Robert Hormats, Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment at the US Department of State, in a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations points out his two important priorities--economic challenges of the Middle East and North Africa and the effort to bring China into the global system.

Rajiv Shah of the USAID talks about how foreign assistance can help reach out to vulnerable populations and serve them with American technology, spirit, and willingness to transform their lives.

Deputy Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter and Richard Hass, President, Council on Foreign Relations discuss the challenges U.S. faces on defense strategy and budget priorities in the 21st century.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won Russia's presidential election on March 5, 2012 with almost 64 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results. Charging violations at the polls, protestors rallied in downtown Moscow. Listen to CFR senior fellows Charles Kupchan and Stephen Sestanovich discuss the outcome of the elections, Russia's future, and U.S.-Russia relations.

Masha Gessen, journalist and author of The Man Without A Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, and Stephen Sestanovich, CFR's George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, discuss Russia's March 4 election and ongoing public discontent.

Ahead of the Russian presidential elections on March 4, Leon Aron, Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., and Stephen Sestanovich assess recent demonstrations of public discontent in the Russian streets and discuss the future of the country, its leaders, and U.S.-Russia relations.

Laurence D. Fink, chairman and chief executive officer of BlackRock, discusses the challenges facing the global financial system.

Joseph Coughlin and Kelly Michel discuss how a healthy and active aging population can contribute to economic growth, and the public policy reform, new business strategies, and profound shifts in views on aging necessary to take advantage of this opportunity.

Michael S. Chen, Margaret E. Kurk, and Yanzhong Huang engage in a discussion to see if there is a health care model that is socially desirable, politically acceptable, technologically feasible, and financially sustainable at a time when health care programs struggle with the rising costs, slacking economic growth, globalization of disease, aging populations, and the rise of noncommunicable diseases.

Steve Coll, Robert Grenier, and Daniel Markey look at changes in U.S.-Pakistan relations over the past year and make recommendations for moving forward.

Obiageli Ezekwesili discusses the rise of Africa as a frontier market, the prospects for growth in coming years, the emergence of new players in African economies, and the World Bank's most innovative projects in the region.

Ambassador David Scheffer and former State Department legal adviser John Bellinger discuss how international justice over the last two decades has affected international politics, including the U.S. role in assisting local war crimes prosecutions in Libya and elsewhere.

Leading regional experts Gregory Gause, III and Toby C. Jones assess the stability of Saudi Arabia, its role in the reshaped region, and the future of U.S.-Saudi relations.

Iraqi filmmaker Oday Rasheed discusses his second film, Qarantina, which follows the story of a broken family in Baghdad who takes in a mysterious boarder. Qarantina is part of the Global Lens 2012 film series and was co-presented with the Global Film Initiative.

The United Nations is facing a growing range of transnational challenges in a time of increasingly scarce resources. Ambassador Joseph Torsella, U.S. representative to the United Nations for management and reform, discusses the U.S. role in working toward a more effective and efficient United Nations.

David F. Gordon, Mark L. Schneider, and Paul B. Stares discuss their respective organization's assessments of the risks and the most worrisome sources of instability and conflict in 2012.

Christopher R. Hill Dean, Vali Nasr, and Frank G. Wisner discuss 'Lessons of Diplomacy: An Event in Memory of Richard C. Holbrooke' with Leslie H. Gelb.

CFR Senior Fellows Ray Takeyh and Matthew Kroenig discuss the escalating tension with Iran and the challenges it poses for US strategy in this Council on Foreign Relations Special Briefing.

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and Stone Point Capital Chairman Stephen Friedman discuss rebooting the American economy and global economic challenges in this CFR meeting.

Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellows Richard Betts and Max Boot join Staff Writer Jonathan Masters in a discussion of the Department of Defense's recent strategic review, military spending, and U.S. defense strategy.