The United Nations Security Council will vote today to reauthorize the mandate for international forces in Afghanistan. Forty-two countries have troops in Afghanistan in numbers small and large, ranging from Singapore's two soldiers to Britain's 9,000. We're spending the week on the now eight-year-old war in Afghanistan; today we look at the role international forces are playing and how well U.S. forces and international allies are working together. Evelyn Farkas is a senior fellow with the American Security Project, a public policy organization. She was part of a NATO delegation with the International Security Assistance Force that just returned from Afghanistan this week. We also speak to BBC defense and security correspondent Nick Childs in London, and BBC correspondent Tristana Moore in Berlin.

Ever since 1744, The Baltic Dry Index has measured the strength of the global economy.

The 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly is underway, and more than 130 world leaders are gathering in New York City this week. With the Wall Street debacle, Russian-Georgian tensions and conflict over Iran's nuclear program, they will have plenty to talk about.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates was recently in Kabul, Afghanistan, addressing growing anger from people who believe the United States is responsible for civilian deaths in the country. Earlier this month, a strike on the western province of Herat led to seven civilian deaths, according to the United States — as many as 90, according to the United Nations and Afghanistan's government. Gates is now traveling to London to push a plan where U.S. Central Command, not NATO, would lead forces in the fight against the Taliban.

Angola underwent first democratic elections in 16 years, but already many feel there is something amiss. Amidst reports that people were bussed in from neighboring Congo to vote, the opposition party is calling for a recount as additional reports of voters receiving handouts of cash, alcohol and cars from the ruling party continue to circulate. Richard Howitt is the EU Observer in Angola and was monitoring the elections first hand.

Europe is still reverberating from the Georgian conflict as French President Nicolas Sarkozy prepares to visit Russia this week. Edward Lucas from the Economist tells us why we should be careful with the language we use to describe the tensions between Russia and the West. It’s not the old Cold War; it’s a New Cold … What?

President Bush says Moscow's apparent violation of a cease-fire agreement puts its aspirations for global acceptance at risk. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is visiting Tbilisi but not Moscow, while President Bush is promising to "rally the free world in the defense of a free Georgia."

Guest: NATALIA ANTELAVA, BBC correspondent, reporting from Georgia

Guest: Steven Eke, Russian Affairs Analyst for the BBC

A few years ago, the International Olympics Committee knocked softball off the list of 2012 sports, though its popularity has been growing since 1996, its first Games. For girls around the world, the Olympics will forever be a dream.

Guest: Caroline Wyatt, BBC correspondent in Moscow.

Guests: Stephen Eke, BBC Russian Affairs Analyst, and James Collins, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia.

The International Olympic Committee has overturned an earlier decision banning Iraq from this year's Olympics. The latest move came after last-minute talks during which Iraq promised to hold free elections for its national Olympic committee under international observation.

A BBC World Service investigation found that Keirin, a cycling event at the Olympics secured its place at the games with a payment of $3 million to Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Reporter Matt McGrath joins The Takeaway to explain.

Guest: Helen Fawkes, BBC correspondent, in Belgrade, Serbia

Guest: Stephen Erlanger, The New York Times

After 13 years on the run from the law, one of the world’s most wanted men, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, is behind bars. Karadzic had twice been indicted by the United Nations war crimes tribunal and accused of 16 counts of genocide.

Sudan is responding to reports that the International Criminal Court will issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur.