The week ahead

tauringhuang.

Aug 3rd 2008
From Economist.com

The Olympic games opens, and other news

AF
POWER-SHARING talks in Zimbabwe between Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change face a deadline of Monday August 4th. But the MDC's leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said that the date might be flexible and that he has been "fairly satisfied" thus far. The talks began after months of unrest and violence surrounding the a presidential election in March and a subsequent run-off that Mr Tsvangirai refused to take part in over fears that his supporters would suffer further violence and intimidation.

For background see article


SOUTH AFRICA'S biggest miners' union, the National Union of Mineworkers, is set to hold a national strike on Wednesday August 6th. The miners' industrial action will halt production in a country that is one of the world's biggest suppliers of gold and platinum. Unions have staged several strikes across the country in protest at rising energy prices in June.

For background see article


THE 2008 Olympic games opens in Beijing on Friday August 8th at 8pm—eight is a highly auspicious number for the Chinese—and runs for just over two weeks. Worries "extreme" pollution—ratings at the end of July were more than double the World Health Organisation's maximum acceptable level—have receded in recent days as smog has cleared and the sun has shone. China instituted emergency measures in the run-up to the games, restricting driving in the capital and shutting down polluting factories. But recent favourable weather, rain and breezes, may have helped just as much.

For background see article


BOLIVIA'S president, Evo Morales, and eight of the country's nine regional governors face a vote on Saturday August 10th on whether they should remain in power. Right-wing governors in four of the provinces have challenged the left-wing government by stalling land redistribution policies and are seeking greater local autonomy.

For background see article

To listen to a discussion of the news in the coming week click here