By far the world's most devastating recent conflict has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), where over 5 million people have lost their lives in the last decade.  Although there is now a signed peace agreement between warring government and rebel factions, violent conflict has raged on in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and huge numbers of women and children continue to be targeted for rape and sexual violence.

Peace in Afghanistan is being undermined by the failure of Western nations to deliver promised assistance, according to aid agencies working in the country, as reported by Reuters. Afghanistan relies on international aid for 90 percent of its spending as it tries to rebuild state institutions shattered by nearly 30 years of war and at the same time fight off a renewed Taliban insurgency that killed 6,000 people last year. The U.S.

It has often been argued by supporters of Desmond Connell that he had been left to clean up the sins of the past and that he himself was relatively blameless. And there is indeed some truth to this. For instance, it was Connell who initiated the process to defrock two notorious Dublin paedophile priests, Tony Walsh and William (Bill) Carney, both of whom were subsequently convicted.

On Friday, 23 February last the chairman of the Planning Tribunal, Judge Alan Mahon, explained why the Tribunal was enquiring into Bertie Ahern's financial records.

The contest to succeed Bertie Ahern is under way in Fianna Fáil and although Brian Cowen is by far the leading contender, he is not alone and “events” could derail what seems an effortless succession. By Vincent Browne

Bertie Ahern faces political disgrace, a fate he doesn't deserve given his achievements on the economy and on Northern Ireland. But his explanations for the huge lodgements to his bank accounts are now not credible. And the discovery of building society accounts suggest not just that he got large sums of money from unknown sources but also that monies were diverted from the Fianna Fail coffers.
By Vincent Browne

Once again the annual crime statistics have been wilfully sensationalised by the media and politicians.
Pat Rabbitte, now the Labour Party spokesperson on justice, said the figures confirmed reports of a significant rise in crime, especially violent crime.

He is Ireland's best talk broadcaster by far. Fluent, intelligent, informed, focused, relaxed, his radio programme is a model of professional broadcasting.  All the more so since he curbed a tendency to over-talk, to show-off his erudition and to answer his own questions.

Hillary Clinton, Democrat, (60)

Majella Holohan's victim impact statement caused almost as much sensation as the trial of the man who killed her son. She had submitted a draft of the statement to the judge in the case, Paul Carney, before reading it but then she added explosive new material which lent credence to the suspicion that material evidence was withheld from the jury in the case, which would have secured a conviction for murder.