THE WEEK THAT WAS

An international team of scientists reported that they had discovered a “lost world” of new and near-extinct plant and animal species in the isolated Foja mountains of Western New Guinea which is part of Indonesia. Among the animals observed were a previously unseen male specimen of Berlepsch's six-wired bird of pradise, an unknown golden-wattled honey-eater, a colony of gold-mantled tree kangaroos and 20 new species of frogs. The scientists said that the area should have international protection. l Protests over the re-publication of cartoons of Muhammad spread across the Muslim world. Danish embassies were attacked and burnt and a boycott of Danish goods took effect in several countries. In Britain, the Muslim cleric known as Abu Hamza was sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of soliciting to murder and of stirring up racial hatred while at the Finsbury Park Mosque in North London. The police and Crown Prosecution Service were criticised for failing to bring charges against Abu Hamza much sooner. l President Bush presented a US$2.8 trillion federal budget for the year 2006/07; increases in military and security spending and cuts in domestic programmes were criticised by members of Congress facing mid-term re-election in November. The US Attorney-General, Alberto Gonzales, faced hostile questioning from the Senate Judiciary Committee when he defended the administration's phone surveillance programme on the grounds that it was covered by Congressional approval of the Iraq war, an argument that was disputed by several senators. l The Liberal Democrats won a by-election in Dunfermline and West Fife, overturning a 11'500 Labour majority at the general election. The remarkable victory was achieved although the party's campaign to select a new leader to replace Mr Charles Kennedy was still in progress. l Despite concessions to Labour rebels on the government's new Education Bill, further objections made necessary a postponement. On another contentious subject the Home Secretary, Mr Charles Clarke said that he intended to go ahead with plans to merge police forces in four regions of England. l Royal Caribbean Cruises announced that the contract for the world's largest commercial ship had been won by Aker Yards in Norway. The ship, due to sail in 2009, will be 360 metres long and rise 65 metres above sea level.