The surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI has given rise to speculations that the next pontiff to lead the Catholic Church will hail from the developing world, says expert James P. McCartin.

Ongoing Middle East conflicts, economic storm clouds, and perennial tensions in Asia augur a tough 2015 for global leaders, says CFR’s James M. Lindsay.

No matter who wins the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, an array of foreign policy challenges await, says CFR’s James Lindsay.

Beyond China’s market upheaval is a country struggling with how to relax state control over the economy amid a slowdown that has global implications, writes CFR’s Robert Kahn.

Foreign policy has not played a major role in the presidential campaign so far, but a close race could make it a factor in courting "the moveable middle," says CFR’s James Lindsay.