U.S.-Vatican relations remain uneven following Joseph Ratzinger’s accession as Pope Benedict XVI, particularly as the Obama administration pursues a more liberal social agenda.

The creation of a new U.S. military command for Africa signals the continent’s growing strategic importance and its many development challenges.

Some U.S. analysts recommend a national ID database with biometric cards to identify insurgents in Iraq, but the proposal faces resistance from the U.S. military.

Vietnam’s stock market has plunged and its economic growth has dwindled since 2006, when it was seen as a model for emerging country growth. The country’s experience highlights the problems confronti…