Allthepartsofthiscopyaretakenfromhttp://www.economist.com,andforstudyonly.Allrightsbelongtotheoriginalpublisher.CompiledintothisformandeditedbyZhiguangTheworldthisweekPoliticsthisweekMar31st2010|Russiansecurityservicessaidthattwofemalesuicide-bombersblewthemselvesuponMoscow’smetrosystem,killing39people.Therewasnoclaimofresponsibility,butblameimmediatelyfellonIslamicinsurgentsfromRussia’snorthCaucasusregion.VladimirPutin,Russia’sprimeminister,vowedtodragthebombers“fromthebottomofthesewers”.Twodayslater,twoexplosionskilledaroundadozenpeopleinthenorthCaucasusregionofDagestan.ThepresidentsofRussiaandAmericaconfirmedanagreementtocuttheirrespectivenucleararsenalsbyaboutathird.ThedealwasreceivedmorewarmlyinWashingtonthaninMoscow;SergeiLavrov,Russia’sforeignminister,emphasisedthatRussiacouldwithdrawfromthearrangementifAmericapursuesplansforamissile-defenceshield.TheSerbianparliamentformallyapologisedforthe1995Srebrenicamassacreinwhichalmost8,000BosnianMuslimswerekilled.Itdeclinedtodescribethekillingsasgenocide.Meanwhile,JohnSheehan,aformersupremealliedcommanderofNATO,saidhisrecentstatementblamingthepresenceofopenlygayUNpeacekeepersformakingthemassacrepossible,waswrong.TheconservativecoalitionledbySilvioBerlusconioutperformedexpectationsinItaly’sregionalelections,winningfourofthe13regionsatstakefromtheleft-wingopposition.TheNorthernLeague,MrBerlusconi’scoalitionpartner,didparticularlywell.PopeBenedictXVIremainedresoluteascriticismmountedoftheroleheplayed,whenacardinal,inthechild-abusescandalsengulfingtheCatholicchurch.InhisPalmSundaysermon,thepopesaidhisfaithhelpedhimavoidbeingintimidatedby“thepettygossipofdominantopinion”.TheLargeHadronCollider,Europe’snewlyrepairedparticleaccelerator,officiallyovertookAmerica’sTevatronastheworld’smostpowerful.Itcollidedtwostreamsofprotonsatanenergyof7teraelectronvolts,three-and-a-halftimesthepreviousrecord.DoneanddustedBarackObamasigneda“reconciliation”billthatfixessomemeasuresintherecentlypassedhealth-careact.ThereconciliationbillwaspartoftheDemocraticleadership’sparliamentarymanoeuvretoavoidafilibusterintheSenate.Meanwhile,thetwopartiescrankeduptherancouroverhealthcare,witheachaccusingtheotherofexploitingvoterangerontheissue.InabusyweekforareinvigoratedMrObama,thepresidentpreparedaplanthatwouldallownewdrillingforoilandgasoffAmerica’seastcoast,fromDelawaretoFlorida,inwatersoffnorthernAlaskaandotheroffshoreareas,insomeplacesforthefirsttime.Environmentalistswerenotpleased.RallyingthetroopsBarackObamaflewunannouncedtoAfghanistanwhere,besidesvisitingAmericantroops,heheldameetingwithhisAfghancounterpart,HamidKarzai.AmericanofficialssaidhetoldMrKarzaihisgovernmenthadtodomoretorootoutcorruption.TheNationalLeagueforDemocracy,Myanmar’smainoppositionparty,whichwonanelectionin1990,announceditwouldnotregistertotakepartinanelectiontobeheldlaterthisyearbecauseitrefusestorecognisetheconstitutionunderwhichtheballotwillbeheld.Manyofitsleaders,includingAungSanSuuKyi,whoisunderhousearrest,areanywaybarredfromcontestingthepoll.Morethan40sailorsweremissing,and58rescued,whenaSouthKoreannavyshipsankoffNorthKoreaafteranexplosion.Adiverdiedsearchingthewreckage.ThedefenceministersaidtheexplosionmighthavebeencausedbyaminelaidbyNorthKoreaduringtheKoreanwar,from1950-53.Aftertwoweeksofmassanti-governmentdemonstrationsinBangkokbyred-shirtedsupportersofThak...
