It also facilitates the many other currency features that are so important to users, but not to governments, such as unrestricted person-to-person payments, user-defined anonymity and untraceability, near-immediate bearer settlement, transaction irreversibility, reliable store of value, multi-grid capable, and decentralized processing.

FORBES: Virtual Currencies and Roach Motels

Mr Abbas cannot build popular support for his peace strategy, rein in Hamas and other militant groups, and end acts of violence against Israelis, if Israel does not concurrently freeze all settlement activity and take immediate steps to normalise Palestinian life.

ECONOMIST: Accurate accounts

Obama wants such outposts dismantled, along with an immediate freeze on settlement expansion.

CNN: Obama, Netanyahu discuss U.S.-Israeli disagreements

His immediate challenges are to help engineer a settlement of divided Cyprus, and to ensure that the Olympic Games in August are a success.

ECONOMIST: Carnage in Madrid