Politics this week

Trying again

Reuters

President George Bush delivered his much-awaited speech on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He reiterated his vision of two states, but made progress, even towards a “provisional” Palestinian state, conditional on the Palestinians getting themselves new leaders and reforming institutions and security services. Israel's government failed to hide its jubilation; the Arabs tried to make the best of a bad job, and Europeans politely questioned if it was politic to demand Yasser Arafat's removal. Israeli troops re-occupied many West Bank towns.

Under a law aimed at promoting land reform, Zimbabwe's commercial farmers were barred from tending their crops and given 45 days to leave their homes. Half the population faces starvation, according to the World Food Programme.

A Tanzanian passenger train rolled backwards down a slope and crashed into a freight train, killing at least 280 people and injuring 900 more.

America recognised Marc Ravalomanana as president of Madagascar. Mr Ravalomanana says he won an election in December, but his rival, Didier Ratsiraka, disputes the result. Mr Ratsiraka's supporters have blockaded the capital, Antananarivo, and fought with Mr Ravalomanana's.

Cameroon postponed its parliamentary election, an hour after it started, until June 30th. President Paul Biya insisted that the delay was to ensure transparency; his opponents had dark thoughts about the final of the World Cup distracting voters from what might be going on.

Judge not

America's Supreme Court ruled that a jury, not a judge, must decide whether a defendant lives or dies, giving new hope to 168 inmates on death row in five states where the decision is currently made by judges. Four other states, where juries advise judges, could also be affected.

A federal judge entered a plea of not guilty for Zacarias Moussaoui, the only man to be charged in connection with the September 11th attacks, arguing that the defendant did not understand the implications of pleading “no contest” as he had wanted. Mr Moussaoui, who is representing himself, was also denied a change of venue for his trial.

Reuters

George Bush visited Arizona where one of the worst wildfires in recent history has burned more than 360,000 acres, destroyed 350 homes and forced about 30,000 people to be evacuated.

The notoriously liberal ninth-circuit court of appeals in San Francisco found the pledge of allegiance to be unconstitutional. It ruled that it was illegal to ask schoolchildren to vow fealty to “one nation under God” saying it was equivalent to a professsion that America was a nation under Jesus. The dollar bill—which professes that “in God we trust”—could be next.

Brazil's economic weakness and a handy lead in opinion polls for the presidential candidate of the populist Workers Party, Luis Ignacio da Silva, sent the country's bonds and currency reeling. Investors are concerned about Mr da Silva's commitment to honouring the country's debts.

Russia's parliament passed a bill to provide a code governing sales of farmland. Though most land is by now already privately owned, this is the first solid step to a land market since 1917. If bureaucrats let it take effect.

Britain and France agreed—in principle—on steps to staunch the flow of asylum-seekers across or under the Channel. Britain, eager for financial penalties on poor countries that will not take their migrant citizens back, will pay France to install detection equipment and new fences. France—in time—will fix a date for closing the Sangatte centre, base for most of the migrants.

Continuity in Malaysia

Ten Pakistani soldiers were killed in a gunfight with suspected al-Qaeda guerrillas near Wana, close to the border with Afghanistan. Two guerrillas were killed. Many al-Qaeda members are believed to have moved into Pakistan since the fall of Afghanistan's Taliban government.

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, unveiled constitutional reforms that would let him appoint and dismiss the prime minister. An army-dominated National Security Council is also planned.

The authorities in Hong Kong refused entry to a human-rights campaigner, Harry Wu, and briefly detained a prominent scholar, Perry Link. Both men are hated by China.

A long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Myanmar flared up when Myanmar's state-run newspapers made critical references to the Thai monarchy. “We can stand their stray shells on our soil, but we can't stand insults to our monarchy,” a government spokesman said.

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