As the United States hands over airstrike control to NATO, the Obama administration faces congressional debate over who the rebels are, whether they're capable of governing, and whether or not to arm them.

U.S.-Pakistan tensions over a U.S. Embassy employee accused of murder point to the challenges of balancing a long-term partnership with short-term priorities. Analysts say Washington should focus on opening trade and other strategies that help Pakistanis.

The approval of a Hezbollah-backed candidate as Lebanon's new prime minister feeds concerns in the West about the militant Shiite group's growing strength and the implications for national and regional stability.

Weeks of protests against unemployment, repression, and corruption in Tunisia could mean the end of President Ben Ali's government and could affect repressive governments in the Middle East, say experts.

The Pakistani government's loss of its parliamentary majority has raised new concerns among some analysts of instability for a country crucial to U.S. efforts to combat Taliban and al-Qaeda militants.

The recent WikiLeaks disclosures have further shaken U.S.-Pakistan relations. Experts say Pakistan's security establishment must break ties with all militant groups for this partnership to be sustainable in the long term.

On his state visit to India, President Obama won export deals to generate U.S. jobs and supported India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, but analysts noted challenges ahead for the strategic partnership.

A meeting of North Korean officials is expected to signal succession to Kim Jong-Il. Experts say the power transition is unlikely to herald reforms, and urge efforts to engage with the regime.

The startup of the Bushehr nuclear plant is feeding worries about Iran's nuclear agenda and talk about whether sanctions are failing.

Pakistan's floods are likely to cause setbacks for the country's development and its fight against militancy. Experts say the international community must intensify aid efforts and continue to support the country's democratic institutions.

Pakistan's latest bout of struggles with rampant floods, violence, and terrorism raise new questions about its governing capacity and stability. Experts say international support for the country is crucial.

Despite political uncertainty and a recent uptick in violence, the United States is winding down military operations in Iraq, a drawdown that will test Baghdad's nascent democratic institutions.

International endorsement of a plan to hand security responsibilities to Afghan forces in 2014 indicates NATO's military commitment is not open-ended. But meeting the deadline amid ongoing Afghan governance issues could prove challenging.

Pakistan's constitutional reforms will strengthen democracy but fail to improve the civil-military balance or check the military's influence on defense and foreign policy.

The decision by the main Afghan presidential challenger to drop out of the runoff contest raises new doubts about incumbent Hamid Karzai's viability as partner in the U.S. effort to counter Taliban forces in increasingly shaky Afghanistan.

Talks in Geneva over Iran's nuclear program ended with Tehran vowing to cooperate with UN inspectors. However, analysts remain divided on how lasting the gains will be.

The Obama administration has agreed to talks with Iran. Analysts are divided on whether dialogue will move the needle on nuclear negotiations, or strengthen calls for tougher action.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has sought to advance burgeoning strategic ties with India in a high-profile visit. The most substantive outcome of her trip could be new economic links, say some analysts.

In Moscow, President Barack Obama will focus on improving U.S.-Russia relations, which suffered during the final years of the Bush administration. But analysts say moving beyond rhetoric toward substantive change could be complicated by history and competing interests.

President Obama's address to Muslims in Cairo aimed to prepare the ground for new engagement with Muslims to get beyond tensions stirred by war, terrorism, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.