WHAT'S HAPPENING

by RAY FLEMING
WHICH will break down first - the World Trade Talks in Geneva or the Future of Zimbabwe talks in Pretoria?
Watching the news agencies yesterday afternoon it was a close run thing. America and India couldn't agree on trade concessions and that meant collapse of the whole seven-year Doha Round - wait a minute, though it's only a break for consultations and they'll be resuming soon. In South Africa the sharing-power talks started by Thabo Mbeki and scheduled to last only two weeks have broken down after two days. Someone has already returned to Zimbabwe - but is it opposition leader Tsvangirai or Mugabe's man, the justice minister Chinamasa - or both of them?
Here's the latest on CNN: Global trade talks break down. Mbeki says Zimbabwe talks are going fine. Perhaps Thabo Mbeki should rush to Geneva to save the situation there and let Pascal Lamy, boss of the World Trade Talks, try his hand with Mugabe.
Now get this: William Rees-Mogg - Lord Rees-Moog, sorry Mogg - says in The Times that Harriet Harman should take over from Gordon Brown because she is Britain's Hillary Clinton and “only a woman can change the climate of public debate”. Is it April 1st? No it's too hot. Climate change?
Actually, although Rees-Mogg really fancies Harriet Harman he finally says that sticking with Mr Brown until May 2010 might be the wisest course - and I agree with him, I think. God, it's hot!