Nuclear news

Iran widens its nuclear program as Russia blocks a European proposal that the Americans think is too soft. Graham Allison explains how the United States deters a nuclear North Korea. Meanwhile, Chinese trade with North Korea is carrying on as before. And chalk another one up to the intelligence community: They predicted in 1997 that the North Korean regime would collapse within five years.

News from the front

The fallout continues from Nato strikes that killed somewhere between 12 and 85 civilians. Karzai orders an inquiry, while Nato desperately tries to hold the Afghan mission together. In Iraq, insurgents kill 24 Iraqi police officers while the U.S. death toll mounts. In Washington, Rumsfeld tells his critics to "back off." Gerry Baker argues that whatever happens Iraq won't be the end of American greatness. 

U.S. Elections

Bush signs border fence bill, much to Mexico's annoyance. Republicans hope that concern over gay marriage can give them a last minute boost as a new Pew poll shows the Democrats with a double digit lead in swing districts. Eugene Robinson examines the GOP's Tennessee ads that offended the Canadians, among others. Weisberg, Krauthammer, and the Guardian look ahead to Obama '08.

And finally

Vietnam completes its WTO negotiations. Tom Friedman says that going green can reunite the West. France nervously marks an anniversary. The Archbishop of Canterbury has some Chinese lessons for the veil debate and Australia's top Muslim cleric is suspended.