Wearing a white kurta and a blue turban, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 77, appeared relaxed on the eve of his state visit to Washington, which takes place this week. Many Indians worry that the Obama White House, unlike the previous two American administrations, may tilt toward China instead of India. Singh sat down in his Delhi residence last week to discuss with NEWSWEEK's Lally Weymouth how he believes India and the United States can work together to further their strategic partnership and why he believes it is critical that the U.S. not leave Afghanistan. Excerpts:

Why recent events point to a potentially worrying radicalization of disaffected American Muslims.

What do teachers' unions think about being vilified by everyone from Newt Gingrich to Al Sharpton?

College degrees are supposed to last a lifetime, but should tuition loan payments? How some schools got away with charging interest rates of up to 18 percent.

What a meal of beef stomach and duck throats taught me about the new China.

Why many American women are resolutely rejecting the new mammogram recommendations, despite mixed reaction in the medical community.

The fight over God's secular title.

Abortion-rights activists were not caught unaware on the anti-abortion-funding amendment to the House health-care bill, and they are likely to stop it in the Senate.

Our entire health-care system is filled with complex moral choices. We shouldn't make our health-care debate about just one.

The clerical establishment has become so sick of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that they will not replace him when he dies.

Giuliani should know better than to impugn the capabilities of federal courts.

Why the U.S.-China relationship is not only the fulcrum of the world economy, but a good thing after all.

Why the American brand Mary Kay is thriving in China.

The obscure Senate procedure that is getting in the way of governance.

A new study shows that men are more likely to ditch their sick spouses.

Well before the Chinese welcomed Obama, his ambassador was showing them how an American politician works a crowd. And they love it.

On the eve of Obama's visit, China reveals an identity crisis.

Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Lab are betting $3.5 billion in taxpayer money on a tiny pellet that could produce an endless supply of safe, clean energy. For some, that's hard to swallow.

Innovation is as American as baseball and apple pie. But some traditions can't be trademarked.

Obama knows the long odds against a right-wing populist winning the presidency, no matter how good she looks in a skirt (or running clothes), brandishing a gun. He shouldn't be too cocky, however, because the death of the center is ultimately a problem for him and the whole country. If the Palinistas seize the GOP, they probably cannot take the White House. But their brand of no-prisoners partisanship sure can tie up Congress.