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Gabrielle Sierra is the director of podcasting at the Council on Foreign Relations, overseeing the production of four shows. She is also the host of the Webby Award–winning Why It Matters podcast. Prior to her time at CFR, she spent several years as an editor at Facebook, and has written for a number of publications including InStyle, Billboard, and Gothamist. As a 2020 International Career Advancement Program fellow and current co-chair for CFR’s Employee Resource Group on Diversity of Underrepresented Groups in the Workplace, Sierra continues to make diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives a crucial focus of her work. She has her master's degree in journalism and is an alumna of Poynter’s Leadership Academy for Women in Media.
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Michelle Gavin, the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing deadly conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
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Ukraine pushes for wider international support and endorsement of its proposed peace process at Switzerland’s Ukraine peace summit; the UN Security Council deliberates how to assist Sudanese civilians and de-escalate the civil war; diplomatic pressure builds for a U.S.-backed cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip; and Russian ships arrive in Cuban waters for exercises.
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Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the CFR, and Matthias Matthijs, senior fellow for Europe at CFR and associate professor of international political economy at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the results and consequences of the 2024 European Parliament elections.
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All twenty-seven European Union (EU) member states vote in European Parliament elections with polls showing right-wing parties poised to gain more seats; the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial democracies meet in Italy with a sizable agenda, including support for Ukraine and trade concerns with China; the United States prepares for an above-normal hurricane season; and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and partner exporters, known as OPEC+, extend oil output cuts.
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In the past thirty years, sixty countries have expanded access to abortion care as an underpinning of maternal health. The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade made the United States the fourth country ever to decrease access to abortion—and the world took notice. Some countries have since reinforced protections for abortion care, while others have moved to further restrict it.
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Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the United States’ past, present, and future policy in the Middle East.
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
U.S. President Joe Biden faces increasing international and domestic pressures on his policy toward the Israel-Hamas war amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip; Western leaders commemorate the eightieth anniversary of D-Day with Russia’s war in Ukraine front of mind; Mexico holds massive general elections that are likely to usher in the country’s first woman president; and North Korea tests new satellite and missiles. -
Andrés Rozental, a distinguished retired Mexican diplomat, president of Rozental & Asociados, and the founding president of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the dynamics of Mexico’s upcoming election and its consequences for the Mexican people as well as for U.S.-Mexico relations.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular man in India. On track to be elected for a third term, he has boosted the country’s global standing and propelled strong economic growth while consolidating power and galvanizing majoritarian support for his Hindu nationalist agenda—all while growing closer to the United States. How could Hindu nationalism reshape India?
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Iran’s regime carefully vets candidates for new presidential elections after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash; Israeli leadership reacts to the International Criminal Court (ICC) request for warrants to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant; South Africa prepares for a general election that could contest the ruling African National Congress’ long-standing majority; and Taiwan inaugurates Lai Ching-te as the new president, aggravating China.
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David Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the post-Cold War ended and why the new era of geopolitical rivalry began.
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Ukraine rushes to push back against a new Russian offensive in its northeast Kharkiv region; U.S. President Joe Biden invites Kenyan President William Ruto for a state visit, the first U.S. state visit for an African leader since 2008; London’s High Court decides on whether to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to stand trial; and tens of thousands protest in Tbilisi, Georgia, after its parliament passes the controversial “foreign agents” bill.
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Andrew Reddie, an associate research professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing warfare.
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In a wide-ranging conversation, Foreign Affairs Editor Dan Kurtz-Phelan joins Why It Matters to discuss nonpartisan publishing in a polarized political climate, the state of press freedom around the world, and the future of journalism.
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Israel’s Rafah Plans, Greece and Turkey Boost Diplomacy, Cannes Festival Unveils New Films, and More
Israel’s newest military operation in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah stirs concerns of catastrophe for Palestinians in Gaza, and prompts the United States to condition its offensive military aid for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out; Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meet in Ankara, Turkey, to continue their diplomatic efforts; the seventy-seventh Cannes Film Festival showcases new films ranging from niche to blockbuster; and Russian President Vladimir Putin orders tactical nuclear weapon drills as a signal to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). -
G. John Ikenberry, the Albert G. Milbank Professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether liberal internationalism and U.S. global leadership are fit for purpose in the twenty-first century. This episode is the second in a special TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.
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Brad Setser, the Whitney Shepardson senior fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the causes and consequences of China’s export surge.
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Blinken Visits China, May Day Stirs Workers’ Rights Concerns, the U.S. Resumes Ukraine Aid, and More
Secretary of State Antony Blinken wraps his second visit to China as tensions mount over Beijing’s military support of Russia’s war in Ukraine and ongoing threats in the South China Sea; International Workers’ Day on May 1 comes at a time of revived labor activism over wages and inequality; and U.S. President Joe Biden approves a $61 billion foreign aid package providing critical military assistance to Ukraine, potentially improving the situation on the ground in the war with Russia. -
Concerns grow over the widening Middle East conflict after Iran launches three hundred ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at Israel; European Union (EU) leaders discuss how to bolster aid to Ukraine amid an uptick in Russian attacks and the situation unfolding in the Middle East; India kicks off the world’s largest democratic election—spanning more than forty-four days—where the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to win again; and warming water temperatures cause a mass bleaching of coral reefs.
