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.

New Prime Minister Lucas Papademos faces daunting challenges to rescue Greece's economy. A fiscal collapse, analysts say, will also raise questions over the eurozone's ability to manage debt crises in other struggling European economies.

Despite a pledge by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign, Italy faces pressure to address its sovereign debt burden by quickly implementing austerity measures or risk a new magnitude of eurozone contagion.

A UN report on Iranian efforts to obtain a nuclear device triggers new debate among analysts and policymakers over the appropriate U.S. and international response.

EU leaders are making plans for a Greek exit from the euro, even as Prime Minister George Papandreou scrambles to garner support for the new EU rescue package and tougher austerity measures.

Despite Syria's agreement to an Arab League-brokered peace deal, the Assad regime's continued repression of protests could lead to a civil war in the country and greater regional upheaval, say experts.

Changes in Saudi Arabia's leadership are raising questions about the country's stability in a region beset with uprisings and tensions with Iran. Experts say the Saudi regime should implement more aggressive political and economic reforms.

As regional players meet in Istanbul to pledge support for building a stable Afghanistan, analysts caution against overstating a regional solution given the conflicting interests of Kabul's neighbors.

This CFR Issue Guide provides expert analysis and essential background on some of the central issues facing Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Yemen, as the Arab Spring enters a critical new phase.