Western Europe’s burgeoning Islamic population continues to spark concerns about Muslim assimilation and a cultural divide.

The Obama administration says its 2009 stimulus package saved jobs and boosted growth, but Republicans and some economists worry it dampened consumer and business spending and added to long-term debt.

The World Bank, flagship of the world’s international development funds, faces questions about its relevance as a scandal topples its president and a series of smaller challengers sap its authority.

The U.S. government has several channels for promoting democracy, but a plethora of independent U.S. organizations with that same mandate also exist, with varying degrees of financial dependency on t…