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Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, and Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel and the prospects for a broader Middle East war.
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Congress returns from recess and grapples with contentious agenda items, including reauthorization of a section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and a Ukraine aid package; Sudan enters a second year of civil war with more than half of the country’s population in need of aid and millions more displaced; and Ecuadorian police breach international law by raiding the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas.
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Thirty years ago, Rwanda’s government began a campaign to eradicate the country’s largest minority group. In just one hundred days in 1994, roving militias killed around eight hundred thousand people. Would-be killers were incited to violence by the radio, which encouraged extremists to take to the streets with machetes. The United Nations stood by amid the bloodshed, and many foreign governments, including the United States, declined to intervene before it was too late. What got in the way of humanitarian intervention? And as violent conflict now rages at a clip unseen since then, can the international community learn from the mistakes of its past?
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Michael Kimmage, a history professor at the Catholic University of America and a senior associate with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the origins of Russia’s war in Ukraine and its repercussion for the global order.
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Rwanda marks thirty years since its genocide against the Tutsis; U.S. President Joe Biden hosts the first trilateral leaders’ summit with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.; music fans celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Swedish pop group ABBA’s Eurovision win; and Ekrem İmamoğlu is elected mayor of Istanbul, in a rebuke to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party.
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Many Americans are losing faith in the benefits of internationalism. But whether it’s wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, worsening extreme weather as a result of climate change, or the trade-offs of globalization, events abroad are increasingly having a local impact. At the same time, more state and local officials in the United States are becoming involved in global affairs, conducting their own form of diplomacy on international issues and driving investment home. What role should the United States play in the world economy? And how do states and cities fit in?
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Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the state of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the prospects for an end to the fighting, and the tensions in U.S.-Israeli relations.
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The fallout after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and release of all hostages further reveals a growing strain between the United States and Israel; Russia reels from the ISIS-K terrorist attack on concertgoers near Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin deliberating how to respond; the Cuban government cracks down on recent protests across the country over food shortages and power outages; and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is found to have stayed overnight at the Hungarian embassy in Brasília in February 2024.
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Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are real. And the truth about them is often hidden from the public, for reasons related to national security. That secrecy has fed conspiracy theories about the possibility of alien life on Earth, creating a stigma around the legitimate scientific search for life on other planets. Why are UFOs considered a defense concern? And does a defense framing of UFOs inhibit scientific research?
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Nonproliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament
W.J. Hennigan, a correspondent for the Opinion section of the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the risk of nuclear war in an era of growing geopolitical competition. -
Senegal holds its postponed presidential election amid fears of democratic backsliding; Slovakia chooses a new president in voting that could bolster Prime Minister Robert Fico’s illiberal tilt; Pakistan and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan exchange blows after a string of terrorist attacks on Pakistani territory; nuclear energy gets a boost at a first-ever summit in Brussels, Belgium; and the European Union provides Egypt with $8 billion worth of aid.
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Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether and where the United States should be less involved in the world. This episode is the first in a special The President’s Inbox series on U.S. grand strategy.
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Russia holds its presidential election with the Kremlin aiming to orchestrate a sweeping endorsement of President Vladimir Putin; the U.S. Congress continues its partisan battles over the 2024 budget as concerns of shutdown and aid to allies mount; the U.S. Library of Congress flexes its soft power by awarding Elton John and Bernie Taupin with the Gershwin Prize; and the crisis in Haiti worsens.
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Every January, CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey analyzes the conflicts most likely to occur in the year ahead and measures their potential impact. For the first time, the survey anticipates that this year, 2024, the United States will contend not only with a slew of global threats, but also a high risk of upheaval within its own borders. Is the country prepared for the eruption of election-related instability at home while wars continue to rage abroad?
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Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the record surge in migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. southern border.
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Negotiators attempt to establish a six-week cease-fire and hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas before the start of the sacred Islamic month of Ramadan; Portugal holds a snap parliamentary election with a far-right party gaining traction; international films gain prominence at the ninety-sixth Academy Awards; and Chinese President Xi Jinping breaks with the thirty-year tradition of the premier’s press conference after the National People’s Congress.
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Ann Norris, a senior fellow for women and foreign policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss International Women’s Day and the challenges facing adolescent girls around the world and the solutions to address them.
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U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his last State of the Union address before elections to a polarized Congress; Iran holds its first parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections since the 2022 protests sparked by the death of activist Mahsa Amini; Bosnia and Herzegovina marks independence as ethnic divisions fester; and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) welcomes Sweden as its newest member state.
