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• RUSSIA gets a visit from Condoleezza Rice, America’s secretary of state, at the beginning of the week and an EU delegation led by Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, arrives later in the week. Ms Rice will have much to discuss with her Russian hosts. She wants their help with Iran and North Korea, for example. But Russia is in a foul mood over American plans to install anti-ballistic missile batteries in eastern Europe. When Ms Merkel shows up, she may try to reassure the Russians while chiding the country over its recent bullying of Estonia. But Europe relies heavily on Russian energy, limiting the pressure she can exert.
• ISRAEL'S prime minister, Ehud Olmert, will meet the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in Jericho. Both men are weak: Mr Olmert is accused of botching last summer’s war against Hizbullah in Lebanon; Mr Abbas leads the minority Fatah party in a power-sharing government with the rejectionist Hamas. Both Israeli and Fatah officials denied rumours of secret talks between the two. Outsiders will look for the smallest hint of a breakthrough in the frozen peace process. Mr Olmert will then travel to Jordan for talks with King Abdullah.
• EFFORTS to improve relations between North and South Korea may gather steam. A “peace train” is scheduled to cross the heavily-fortified border of the two countries for the first time in over 50 years, possibly as a prelude to the establishment of more frequent rail traffic. Still nobody is counting on it. Last year's nuclear test by North Korea knocked relations with the neighbours and previous attempts to re-establish a train service were cancelled at the last minute by the North’s jittery military chiefs.
• NICOLAS SARKOZY takes over as president of France from Jacques Chirac. He promises reform in areas such as employment law and education, but expect some resistance. Opposition politicians and trade unionists have already poured scorn on his plans and protesters have already taken to the streets, setting alight cars in customary fashion. French voters get an early chance to weigh up their decision in parliamentary elections next month.
