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We鈥檝e seen a lot of attention this year on North Korea鈥檚 quest for greater security via long-range missiles and nuclear bombs. But this story notes that the 鈥渉ermit kingdom鈥� is also quietly taking that effort under the sea.

In recent years, fewer states have carried out the ultimate punishment for illegal behavior: the death penalty. If you want to understand what鈥檚 driving that judicial trend and shifting moral attitudes, what better place than Harris County in Texas?

The Sunni-Shiite balance of power has shifted dramatically in Iraq. Some Sunnis see it as a calamity. Others see it as an opportunity to make progress on unifying a nation that has long been marked by ethnic and religious divisions.

Our next story goes beyond the sad statistics to paint a moving portrait of a young female soccer star, who, like so many other Africans, chose to leave home. Part of what drew us to this story is that it鈥檚 told from the perspective of those left behind.

Holiday meals often evoke warm memories or feelings. But imagine if your favorite Christmas dish was now simply too expensive. Spaniards don鈥檛 have to imagine. We look at why Spain's prized delicacy 鈥� ham made from pigs that dined on acorns 鈥� is now in short supply.

The European Union has drawn a line in the sand with Poland. The issue is whether that country, which, along with nine other mostly Eastern European countries, joined the EU in 2004, must abide by certain democratic values to keep its membership in good standing.

More than Poland鈥檚 future is at stake. So is the very nature of the EU. While it now largely functions as an economic and trading union, many members envision a future of deeper cooperation in areas such as foreign policy based on common, democratic values.

Article 2 of the EU鈥檚 governing treaty, for example, speaks of broad standards of behavior. 鈥淭he Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities,鈥� the article states. 鈥淭hese values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail.鈥�

But Poland is now moving in a troubling direction over the values of justice and rule of law. The ruling nationalistic Law and Justice party has taken steps to undermine the nation鈥檚 independent judiciary, including its Supreme Court, and bring its courts and judges under the control of the parliment, which the party controls.

鈥淲ithin a period of two years, 13 laws [in Poland] have been adopted which put at serious risk the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers in Poland,鈥� says Frans Timmermans, the European Commission鈥檚 first vice president. 鈥淭he entire structure of the justice system is affected ... thereby rendering the independence of the judiciary completely moot.鈥�

As a result, for the first time, the EU has invoked Article 7.1 of its treaty, starting a process that could strip Poland of its voting rights as a member.

Some see Poland鈥檚 move as no more than the legitimate exercise of its sovereignty. In a visit to Warsaw earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May refused to take the side of the EU (which Britain is going to leave). The United States hasn鈥檛 weighed in either. President Trump, who made a cordial visit to Poland in July, has been silent on the issue.

EU critics cite other instances in which the Union has failed to intervene in the domestic affairs of members, from the Spanish government鈥檚 handling of its Catalan separatist movement to Greece鈥檚 treatment of refugees. Austria鈥檚 government now includes a far-right party with neo-Nazi roots in its ruling coalition. No EU protest has been made.

So why pick on Poland? For one thing a corrupted judicial system means trouble for any trading bloc: The rule of law must be applied fairly and consistently for cross-border commerce to flourish. An independent judiciary plays a key role in making that happen.

Invoking Article 7.1 was among the few choices the EU had available to show displeasure with Poland鈥檚 antidemocratic drift.聽

The US and Poland have developed close ties since the fall of communism more than a quarter-century ago. If it wished, Washington could easily 鈥� and most likely effectively 鈥� nudge Warsaw to not wander any farther from democratic values.