Massive flight from Middle East and North African turmoil has highlighted immigration problems plaguing the European Union, says Jean-Phillipe Chauzy of the International Organization for Migration. He says the EU must address comprehensive reform and also invest in countries like Tunisia to stem the long-term flow of migration.

The story of a young woman's entrepreneurial success during the Taliban reign in Afghanistan is an argument for international investment in women, says CFR's Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.

As Wikipedia celebrates its tenth anniversary, Joseph Reagle, a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, sees an opportunity for significant growth in non-English-speaking parts of the world.

As federal regulators flesh out financial reform specifics, questions remain about how the Volcker Rule--aimed at preventing banks from taking overly risky bets--will work, and whether it will make the financial system safer.

To keep its edge in technological innovation against India and China, the United States must focus on open immigration policies, strengthening political and social networks, and more, says CFR's Adam Segal.

Do China's policies pose a threat to trading partners and the global economy or is that exaggerated? Morgan Stanley's Stephen Roach and the Peterson Institute's Gary Hufbauer discuss.

Obama's proposals to cut business taxes and boost infrastructure spending are worth a try, says CFR's Sebastian Mallaby, but more monetary stimulus by the Fed could "come back to bite."

A new spotlight on mineral wealth has spurred debate on the prospects for rescuing Afghanistan's feeble economy. The country's minister of mines and two World Bank experts discuss how to manage Afghan resources.

While the secretary of defense targets the military services' hardware for future trims, Pentagon budget expert Todd Harrison says personnel costs should be the real target.

Unlike "too big to fail" financial firms, hedge funds spot market bubbles and assume their own losses, says CFR's Sebastian Mallaby.

Facebook and Google have aroused concerns about encroachments on privacy online, but media expert Jeff Jarvis says policymakers need to be careful not to overreact and encroach on the Internet's value as a public sphere and lifeline in closed societies.

The Obama administration needs to do more to promote free trade and should get tough with intellectual property violators abroad, says the U.S. Council for International Business's Jonathan Huneke at World Trade Week.

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is not just a problem to clean up, says CFR's Michael Levi, it has serious commercial implications for some oil firms and has dimmed the prospects of U.S. climate legislation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.