World

The differences between Hamas and Fatah lie in their respective visions for a Palestinian future and the methods employed to achieve these ends. Since its foundation following the first intifada against Israel's occupation of Palestinian land in 1987, Hamas has seen Fatah's two-state solution as implicit recognition of Israel. Instead, Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state on all of historic Palestine – much of which lies within Israel's present borders.

Hamas has won a military victory in Gaza at the cost of exposing its political weakness.

Tensions mount in Iran as a young population resists an increasingly repressive system. This latest dynamic, should it continue, will inevitably play into Washington's hands and its Middle Eastern objectives.

The use of the company private jet for a $500,000 holiday, a $60,000 birthday party with guests Henry Kissinger and Donald Trump, and a $4.6 million refit of an apartment to make it habitable – all billed to the Hollinger media company. These are some of the details of excess and extravagance that emerged during a two month trial accusing media mogul Conrad Black of looting $60m from his Hollinger media empire. Black (62) is accused of 17 charges of fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice and faces up to 100 years in prison if he is convicted.

The number of global refugees has risen for the first time in five years largely because of violence in Iraq, according to a recent United Nations report.

Nicolas Sarkozy's Union pour un Movement Populaire (UMP) has secured a parliamentary majority but the much predicted ‘blue wave' did not materialise. Although the centre-right candidate won the presidential election by over 6 per cent of the vote, his parliamentary power was tempered by the 185 seats the electorate handed to the Socialist party.

For Americans, it should be startling to see the word "detainee" suddenly appear in a different country, on a different continent, and referring not to alleged jihadi terrorists but to a group of Americans. After all, "detainee" is the word the Bush administration coined to deal with suspected terrorist captives who, they argued, should be subjected to extra-legal treatment as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Now, that terminology is, as critics long predicted might happen, being turned against American citizens.

History is being repeated in Somalia where the worst fighting in 15 years recently erupted causing a massive humanitarian crisis. Yet again, the US plays a central role and UN is inept in resolving the conflict.

By Malachy Browne

The election cycle of 2007 offers the last chance for the current generation of leaders to bring stability and progress to troubled East Timor.

Coca-Cola has been charged with illegally seizing lands communally owned by small farmers and indiscriminately dumping sludge and other industrial hazardous waste onto the surrounding community. This comes as the multinational beverage giant announced a new effort Tuesday to protect rivers on four continents.