Analytical briefs written by CFR.org's staff on issues of the day with links to the news, analysis, commentary, and primary source materials that put the facts in context.
As Libya seems headed for civil war after three weeks of fighting, the Obama administration and members of Congress are squaring off over the question of imposing a no-fly zone.
A spate of high-profile scams has weakened India's government and raised concerns among foreign investors. Businesses and civil society say the country needs more effective anti-corruption laws.
As opposition and pro-regime forces stepped up battles in Libya, international pressure mounted on leader Muammar al-Qaddafi. Analysts raised doubts about Libya's leadership prospects should Qaddafi depart.
An effort led by Western nations against Libya's Muammar al-Qaddafi has resulted in UN sanctions and more, while protests across the Arab world show no signs of abating.
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.
News that EgyptianPresident Hosni Mubarak was formally ending his thirty-year rule prompted cheers in Egypt's streets and deep questions about governance under the country's military.
Continued unrest in Egypt is stirring tensions between Iran's hardliners and opposition movement and stoking concerns that an Iran-friendly Egyptian regime could upset the regional balance of power.
High food prices, lack of jobs, and widespread corruption are as rampant in Pakistan as they are in Egypt. Analysts warn against a return to military rule in search of stability and recommend greater economic reforms.
The Arab world is watching warily as protests in Yemen, Jordan, Algeria, and Syria add to regional unrest. All are rooted in concern over economic mismanagement and repression, but any new cast of leaders would face steep challenges.
With the U.S. Treasury approaching its legal borrowing limit, political infighting over the United States' fiscal strategy threatens to thwart international investors and drive up U.S. borrowing costs.
The Obama administration is caught between backing a crucial ally in President Mubarak and supporting democratization in Egypt as the country's protest movement grows.
The most significant Egyptian political unrest in years spells diplomatic challenges for the Obama administration and could ripple across the Middle East.
President Obama's State of the Union stressed an agenda to boost competitiveness, bipartisanship, and sacrifice, but critics say he failed to lay out a convincing plan to tackle the country's mounting debt.
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.
President Barack Obama's State of the Union address is expected to focus on improving U.S. competitiveness and the economy. This guide provides a range of background and analysis of the foreign policy implications.
Australia's continued flooding is expected to cost billions in losses and clean-up, and some scientists believe the devastating floods are a harbinger of increasing extreme weather events to come.
The ouster of Tunisian President Ben Ali and some imitation protests in other North African states are leading to questions about whether a "Jasmine Revolution" will affect other authoritarian states in the Arab world.
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.
Portugal could be the next victim of the eurozone debt crisis, but an EU-IMF led bailout is unlikely to solve the eurozone's larger problems, experts say.
The January 9 referendum on southern Sudan's secession is expected to go smoothly, but some experts caution that disputes over oil and land, and the south's volatility, could mean a violent transition.
Special operations play a critical role in how the United States confronts irregular threats, but to have long-term strategic impact, the author argues, numerous shortfalls must be addressed.
The author analyzes the potentially serious consequences, both at home and abroad, of a lightly overseen drone program and makes recommendations for improving its governance.
The biggest threat to America's security and prosperity comes not from abroad but from within, writes CFR President Richard N. Haass in his provocative new book. More
Two experts argue that despite myriad development strategies, only one can succeed in alleviating poverty in India: the overall growth of the country's economy. More