Amid political paralysis in Baghdad, the populist Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is pressuring lawmakers to approve Prime Minister Abadi’s proposed reforms, says expert Mohamad Bazzi. 

The fallout that has followed Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shia protest leader is likely to tamp down dissent at home while provoking regional conflicts, says expert Toby Matthiesen.

The terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo could have a chilling effect on the coverage of Islam in certain countries, says expert Karin Karlekar.

The upcoming decision on a new foreign policy chief offers the EU a chance to mount a vigorous response to the threats posed by conflicts in Ukraine and the Mideast, says expert Sir Michael Leigh.

The BNP Paribas case demonstrates the growing rigor of U.S. prosecutions of illicit finance, and will have implications for markets and the global banking industry, says expert Juan C. Zarate.