By Arnab Das and Jacek RostowskiLONDON — At first blush, the result of the European Parliament election in May, and the subsequent nomination of the European Union’s new leadership team, augur continuity and not disruption for the bloc.

By James A. GoldstonNEW YORK — The world is going to pot and the human-rights movement is largely to blame.

By Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Johan Rockström and Anders WijkmanPOTSDAM — As Europe roasts through another record-hot summer, it is encouraging to see that climate change is receiving the attention it deserves from Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president-elect.

By Ana PalacioMADRID — In moments of political transition, initial signals make all the difference, because they set the tone for the process that follows.

By Amin SaikalCANBERRA — In response to US President Donald Trump’s policy of maximum pressure, Iran has just seized a second foreign oil tanker. Trump’s approach to bringing Iran’s regime to heel clearly is not working.

By Co-Pierre Georg and Katharina Pistor NEW YORK — Facebook’s plan to launch a new digital currency, Libra, within a year has won few friends. Regulators, policymakers and academics reacted to the news swiftly, and for the most part sceptically.

By Ameenah Gurib-Fakim and Landry Signé WASHINGTON, DC/PORT LOUIS — At a time when the United States, once a standard bearer of multilateralism, is embracing protectionism, Africa has taken a bold step in the opposite direction, creating the world’s largest free-trade area s

By Jacques Bughin and Christopher PissaridesLONDON — Public discussion of the effects of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) often focuses on the productivity benefits for companies and the economy, on the one hand, and on the potential downside for workers, on the other.

By Lenny Mendonca, Laura Tyson BERKELEY — The United States is enjoying the longest economic expansion on record, surpassing the decade-long growth run between 1991 and 2001.