The World Today

In the long-drawn-out search for peace in the Middle East, it is often said that the Palestinians do not miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. In the throes of an international boycott of the Hamas government elected in January, windows of opportunity have rarely looked so narrow for the Palestinian leadership.

American action against the Taliban was never universally popular in neighbouring Pakistan which changed from the movement’s mentor to its opponent five years ago after the World Trade Center attacks. Now the tensions are showing.

The conviction of two Islamic militants for a series of bombings last year might be seen as a success for the Bangladesh authorities. But radical religion could still turn out to be the winner.

For nearly sixty years, the regime in Rangoon has remained in power by preventing democratic change and waging war against the country’s numerous ethnic nationality parties. This is the oldest ongoing conflict in the world. At the end of May, in response to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s appeal to free Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize winning pro-democracy activist, the military regime extended her house arrest for at least another year.

Germany’s new Chancellor, Angela Merkel, ran for office on a platform of domestic reform for the flagging economy. Yet, it is her performance in foreign policy which has attracted most international attention. After two visits to Washington this year, the Chancellor is about to cement her improved relationship by taking President George Bush to her home in the former communist East Germany.

As Russia prepares to host the G8 summit, politicians and observers are questioning whether it is fit to be part of this exclusive club of nations. While most of the criticism and objections focus on political issues, there is a conspicuous shortage of analysis about the economic dimension of Moscow’s membership. The country has officially been on-board for almost a decade, and has become increasingly involved in policy coordination on geopolitical and security matters. However, Russia is still not part of the core G7 forum for macroeconomic, exchange rate and financial policy discussions. But now its strength as an energy producer may just offer an opportunity.