Hobbled by foreign interventions, political instability, and natural disasters, the former French colony is paralyzed by multiple crises.

Three decades after its founding, Latin America’s largest trade bloc continues to deal with internal divisions, including over a stalled trade deal with the European Union. New leadership in Argentina and Brazil could shake things up.

Sharia guides the personal religious practices of Muslims worldwide, but whether it should influence modern legal systems remains a subject of intense debate.

Antibiotics are facing an existential crisis less than a century after their introduction. Increased bacterial resistance is putting the world at risk of an era in which routine infections are untreatable.

Brexit supporters argue that the EU threatens sovereignty and stifles growth, while opponents counter that EU membership strengthens trade, investment, and the UK’s standing in the world.