One Week Later....

Sadr's stand

In Sadr calls the shots we said that influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr would likely renew his Mahdi Army militia's six month ceasefire, which has helped the US troop surge achieve measurable security gains.

• Sadr issued a statement, through his followers, extending the ceasefire.
• However, the Mahdi Army continues to fracture, and it remains uncertain whether Sadr will be able to maintain control of his followers.

South Korea's Lee

In South Korea: Lee unshackled we noted that newly installed President Lee Myung-bak may have fostered impossibly high expectations among the electorate, which he will have difficulty fulfilling.

• Lee's term in office began promisingly on the foreign policy front, as Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda agreed to restart reciprocal 'shuttle diplomacy' visits with Seoul, improve US-Japanese-South Korean policy co-ordination on North Korean issues, and restart talks on a bilateral free trade agreement.
• However, historical and territorial disputes will still muddy Seoul's ties with Tokyo; domestic policy remains a minefield for Lee.

Cold winter in Argentina?

In Latin America: gas shortfall we wrote that despite a summit between Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia focused on boosting gas exports from the latter, the Southern Cone would face shortages as winter approached.

• Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced that there would not be any measurable improvement in Bolivia's gas exports for at least four years.

Political Masterstroke

The World Next Week Political Masterstroke award goes to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who managed to broker an agreement ending the violent standoff over Kenya's disputed presidential election.

Analytica™

Worthy of note, or news to us.

'Virtual fence' delayed

The erection of a 'virtual fence' along large sections of the US-Mexican border has been delayed, after the project -- which relies on sensors and cameras to detect illegal immigrants -- ran into technical difficulties (Washington Post).

Gaza pounded

Israel continued to pound Gaza with air strikes, following the continued shelling of Israeli towns by Palestinian militants. The stillborn Annapolis peace process appears to be going nowhere (CNN).

And finally…

Colombia's FARC rebels release four hostages, but fears are growing for the health of French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt (BBC).