The world this week

A look at what could be dominating the headlines around the world this week - and some key background on those events.

MONDAY 27 AUGUST

WATCH OUT FOR: Features, picture galleries and an audio slideshow looking at how New Orleans' musical heritage is breathing new life into the hurricane-battered city, one year on

Blood sport: US National Football League star Michael Vick is expected to enter a formal guilty plea in a Virginia court after admitting charges related to running an illegal dog-fighting business.

US dog fight pair plead guilty

High yield: Farmers in Afghanistan have grown record amounts of the lucrative and illegal opium poppy, a UN report is expected to show.

Afghan opium production 'soars'

Higher plane: The first flight of a Vatican-linked travel agency packed with pilgrims takes off from Rome heading to the Catholic shrine of Lourdes, in France.

Vatican plans flights to shrines

Bog standard: The world bog snorkelling championships take place in Llanwrtyd Wells, in Wales. Competitors are allowed to use snorkels and flippers but no conventional swimming strokes.

Bog snorkel bikers battle it out

TUESDAY 28 AUGUST

Hoping for victory: Abdullah Gul

Faith in politics: Turkey's presidential election reaches its third and final round in a battle which has polarised the country between those who want to defend the secular state and those who back Abdullah Gul of the ruling Islamist-rooted AKP party.

Profile: Abdullah Gul

Seeking Noriega: A court in Miami hears a French request for the extradition of former Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega. France is seeking Noriega, about to be released from a Florida jail, on money-laundering charges.

Noriega fights France extradition

Asia's Las Vegas? A vast casino complex billed as the world's largest opens in Macau, a special administrative region of China, to feed the region's growing appetite for gambling.

Tiny Macau overtakes Vegas Strip

WEDNESDAY 29 AUGUST

More hot air?: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is due to meet Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the US state to discuss carbon emission trading schemes.

Q&A: Europe's carbon trading scheme

Painting the town red: The annual tomato-throwing fiesta, La Tomatina, begins in the Spanish town of Bunol.

In pictures: La Tomatina

Silver screen: The Venice film festival begins in Italy's city on water and opens with the film Atonement, starring British actress Keira Knightley.

Knightley film to kick off Venice

THURSDAY 30 AUGUST

Bluegrass bash: Nominees for the 41st annual Country Music Association Awards are announced in Nashville, Tennessee.

Country legend Johnny Cash dies

FRIDAY 31 AUGUST

Kuala Lumpur is preparing a party

Camp closure: The long-established Jalozai camp for Afghan refugees, near the Pakistani city of Peshawar, is to close.

Afghan refugees flood back home

Chavez the mediator: Venezuela's president travels to Colombia to offer his assistance as a go-between for the government and Farc rebels.

Colombia's most powerful rebels

Lighting up Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia celebrates half a century of independence from Britain.

Country profile: Malaysia

SATURDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

Top 'tache: The Beard Liberation Front, the UK-based informal network of beard-wearers, will announce the result of its search for the Barber of the Year 2007 to mark the World Beard and Moustache Championships.

SUNDAY 2 SEPTEMBER

Hanoi hopefuls: A prisoner amnesty is expected to mark Vietnam's national day.
Country profile: Vietnam

This guide to the week ahead is not intended as an exhaustive list, and the events noted may be cancelled or postponed.