"I start my duties at a daunting time in international affairs, starting from Darfur to the Middle East, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and many other crises that trouble our world." 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, speaking to reporters on his first day of work at the helm of the world body

"ETA has broken, has liquidated, has finished the process."

Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, admitting that the car bombing on December 30, 2006 at Madrid Airport blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA has ended the country's peace process

"This new information represents another warning that climate change is happening around the world."

Katie Hopkins, a scientist with Britain's Meteorological Office, reacting after the agency predicted 2007 is set to be the hottest year on record worldwide due to global warming and the El Nino weather phenomenon

"Media have become more powerful and journalism has become more dangerous."

Aidan White, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, after a report of his organization showed 2006 was the deadliest on record for members of the news media

"In the relationship between government and the media, we are promoting a shift from managing the press to serving it, treating reporters as 'clients.'" 

Wang Guoqing, Vice Minister of the State Council Information Office, speaking after a new regulation took effect on January 1 to grant foreign journalists in China more freedom