CFR's Senior Fellow Isobel Coleman discusses her new book about the rising empowerment of Muslim women in the Mideast and its potential to transform human rights in the region

While the time isn't ripe for an Obama administration peace plan, the White House should try to reignite proximity talks and possibly work to develop terms of reference and a structure for future final status talks, says CFR President Richard N. Haass.

Iceland's volcanic disruption poses long-term problems for European airlines, says European economist Jacob Kirkegaard, and it could also depress the EU's overall GDP this quarter because of curtailed business travel.

After a spasm of violent protests that caused Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to flee the capital, the international community must push the new transitional government to set the country back on a democratic path, says CFR Central Asia expert Evan Feigenbaum.

Environmental politics expert Pamela Chasek says the failure to protect a number of endangered marine species from international trade under a global treaty underscores the continuing tensions between short-term needs and sustainable development.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faces a difficult task persuading Brazil to join tougher UN sanctions on Iran, amid a series of important regional meetings, says CFR's Julia Sweig.

Environmental economist Robert Stavins says Obama's energy plan is designed to make a climate bill more politically feasible, but he points out energy policy and climate policy often have different goals. Without cap-and-trade, it will be hard to meet the country's Copenhagen target, he notes.

The deaths of three U.S. soldiers in northwest Pakistan February 3 raised questions about military cooperation between the two countries. Pakistani security expert Hassan Abbas says while cooperation has been improving, on Afghanistan their interests are far from fully aligned.

Economists Allan Meltzer and Martin Baily discuss the economic and political implications of Obama's State of the Union proposals and the reappointment of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The United States is falling behind international competitors in Internet technology and innovation, says Yochai Benkler, an expert on Internet law. He says FCC reforms should focus greater access to Internet infrastructure.

CFR's Adam Segal says the showdown between Google and the Chinese government could result in a world of separate regional Internets and comes at a difficult time in U.S.-China relations.

Haiti's horrific earthquake is a setback for the country's slowly improving development, says Edward Luck, vice president and director of studies at the International Peace Institute. While international efforts are important, especially in providing relief, over the long-term, Haiti's development must be driven by Haitians, he says.

CFR's Peter Navario says a new patent pool giving generic drugmakers access to branded drugs to help lower costs of HIV-AIDS treatments in developing countries is timely and necessary, but more still needs to be accomplished.

CFR's Roger Kubarych says despite the gains of foreign stock exchanges, the New York Stock Exchange should remain competitive globally, even in a tougher U.S. regulatory climate.

Peru's rainforest may be the next region of major deforestation unless measures are taken to avoid it, says environmental advocate Bruce Cabarle. He notes that a new international agreement on climate change is essential to efforts by countries to combat deforestation.

The Obama administration has identified cooperation on science, technology, and innovation as a major focus of its relationship with India. Analyst Manjeet Kripalani says implementation remains a challenge and recommends greater deregulation of scientific institutions in India.

As President Obama embarks on a trip to Asia, CFR Senior Fellow Evan Feigenbaum says the president must express U.S. commitment to free trade and drive the agenda for greater trade liberalization in the region.

CFR's Bernard Gwertzman and Serge Schmemann of the International Herald Tribune discuss their role in reporting the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago and the enduring significance of that day.

Leading Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir discusses the deteriorating security conditions in her country and expresses concerns over the past and continuing military operations.

CFR's John Campbell says the new, more comprehensive policy for Sudan is "a positive development," and disagrees with those who say the approach offers engagement without requiring that the Sudanese government meet existing benchmarks.