The "nuclear cooperation" agreement signed by United States President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, six months ago in Washington, has run into trouble over separation of India’s civilian installations from the military.
By allowing inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit and verify its nuclear programme this week, Iran has indicated readiness to work with the United Nations watchdog, while continuing to limit the role of the Western powers.
French President Jacques Chirac's threat that France could use nuclear weapons to retaliate against terrorist attacks has provoked strong opposition.
Brushing aside its failure to win a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last year, Tokyo is betting on backing the United States and its policies as a means of achieving a goal viewed as key to playing a more active role in global affairs.
To avoid failure of its mission in Iraq, the George W. Bush administration has been driven to seek the help of two major enemies - the Sunni insurgents and the government of Iran - but both initiatives have failed to make progress because officials were not given any real negotiating authority.
Now that Iran has broken the seals it put two and a half years ago on an atomic research facility at Natanz, 250 kms south of Tehran, the threat of escalating conflict centred on the Western power's effort to halt its nuclear activities looms large.
Environmentalists are warning against the new push towards nuclear energy in Europe following the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine.
Nearly a week after a massive stroke effectively removed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from Israeli politics, the outlook in Washington is mostly worried and pessimistic.
After Islamists defied an order by Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to expel foreigners enrolled in the madrasas (religious schools) by Dec 31, questions have been raised on the country's future role in the United States-led ‘war on terror'.