Huge real estate projects, central geography, and reconciliation with its fraternal capital Abu Dhabi made Dubai resilient to the crisis in ways almost every global analyst missed.

CNN: Is Dubai the center of the world (again)?

Mr Abbas for his part pointedly hosted a new pro-peace organisation of Israeli businessmen and public figures in Ramallah, the Palestinians' administrative capital, on April 28th, the day after the reconciliation agreement was announced.

ECONOMIST: Israel and Palestinian unity

Republican leaders are determined to shoehorn a two-year extension of the top-15% tax rate on capital gains and dividends, which expires at the end of 2008, into reconciliation.

FORBES: Congress Fiddles