When Japanese parliament failed to pass a postal-service reform bill on August 8, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi dissolved parliament’s lower house and called for snap elections, held September 11…

CFR’s Ray Takeyh examines the unsettled nature of Iranian politics, pointing to a fractured opposition and a regime divided on how to proceed on talks over its nuclear program.

After Hurricane Katrina struck the United States’ Gulf Coast, leaving an estimated $200 billion damage in its wake, countries from around the globe lined up to offer material aid, cash, and condolenc…

A planned satellite launch by North Korea has suspended U.S. food aid. CFR’s Scott Snyder says that Pyongyang is grappling with whether to choose international legitimacy or domestic political consol…

Pakistan’s latest moves to exert influence in Afghanistan, including possible brokering of talks with militant Taliban allies, could pose difficulties for U.S. stabilization efforts, says CFR’s Danie…