As its economic interests have grown, China has pressed for more access to Myanmar's harbours and territorial waters, to monitor the security of the new port and pipelines, and to keep an eye out for pirates.

ECONOMIST: Myanmar

If this is truly Mr Barak's final offer, it would leave a Palestinian state made up of two Gaza-like cantons north and south of Jerusalem, but with no territorial contiguity between them and no access to the border with Jordan.

ECONOMIST: Palestinians and Israel