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NORTHERN Ireland was revisited by sectarian violence when two soldiers and a policeman were killed by republican splinter groups. But all leading politicians joined in condemning the killings and large public demonstrations in favour of peace were held.

President Sarkozy confirmed that he will ask the French Parliament to approve his decision to return French defence forces to NATO's integrated military command, reversing President de Gaulle's withdrawal in 1966.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the Tibet Uprising which led to his exile, the Dalai Lama made some of his strongest criticism of Chinese policies but insisted that he still favours devolution of Tibet within China rather than independence.

Two suicide bombings in Iraq killed at least 57 people, suggesting that opposition to the policies of prime minister al-Maliki and the plans for US troop withdrawal still remains.