Page 8 - The Economist20171214

The world this week
8 The Economist December 16th 2017

Politics A crisis in the making country. The Russian airforce bined population of600m
has been bombingrebels and
Security forces in Honduras
people. Japan will slice tariffs
tried to clearthe streets of jihadists in Syria formore than on imports ofEuropean
barricades set up by suppor- two years, proppingup the cheeses, meat and wine and
ters ofpresidential candidate blood-soaked regime of the EU will do the same to
SalvadorNasralla. More than Basharal-Assad. duties on Japanese cars. Mean-
two weeks afterthe election, while, Japan and the EU joined
no winnerhas been firmly The Organisation ofIslamic America in formingan alliance
established, though authori- Co-operation, comprising57 to “eliminate…unfairmarket
ties say the incumbent, Juan Muslim countries, called on distortingand protectionist
Orlando Hernández, won the the world to recognise East practices”, which is aimed
most votes. MrNasralla wants Jerusalem as the capital of a squarely at China.
the election to be annulled on Palestinian state. It said that
grounds offraud. Donald Trump’s decision to The end of the beginning
recognise the city as Israel’s Theresa May, Britain’s prime
The United States and Venezu- capital disqualified America minister, at last managed to get
The Democrats’ DougJones ela traded harsh words after from playinga role in the provisional approval forphase
won an election fora Senate President Nicolás Maduro said Middle East peace process. one ofa Brexit deal from the
seat in Alabama, a stunning parties that boycotted this European Union covering
upset forthe Republicans in a month’s mayoral elections A political chasm citizenship rights, the divorce
state that Donald Trump would be banned from future China closed the bridge link- bill and the Irish border. She
carried in last year’s presi- elections. Aruling-party big- ingthe city ofDandongto received a rapturous reception
dential race by almost 30 wigsaid this reflected the North Korea, across which from Conservative MPs when
percentage points. Roy Moore, government’s beliefin multi- much ofNorth Korea’s trade she returned to the Commons,
the Republican candidate, had party democracy. with the outside world flows. but that soon changed when 11
a record ofcourtingcontrover- The closure was ostensibly for Tory rebels joined the opposi-
sy longbefore he faced allega- Paying with their lives repairs, but some observers tion to pass an amendment
tions ofcourtingand harassing In the DemocraticRepublic thought China was surrepti- insistingthat Parliament have
teenagers. MrTrump tweeted ofCongo14 UN peacekeepers tiously pressingNorth Korea to a vote on the final deal. Many
that he always knew MrMoore were killed in an attackon curb its nuclearprogramme. issues remain unresolved. On
could not win (havingcam- theirbase by jihadists called the all-important trading
paigned forhim). the Allied Democratic Forces. relationship, all options other
The attackadded an Islamist than EU membership would
The Republicans made pro- twist to a conflict that has long leave Britain poorer.
gress in reconcilingthe House been about lootingminerals.
and Senate versions ofthe tax Poland has a new prime min-
bill. One ofthe remaining Two courts ruled against Jacob ister, Mateusz Morawiecki,
stickingpoints is makingsure Zuma, the president ofSouth who will also retain his post as
the legislation does not contra- Africa, just days ahead ofa finance minister. Some hope
vene the Senate’s Byrd rule, conference ofthe rulingAfri- he can defuse the tension
which does not allow “extra- can National Congress to between the EU and Poland
neous” spendingto add to the select his successoras party overPoland’s erosion ofthe
deficit beyond a decade. The leader. One court ordered him rule oflaw, but that seems
party wants to get the bill on to allow an independent judi- Partial results suggested a unlikely given that parliament
MrTrump’s deskso that he can cial review into allegations of coalition ofcommunist parties this weekapproved bills that
sign it before Christmas. “state capture” in which he is had won Nepal’s first parlia- increase the government’s
accused ofappointingcabinet mentary election since 1999 in powers overthe judiciary.
Apipebomb partially explod- ministers at the behest of a landslide.
ed in a walkway between the people with whom his family
Times Square and Port has business interests. Another Sam Dastyari, an embattled
Authority subway stations in court ordered that he perso- Australian senator, resigned
NewYork, injuringthree nally pay costs associated with from parliament aftera series
people and disruptingthe his efforts to prevent an anti- ofrevelations concerninghis
city’s morningrush hour. A corruption ombudsman from dealings with a businessman
27-year-old Bangladeshi releasinga report in which thought to be close to the
immigrant was charged with these allegations were made. Chinese government.
terrorist offences.
Saudi Arabia lifted a 35-year- The Philippine congress
Transgenderpeople will be old ban on cinemas. The extended martial law in the
allowed to enlist in America’s crown prince, Muhammad bin southern island ofMindanao
armed forces from January1st, Salman, is tryingto make the fora year, to allow the army More than a million people
aftera judge refused the ad- kingdom less puritanical. The greaterfreedom to pursue its lined the streets ofParis for the
ministration’s request to delay first theatres could begin campaign against Muslim funeral ofJohnnyHallyday,
the date while it figures out showingfilms early next year. extremists. the French answerto Elvis. “He
how to implement MrTrump’s was a lot more than a singer, he
orderto ban them from serv- While visitingSyria, Vladimir The European Union and was life,” Emmanuel Macron,
ing. The Pentagon said it would Putin said he would start Japan agreed to a free-trade the president, declared in his
comply with the judge’s order. withdrawingtroops from the deal, which will covera com- eulogy. 1