The year 2011 was packed with unforeseen challenges for U.S. foreign policy. This guide lists a range of CFR materials on the year's most consequential developments and their implications, and expert forecasts on political and economic trends in 2012.

Will an EU plan requiring all airlines to join its carbon market starting in 2012 spark a trade war and prove financially harmful to a struggling airline industry?

The payroll tax debate caps a year of legislative battles that call into question the ability of U.S. lawmakers to pass crucial long-term fiscal reforms in 2012.

From James Baker on Egypt to Laurie Garrett on food insecurity, read CFR.org Editor's Picks of eleven notable interviews in 2011.

EU leaders are moving forward with a new fiscal compact, but doubts persist over the agreement's legality and its ability to stem the tide of eurozone sovereign debt contagion.

Vaclav Havel went from designing theater sets to choreographing the Czech Republic's entry into NATO. One constant in his improbable rise to president was a steely commitment to human rights, as reflected in selected excerpts.

Russia's pending membership in the World Trade Organization could alter its global economic standing and boost trading partners. But experts say Moscow must restructure its economy to benefit from joining the club.

One year since the eruption of protests convulsed the Arab world, countries in the region continue to endure the pangs of revolution--some further along the road to democracy than others.

At a Brussels summit, EU leaders agreed to develop a new fiscal union in an effort to preserve the indebted eurozone. Analysts say Britain's decision to opt out of the plan could dramatically reshape the path of European integration.

There is growing support in the U.S. Congress to sanction Iran's central bank in response to new nuclear revelations. Some experts say such a move could backfire and help the regime.

Global discussions on Afghanistan tend to be dominated by security issues, but a conference marking ten years since the ouster of the Taliban must focus on economic growth and development, say experts.

Secretary Clinton is in Myanmar to gauge recent reforms by the military-backed regime. Experts are calling for further democratization, including strengthening the rule of law and reconciliation with ethnic minority groups.

One casualty of the latest U.S.-Pakistani frictions is the cutoff of critical supply routes for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, raising questions about cooperation in the region.

Egyptians began voting in parliamentary elections despite ongoing protests. But experts say the continuing strife over military rule and fears over Islamist parties threaten stability.

The failure of the bipartisan supercommittee adds to a pattern of legislative gridlock that has left critics and international investors doubting Congress's ability to address the nation's looming fiscal challenges.

The international Occupy movement faces crackdowns in several cities, but continues to spur public discourse over economic inequality. But there is sharp debate over how to translate protest into policy changes.

President Obama will end his Asia tour at the East Asia Summit in Bali, reinforcing U.S. commitments to allies. But experts say Washington must fix the U.S. economy to retain any long-term leadership role in the region.

In Canberra, President Obama announced an expansion of defense ties, but it has prompted debate among Australian analysts over balancing a strategic U.S. alliance with growing economic ties with Beijing.

The Arab League's decision to suspend Syria if it fails to end its violence must be followed by economic and political sanctions, including trade and oil embargoes, say analysts.

New Prime Minister Mario Monti faces the daunting task of reining in Italy's high public debt. Analysts say he will have to tackle fiscal irresponsibility to rebuild market confidence and prevent the eurozone's third largest economy from defaulting.