Politics this week: 26th February - 4th March 2005

Stirrings of democracy
After tens of thousands of Lebanese from across the sectarian spectrum had taken to the streets of Beirut in protest against Syria's continuing control of their country, their pro-Syrian government resigned and Syria's president, Bashir Assad, said he would withdraw all Syrian troops “maybe within a few months”.


In an apparent gesture to the Americans, who have been squeezing the regime, Syria's government handed over a half-brother of Saddam Hussein, Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan, to the Iraqi authorities, along with 29 other Baathist fugitives.


President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for 24 years, said he would support a constitutional amendment to allow his candidacy for re-election later this year to be contested. But his own ruling party would still, in effect, be able to block an opponent.


Thierry Breton, boss of France Telecom, took over as French finance minister, replacing Hervé Gaymard, who resigned after a scandal over his taxpayer-financed flat. The new head of France Telecom will be Didier Lombard.


A welcome reprieve
In a dramatic reversal of its ruling 16 years ago, America's Supreme Court abolished the death penalty for juveniles aged under 18 at the time they committed their crimes. This means a reprieve for the 72 juvenile offenders on death row.


A lawsuit against the treasurer of a political committee formed by Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, went to trial in Texas. Five Democrats allege that Bill Ceverha failed to report corporate donations to the state's ethics commission during the 2002 mid-term elections.


An ill wind
Hong Kong's chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, was reported to be about to step down from the office he was appointed to by China when Britain withdrew in 1997. His departure, officially for health reasons, was welcomed by pro-democracy groups.


An Indonesian court sentenced a Muslim cleric, Abu Bakar Basyir, to two-and-a-half years in prison for his part in the 2002 Bali bombing.


At least 70 Maoist rebels were killed in clashes with troops in Nepal. It was the deadliest fighting since King Gyanendra seized power last month.


A four-month amnesty for illegal workers in Malaysia (under which they would have to leave the country but with good hopes of returning) expired. The authorities promptly began a crackdown on the estimated 500,000 mostly Indonesian workers who did not take advantage of the deal.


Opposition groups in Tajikistan protested at the result of the parliamentary election that handed 80% of the votes to the president's ruling Popular Democratic Party.


Kirgizstan's parliamentary election had no conclusive result. There will be a second round of voting for more than half the seats on March 13th.


Criticism in the American State Department's annual report on human rights angered China, which accused America of double standards. The report also found human-rights abuses by allies, such as Saudi Arabia, and Iraq's interim government.


Debtor's delight
Argentina's president, Néstor Kirchner, declared that his country had left its 2001 debt default behind. He said that “at least 70-75%” of bondholders had opted to take part in the government's tough restructuring plan, which gives creditors around 35 cents on the dollar.


In Uruguay, a left-winger, Tabaré Vázquez, took office as president, in another sign of Latin America's leftward trend. Like Brazil's Lula, Mr Vázquez is expected to pursue a pragmatic economic policy.


Carlos Ortega, a fugitive Venezuelan labour leader who led a failed two-month general strike against the government of Hugo Chávez in 2002-03, was arrested while playing bingo in Caracas. He faces charges of treason.



Mexico's foreign minister said his country would take legal action in the American courts against an Arizona-based pressure group's plan to organise citizens' patrols to prevent illegal immigrants crossing the border into the United States.

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