controversial: the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) seeks to rotate power every two terms between a leader from the largely Muslim north and one from the Christian south. Replacing the northern Yar'Adua after just three years, Jonathan breaks this rule.

As a result, the race to replace him as vice-president is fierce - whoever takes the job is likely to be a strong contender for the 2011 presidential elections. The PDP has said its candidate will be a northerner. But it looks likely that Jonathan will defy convention again, and stand.

Lithuania: gay pride

The gay pride parade through the city of Vilnius on 9 May was memorable for a few reasons. For a start, it was Lithuania's first, following Latvia's march last year, and preceding Estonia's planned 2011 parade. It was also notable for attracting more anti-gay protesters - an estimated 1,000
or more, throwing stones and fireworks - than the 500 marchers from Lithuania and further afield. But the event is an important step for a country that has attracted criticism from both the EU and Amnesty for its dismal record on gay rights. In recent years, local authorities have repeatedly prevented campaigners from holding public gatherings. In a country in which 80 per cent of people think homosexuality is a disease, the rainbow flags paraded beside the Neris River represent a big step towards tolerance.

Haiti: protests

“I want to establish stability in this country," René Préval, the president of Haiti, told journalists at a news conference in early May. But his decision - backed by parliament - to stay in office for three months beyond his official term has not had quite that effect. More than 1,000 Haitians took to the streets on 10 May, accusing the president of taking advantage of the recent earthquake to retain power, despite his low profile in its immediate aftermath.

Haitians are frustrated by the state of camps that many are still living in. But holding an election on time may be impossible. As well as killing or displacing about 1.6 million voters, the quake destroyed the election agency's headquarters and records.

Gulf of Mexico: hair

Matter of Trust, an appropriate name for a charity tackling the huge Gulf of Mexico oil spill by stuffing matted hair clippings into used nylon tights. Strange? Yes. But also true - fur and hair have a huge surface area, to which oil clings. Matter of Trust has been collecting up to 205,000kg of hair and fur a day from hairdressers, pet groomers and farmers, creating large hairy "sausages" to soak up oil that washes up on beaches. The charity takes everything from dog to alpaca, with just one restriction on human contributions: "Only head hair, please."