The non-evacuation of New Orleans is one of the harder to understand events of the last few months. First, that while an evacuation order was given the only choice for those who could not leave, who were too frail or did not have cars, was to stay in their homes or a shelter. Second, that when evacuation buses were laid on there are several thousands who would not go. Presumably they do not want to leave the city and their possessions behind, or, amid the nightmarish toxic waters and rotting flesh, do not believe it can get any worse. For the second time this summer – the first was in the Gaza Strip – we are to see forced evacuations.
Another international story, but this time intriguing rather than hard to understand, is the illness of Jacques Chirac. He left hospital today but, as Jon Henley will report in his World Dispatch there are allegations of a cover up over the state of his health.
In Britain, the chancellor, Gordon Brown, has announced that five countries and Bill Gates are to support his International Finance Facility to raise money to immunise children in the developing world.
At the Oval, England appear to be close to the end of their first innings, perhaps not as close as bowler Glenn McGrath would like, but it cannot be long before they are in the field. Follow it over-by-over.
