The New START treaty is due for a ratification vote today, clearing the way for future arms reductions talks with Russia along with continuing political battles over arms control.

An increase in terror incidents involving Islamic radicals who are U.S. citizens is vexing law enforcement officials and posing new questions about the roots of their radicalization.

Experts say Islamic law, or sharia, holds wide appeal for Muslim populations in many countries and is beginning to spread via democratic means, but it is also being used as a tool of Islamic militancy and extremism.

Key technical, political, and legal issues remain unresolved ahead of the UN climate talks in Cancun. CFR's Michael Levi says the best outcome would be to firm up the Copenhagen Accord commitments on emissions cuts, verification, and financing for developing states.

With global food prices again soaring to record levels, experts say policies are needed to bolster agriculture production and reduce trade barriers, particularly by the United States.

Sharia, or Islamic law, is increasingly in the spotlight as its political and economic role expands in the Muslim world and even in the West.

The midterm-election debate over Islam reflects U.S. voter anxiety towards Islam, fears of terrorism, and ongoing national cultural and ethnic changes, says religion and politics expert John Green.

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A possible transfer of political power in the congressional midterm elections could doom short-term chances for a comprehensive climate bill. But experts say climate issues could still be addressed through bills focused on clean energy.

Experts say instability in south Sudan should be looked at in tandem with the crisis in Darfur, and some call for addressing Sudan's problems in a more unified way to help forestall an escalation of violence.

With Islam under intense scrutiny internationally, Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, secretary-general for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, discusses the organization's efforts to promote human rights and democracy, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Pakistan's devastating floods and Russia's massive heat wave this summer have placed new scrutiny on the role of climate change. Experts worry about the pace of government policy responses.

Five experts address the controversy over the proposed Islamic center near the 9/11 attack site in New York, the foreign policy implications, and how the issue should be resolved.

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill involving Britain's BP marks the latest instance of an industrial disaster pitting companies from one country against citizens and governments of another. This slideshow provides a chronology of ten major instances in which multinational corporations were involved in industrial incidents, and their legal and regulatory aftermath.

Four religious leaders weigh in on the importance of reform and the role of the religious community in the continuing, heated debate on immigration.

CFR's John Bellinger expects the U.S. Senate to approve the START nuclear arms treaty with Russia this year and urges says the Obama administration to more actively pursue other treaties, including the Law of the Sea.

In the wake of the Gulf spill, the United States should craft regional pacts with its neighbors to address pollution and liability issues arising from ever deeper oil and gas exploration, says expert Caitlyn Antrim.

The Obama administration has overreacted to the Gulf oil spill by suspending most new offshore drilling and moving to expand liabilities for future accidents, with implications for U.S. energy security, says Jack Coleman, an energy industry official and legal expert.

The Obama administration sees the Organization of the Islamic Conference as a venue through which to court Muslims globally, but the group's controversial positions on some issues could pose problems.

President Obama's vow to make BP pay, and Congress' tough questions to the oil industry, highlight a tense debate over oil policy given the Gulf's ongoing Deepwater spill.