The threat of climate change and the rise of China have prompted renewed debate about the U.S. government’s role in shaping the economy.

Russia has renewed its long-stalled push for unification with Belarus, using the country as a launchpad for its war against Ukraine and a hardening bulwark against NATO rivals to the west.

Ukraine’s Westward drift since independence has been countered by the sometimes violent tug of Russia, felt most recently with Putin’s 2022 invasion.

The federal agency has a broad mandate to protect Americans’ health and an expansive global reach. But the COVID-19 pandemic has been one of its most daunting challenges.