The coming days

The week ahead

The pope goes to America, and other news

• VOTING in Italy's general election concludes in the afternoon on Monday April 14th. The main candidates of the right and left, Silvio Berlusconi and Walter Veltroni, have been doing much to downplay the chances of a post-ballot deal. But Italy's messy electoral law means that neither may be able to govern even after securing a majority of votes cast. Monday could bring a clear victory and a new leader for Italy or chaos followed by an uncomfortable compromise.

For background see article

• THE pope arrives in America for his first official visit on Tuesday April 15th. During his five-day trip he is expected to address sensitive topics in his public speeches, such as the child-abuse scandal that has riven the Catholic church. But the Vatican has not revealed what he will actually say; American conservatives (not all of them Catholic) hope to claim the pope as one of their own, but those of a leftish persuasion hope he might note the church’s opposition to the war in Iraq during his speech to the UN, or its critical view of unfettered capitalism.

• INTEREST in the Democratic campaign to find a nominee to seek election as president will pick up again with a debate televised from Philadelphia on Wednesday April 16th. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will try to squeeze whatever advantage they can from the event before an important Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd. Expect lots of sparring over free-trade agreements, ex-pastors and tax returns.

For background see article

• HOLLYWOOD, striving to get over the effects of a three-month strike by writers that ended in February, faces fresh industrial action that could bring productions to a standstill once again in Tinseltown. The Screen Actors Guild, the main union representing the “talent” begins negotiations over a new three-year contract with the film and television bargaining body on Tuesday April 15th. The old contract expires at the end of June and studios are already nervous about starting to shoot films that could remain unfinished during a protracted stoppage.