IBS

Reuters/AFP

• POPE BENEDICT XVI takes a four-day trip to Brazil, his first long-haul journey since becoming pope two years ago. At a conference of bishops from Latin America and the Caribbean, which is meant to set the course for the region’s 450m Catholics (nearly half of the world's 1.1 billion total), he may hope to ease decades of strife between progressive and conservative wings of the church. He will also canonise the country’s first native-born saint.

• MICROSOFT'S battle against the mighty Google may continue. The software giant is said to have approached Yahoo! so that the two might team up to take on the behemoth of internet searches. Yahoo! has apparently spurned advances from Microsoft over the years, the latest takeover offer coming just a few months ago. This time Microsoft seemingly wants to begin formal talks and is rumoured to have $50 billion to spend.

• AFTER months of teasing, this week Britain's Tony Blair will finally reveal his departure date. Within a matter of a few weeks he will (almost certainly) be replaced as prime minister by Gordon Brown, the permanently glum-looking finance minister. Mr Brown, who has waited for his turn to lead with some impatience, might just crack a smile for once.

• A BIG week for Europe. Envoys from the 27 member states of the European Union gather in Berlin to begin low-level talks on reviving the idea of a constitution for the continent. More fractious European in-fighting is likely later in the week at the Eurovision song contest in Helsinki. The latter is an inclusive affair (even Israel and Armenia get a go) but expect the sort of vote-trading and settling of scores more typical of EU summits.