1. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan

    Japan’s Noda Faces Farmers’ Lobby on Trade Policy

    The Japanese prime minister faces considerable opposition against his push to liberalize trade relations with other Pacific nations.

  1. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan in Kyoto, November 5, 2010 (AP)

    Japan’s New Leader Signals Conservative Approach

    Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is a fiscal conservative who promised to fully restore Japan’s alliance with the United States.

  1. United States dollar bill

    World Anxious for Last Minute Debt Deal

    Governments and global investors are desperately hoping that American lawmakers reach an agreement that would prevent a default.

  1. Nuclear power plant in Cattenom, France, January 13, 2011

    The Future of Nuclear Energy Worldwide

    While Western nations ponder the future of atomic energy, the developing world is pushing ahead with ambitious nuclear plans.

  1. South Korean commuters watch footage of Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant, March 2011

    Cool Thoughts On a Hot Nuclear Disaster Story

    Despite the media hysteria and hyperbole from longtime nuclear energy opponents, the situation is Japan is not that dire.