Until now, apart from North Korea, most of the would-be little powder-kegs have for good reason a mixture of oil politics, the Muslim revival and the quarrel about Israel been located in the Middle East.

ECONOMIST: Weathering the storm

So Japan's poisonous national politics are the third reason for gloom about the speed of reconstruction.

ECONOMIST: Banyan

One paradoxical reason for their current despondency is what might be called the sanctification of politics.

ECONOMIST: Gary Bauer��s glass door

Having wrenched Labour to the centre of politics, Mr Blair has every reason to deny Mr Livingstone a platform for this damaging crusade back to the left.

ECONOMIST: Is Tony Blair a Dalek?

That may be another reason for the Fed to postpone a decision on QEII until its December meeting, rather than risk being accused of playing politics.

FORBES: Like Meatloaf, Fed Says, 'Let Me Sleep On It'