A profile of the international terrorist network that the United States has singled out as the most serious threat to U.S. security.

The election of pope to lead the world’s one billion Catholics stirs debate over the spiritual authority of the pontiff and the church’s role in the world.

Attacks on U.S. chemical facilities have the potential to affect thousands, possibly millions of people, yet many of them remain poorly secured. Legislation to improve security standards has been wat…

A new arms control agreement with Russia has met political opposition in the U.S. Senate, and some analysts believe its fate is tied to the outcome of the 2010 midterm elections. This Backgrounder ex…

This publication is now archived. What is the status of efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions? The United States, Britain, France, and Germany are pushing for the board of governors of the Interna…