From Asia, Europe and Africa, war and the mad race to build more armaments take center stage in our reporting; immigration issues lie behind the call for new border controls in the EU; far right extremist parties influence the French elections and austerity measures tople the Dutch government; Britain suffers more recession woes; Israel entrenches its hold in settlements; and we conclude with a report about the sale of a Latin copy of the Book of John, which dates from the seventh century A.D.