One Week Later...

Taking the heat out of Lebanon

In Lebanon on the brink , we wondered if the slow fracturing of Lebanon's state institutions would be weathered or spiral into civil war.

• The UN chief Ban Ki-moon is due in Lebanon to help find an end to the impasse over the election of a new president.
• Efforts are being made to take the heat out of the crisis; some figures have suggested bringing forward parliamentary elections from 2009 and holding them before a presidential vote.
• Such a postponement of the crisis could work temporarily, given the desire on all sides to avoid the emergence of rival governments and a drift into civil war.

Airbus enjoys order boost

In Dubai dogfight, we wondered if Airbus or Boeing would triumph in the fight to secure billions of dollars worth of deals from rapidly expanding Gulf carriers. .

• Dubai-based Emirates airline snubbed the US plane-maker's mid-sized 787 Dreamliner in favour of the rival Airbus A350.
• The welcome news might not be enough to prevent the deepening of the planned restructuring programme and job cuts at EADS, as it faces record losses due to delays to its A350, A380 as well as the military aircraft A400M projects

Russia and India boost ties

In India and Russia: souring friendship?, we asked if a long-standing relationship was under strain.

• But India and Russia agreed to boost economic and military ties at the end of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two-day visit to Russia.
• The two sides signed agreements to jointly develop a military transport aircraft and mount a joint mission to the moon.
• Russia will continue to be a key partner for India, with complementary defence and energy interests among the factors that may deepen the relationship further.

Fukuda trip

In Fukuda's baptism of fire, we wrote that Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has a difficult trip ahead of him as he arrives at the White House for his meeting with President Bush.

• The BBC is optimistic on the trip. "Japan and the US still feel they need each other. Like old friends they have disagreements that at times annoy or frustrate. Rarely, though, do they stay mad at each other for long," writes Chris Hogg.

Political Masterstroke

The World Next Week Political Masterstroke award goes to Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero for keeping his head as everyone around him lost theirs. Spanish King Juan Carlos told Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez to "shut up" during bad-tempered exchanges at a summit meeting in Chile (watch here). Zapatero asked Chavez to be more diplomatic and show respect for other leaders; his phlegm should help his electoral fortunes.

News to us:

Nigeria: armed robbers

Nigeria's police chief admits that 785 suspected armed robbers have died in encounters with police in the last three months.

Aftershocks in Chile

Northern Chile has been rattled by powerful aftershocks a day after an earthquake struck the region, leaving 15,000 people homeless.

And finally…

A group in Russia has urged President Vladimir Putin to stay on as 'national leader' after his term ends next March.