Both presidential candidates have called for expanding U.S. energy production to create jobs, even as they disagree over the role of government subsidies and environmental regulation.

Iran's nuclear ambitions have tended to dominate discussions in the U.S. presidential campaigns over nuclear nonproliferation.

President Obama has expanded sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear ambitions while making attempts to engage with it, but Mitt Romney has criticized the engagement policy as weak.

The expansion of North Africa's AQIM into Mali and links to attacks against the U.S. consulate in Libya have spurred fears about the group's threat to the region, explains this CFR backgrounder.

Many states and cities face significant fiscal stress that could impede the U.S. economic recovery and undermine long-term growth, including cuts to education and infrastructure, explains this CFR Backgrounder.

With the Occupy Wall Street movement now a year old, income inequality remains hotly debated globally. This Backgrounder examines the issues.

As Europe's central bank moves aggressively to staunch the continent's crisis, some critics are asking if it has exceeded its mandate by stepping into the breach left open by elected leaders.

U.S. presidential nominating conventions often touch on national security and foreign policy, but don't always signal the direction of a winning candidate's policy, explains this Backgrounder.

A profile of South America's largest trade bloc.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ("Dodd-Frank"), signed into law in July 2010, is one of the most significant regulatory reform measures since the Great Depression.

As the global economic crisis increases the importance of trade, and China and the United States eye greater engagement with Southeast Asia, ASEAN may play a more robust role in the region.

The People's Mujahedin of Iran, or MEK, is a militant Iranian opposition group and a recognized terrorist organization, according to the U.S. State Department. This Backgrounder examines the group's history and the politics surrounding its relocation from Iraq.

Controversies over too-big-to-fail financial institutions continue to mount. The Basel Accords represent the latest effort to ease risk and restore confidence, as this Backgrounder explains.

Greek elections this weekend could render a verdict on the country's eurozone future, with analysts fearing serious consequences for the global economy, says this CFR Backgrounder.

In the face of persistently high unemployment, policymakers and workers look to innovation and entrepreneurship to create new jobs. This Backgrounder discusses how entrepreneurs create and finance the startups that power U.S. job growth, and the ramifications of policies such as the JOBS Act.

NATO has been the foundation of transatlantic security for more than sixty years, but despite its longevity, critics question whether the alliance can stay relevant in the face of emerging threats, limited funding, and debates over its mission.

Decades of economic and diplomatic sanctions have failed to substantively alter the actions of the Iranian regime, especially regarding its nuclear program. But experts say they remain an important tool to isolate and pressure Iran.

Since its founding in 1944, the World Bank has evolved from a lender focused on European reconstruction into the preeminent international institution for economic development and poverty reduction. This Backgrounder examines the Bank's history and role.

As the world's oldest regional body, the Organization of American States has served as a platform for cooperation, but ideological polarization among its members and criticisms of the organization's institutional weakness have raised doubts about its ability to remain relevant.