The truth is that his tenure as secretary of state was often rocky, and as full of setbacks as acclaim.

Both China and India aspire for the role, but it is not clear if nations that belong to the group see either of them as a benign leader or their champion

Atmospheric rivers are gaining in intensity across California and the western United States. Communities need to adapt to the havoc wrought by this weather phenomenon.

India's diplomacy will be tested if the Gaza war continues indefinitely, or if relations between Israel and Arab nations further decline.

Wars are fought not only on the battlefield but also in domestic political debates and in histories written after the fact. In the case of the US invasion of Iraq 20 years ago, we are still in this final phase, seeking an elusive consensus about the war’s legacy.

If 2018 was a year marked by international challenges that percolated but did not boil over into full-blown crises, next year may well be the year in which that good fortune runs out.