In Brief

* VOLCANO ERUPTS – Tanzania’s only active volcano, Oldonyo le Ngai, has erupted, spewing smoke and ash into the country’s northern skies and causing brief panic among residents.

* DIPLOMAT BARRED – Japan has declared a diplomat from the Ivory Coast persona non grata for allegedly renting out office space to be used for illegal gambling, an official and reports said. * PM QUITS – Thailand faces weeks of political uncertainty after the prime minister’s sudden resignation, with leading parties huddled in talks to try and chart a way forward after months of turmoil.* NATIONAL CRISIS – French union leaders, buoyed by more than one million protesters on the streets, pledged not to back down in their first major talks with the ruling party over a contested youth jobs plan that has caused a national crisis.* NEPAL UNREST – Nepalese police arrested more than 80 politicians and demonstrators in a crackdown aimed at thwarting planned pro-democracy protests this week, activists said.* WAR CRIMES – Belgrade is to resume talks Wednesday on closer ties with the European Union after Serbia’s prime minister pledged to capture genocide suspect Ratko Mladic by the end of the month.* CZECH FLOODS – Likely rain and melting snows threatened an already flood-drenched Czech Republic, just as critically-high levels in rivers across the country began to subside.* PEACE PROCESS – Crucial talks to kickstart the Northern Ireland peace process look likely to be overshadowed after a former key member of the Irish Republican Army’s political wing was found shot dead.* RACIST CRIME – A white supremacist wanted for allegedly plotting to firebomb Chinese restaurants in the western Australia city of Perth has been captured after six weeks on the run, police said.- Nampa-AFP* PM QUITS – Thailand faces weeks of political uncertainty after the prime minister’s sudden resignation, with leading parties huddled in talks to try and chart a way forward after months of turmoil.* NATIONAL CRISIS – French union leaders, buoyed by more than one million protesters on the streets, pledged not to back down in their first major talks with the ruling party over a contested youth jobs plan that has caused a national crisis.* NEPAL UNREST – Nepalese police arrested more than 80 politicians and demonstrators in a crackdown aimed at thwarting planned pro-democracy protests this week, activists said.* WAR CRIMES – Belgrade is to resume talks Wednesday on closer ties with the European Union after Serbia’s prime minister pledged to capture genocide suspect Ratko Mladic by the end of the month.* CZECH FLOODS – Likely rain and melting snows threatened an already flood-drenched Czech Republic, just as critically-high levels in rivers across the country began to subside.* PEACE PROCESS – Crucial talks to kickstart the Northern Ireland peace process look likely to be overshadowed after a former key member of the Irish Republican Army’s political wing was found shot dead.* RACIST CRIME – A white supremacist wanted for allegedly plotting to firebomb Chinese restaurants in the western Australia city of Perth has been captured after six weeks on the run, police said. – Nampa-AFP