WASHINGTON – Despite early signs of success by the US military, experts say the fate of the Marjah offensive will depend increasingly on long-criticized Afghan partners meant to be the face of the operation.

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SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON – Google Inc’s mastery of Internet search technology is unrivaled, but the high-tech pioneer is in uncharted territory as it finds itself embroiled in US diplomatic spats with China and Iran.

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BRUSSELS – European ministers told Greece yesterday it may need to take further steps to bring a swollen debt under control and calm “irrational” financial markets, as wage cuts already announced by Athens sparked another strike.

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TEHRAN – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday any country that tried to impose new sanctions on Iran would regret its actions, as the United States and Russia voiced shared concern about Tehran’s nuclear programme.

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WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama announced $8.3 billion in loan guarantees yesterday to build the first US nuclear power plant in nearly three decades in a move designed to help advance climate legislation in Congress.

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LONDON – Iraq is the country most at risk from terrorist attacks for the second straight year, according to a ranking by global analysts Maplecroft, while Thailand has joined the nine countries most in danger for the first time.

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BAGHDAD – Iraq is likely to enter a dangerous political vacuum after parliamentary elections in March, with protracted negotiations over a new government threatening the country’s fragile peace and shaky institutions.

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WASHINGTON/DETROIT – US regulators yesterday opened an investigation into whether Toyota Motor Corp acted in a timely way to recall cars for acceleration problems, and the automaker moved to slow its US production to avoid a costly ballooning of inventories.