THIS WEEK THEY SAID

What they said around the world this week

On a personal level I am excited by the challenge, if somewhat daunted by the responsibility - Brian Cowen, on being elected to replace Bertie Ahern as head of Fianna Fáil.

The whole world has a headache from your hypocrisy - Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi, a suspected member of al-Qaeda held in Guantánamo, has a message for the US.

It's an issue that we are determined to push - French finance minister Christine Lagarde. France plans to push hard to encourage EU states to agree a common method of computing corporate taxes.

The extent of the problem was not appreciated initially by either management or clinical staff at the hospital - Inquiry into the outbreak of Clostridium difficile at Ennis General Hospital last year finds that the hospital had no effective system for surveillance of the superbug.

I really feel very sad the government demonises me. I am just a human, I am not a demon - The Dalai Lama as the Chinese government accuses the spiritual leader of fuelling international anger over Beijing's human rights record in Tibet.

We're dealing with a group of people whose range of depravity is very deep indeed - Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan as the gangland feud in Limerick continues to escalate.

Enough is enough - Mohamed Al Fayed, father of Dodi, says he will take no further action after a jury made its final ruling in the inquest into the deaths of his son and Princess Diana. It rejected his claim they were victims of a high-level conspiracy.

We haven't turned any corners. We haven't seen any lights at the end of the tunnel - Gen David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq.

My husband - much to my surprise and his - has made a lot of money since he left the White House doing what he loves doing most, talking to people - Hillary Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, after her staff makes public her tax returns which shows the Clintons have made more than $100 million since 2001.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times