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FP spoke to Michael Green, until recently President George W. Bush’s point person on Japan, about the country’s shifting strategy.

It seems homegrown terror plots are now an indelible part of the British summer. But neither the country’s involvement in Iraq nor its domestic inequality can explain why some Britons are driven to kill their neighbors. To defeat the terror threat, Britain must once again stand up for liberal values.

When BP, the world’s second-largest oil company, announced that it had found corrosion in an Alaskan pipeline, the company was forced to turn off the pumps at the largest oil field in the United States. Could other oil fields be next? In this week’s List, FP takes a look at some of the world’s biggest pools of black gold and the dangers that could take them offline.

The man who crafted President George W. Bush’s speeches for seven years recently decided to start speaking officially for himself. Michael Gerson stepped down from his post in the West Wing at the end of July to join the Council on Foreign Relations as a senior fellow. FP spoke recently with him about morality and political rhetoric, the state of American conservatism, and the speeches that made history.

They may not have Google’s name recognition, but a spate of international search engines is taking on American giants by providing tailored search results for the particular needs of Internet users around the world. Whether it’s developing language-specific technology for browsers or promoting local content, these global crawlers are hoping that as the world gets wired, they’ll become household names. In this week’s List, FP takes a look at the search engines designed with local users in mind.

The temporary transfer of power from Cuban President Fidel Castro to his brother Raúl has spurred the political rumor mill into overdrive speculating about the future of the island. To separate fact from fiction, FP spoke with former CIA analyst and author Brian Latell about the future of U.S.-Cuba relations and life in Cuba under another Castro.

Nearly everyone agrees that a large, multinational force of some kind is needed to police the Israel-Lebanon border and enforce a cease-fire. But Israel has made it clear that it won’t accept the usual U.N. rent-a-force. With Britain and the United States unwilling to send troops because of their commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, FP takes a look at other nations that could supply the boots on the ground.

In mosques from Cairo to Jakarta, influential Muslim clerics shape the opinions of the faithful. Their edicts can make or break governments, drive markets, and even incite violence. In this week’s List, FP presents a guide to some of Islam’s leading holy men.

In June, the Islamic militia known as the Supreme Islamic Courts Council took control of Mogadishu. Since then, rival warlords have fled the Somali capital for safer ground, stoking fears that the council’s campaign could spread throughout the country. FP recently spoke to Craig Timberg, who reports from Africa for the Washington Post, about whether the Islamic militia has delivered much-needed stability or just ushered in a new era of terror to the war-torn country.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo will soon hold its first democratic presidential elections since the country gained its independence in 1960. It should be a moment for celebration. But the lavishly funded experiment—to the tune of half a billion dollars—will do little to remedy the country’s endemic corruption, chaotic security, and crippling poverty.

It’s why Indians and Pakistanis continue to quibble over Kashmir, and why Israelis and Palestinians can’t seem to see to eye to eye. But these are just the two most-publicized disputes over land. FP takes a look at the most important border conflicts the world forgot.