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Kate Schecter, president and CEO of World Neighbors, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss progress and setbacks in promoting economic development in some of the world’s poorest countries.
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Ukraine marks the second anniversary of Russia’s large-scale invasion; the World Trade Organization (WTO) holds its thirteenth ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi amid deep uncertainty about progress on dispute settlement system reform; U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Argentina and Brazil to forge stronger U.S.-South America ties; and the World Health Organization raises alarm about the situation at the Gaza Strip’s Nasser Hospital.
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Miriam Elder, the Edward R. Murrow press fellow at CFR, and Carla Anne Robbins, a senior fellow at CFR and co-host of CFR’s The World Next Week podcast, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the war between Russia and Ukraine is headed as it enters its third year.
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World leaders gather for the sixtieth Munich Security Conference with growing concerns about a continued war in Ukraine and threats to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) cohesion; the African Union holds its annual summit as multiple crises mount, including armed conflict and democratic blacksliding; Kim Jong Un increases aggressive language and acts as North Korea prepares to celebrate the late father and leader Kim Jong Il’s birthday; and former Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is nominated to lead a coalition government as the new prime minister.
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Kat Duffy, a senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the capacity of the U.S. government to lead in creating a framework for regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
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Chile works to recover from the devastating wildfire in its central Valparaíso region; the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) continues with its 2024 Steadfast Defender exercise, the largest since the Cold War, while uncertainty over members’ commitment grows; Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy, holds vast general elections; and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempts to reach a deal for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and hostage release.
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The Joe Biden administration contends with how to respond to a deadly attack on U.S. service members at a base in Jordan while also preventing a wider regional war; a faltering economy clouds festivities as millions of Chinese travel home for Lunar New Year; Pakistan will elect a new prime minister and National Assembly, but lackluster candidates, economic crisis, and unraveling security situation loom over the vote; and Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announce their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, increasing security concerns in western Africa.
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Benn Steil, a senior fellow and director of international economics at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Henry Wallace might have changed history had he and not Harry Truman succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt as president.
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The Three Brotherhood Alliance and other armed ethnic groups in Myanmar pose a significant threat to regime control as the country enters its third year under junta rule; the European Union (EU) meets for a special summit on military aid for Ukraine, but concerns remain over Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán; Kenya’s high court will decide whether if it is constitutional for Kenya to lead a multinational peacekeeping mission to Haiti; and hundreds of thousands across Germany protest against the Alternative for Germany’s anti-immigration policies.
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More than one hundred days into the war in the Gaza Strip, hostilities continue to escalate regionwide, marked by clashes between proxies of Iran and U.S. forces; Sudan’s civil war worsens as a new diplomatic initiative stalls; the Sundance Film Festival celebrates its fortieth anniversary; and the small island nation of Nauru cuts ties with Taiwan.
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Katherine Zimmerman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing attacks by the Houthis in Yemen on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea.
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Taiwan holds its presidential and legislative elections, which have major geopolitical consequences for both the United States and China; tech giant Apple deals with patent infringement allegations while more governments consider regulations on tech; the fifty-fourth World Economic Forum Annual Meeting hosts global business and political leaders in Davos, Switzerland, to address multiple crises such as conflict, climate change, and misinformation; and France appoints Gabriel Attal, the country’s youngest and first openly gay prime minister.
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David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the potential geopolitical consequences of Taiwan’s presidential race.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East as the region reacts to attacks in Iran, Lebanon, and the Red Sea; the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas previews new products and services equipped with artificial intelligence (AI); the U.S. Congress returns from its holiday recess with divisions over migration and defense aid; and the stabbing of South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung stirs fears ahead of elections.
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Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Bruce Hoffman, the Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at CFR, and Jacob Ware, a research fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the rise of far-right violent extremism in the United States and abroad. -
Shannon O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to answer questions submitted by listeners to The President’s Inbox.
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In this special, year-end episode, Nahal Toosi, Politico’s senior correspondent for foreign affairs and national security, joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to review the biggest events of 2023 and the stories to keep an eye on in the coming year. They discuss instability caused by the Israel-Hamas war and Russia’s war in Ukraine, the global push for a greener future, challenges to immigration policy, the numerous elections of 2024, U.S. global leadership, and more.
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Billions of people will take to the polls next year, marking the world’s largest-ever electoral field. But this historic scale is not the only thing that will make 2024 unique. As new threats like deep fakes become cheaper and more widespread, these upcoming elections could serve as a test run for democracy in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. What risks does AI pose to elections next year? And will a surge in AI-powered disinformation change the nature of democratic elections?
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Kori Schake, a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the fighting in Ukraine is headed.
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Guyana and Venezuela begin discussion on a territorial dispute over the Essequibo region; the Redzikowo U.S. missile defense base in Poland becomes operable; the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) holds presidential elections; and Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny goes missing.
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Scott A. Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies and director of the program on U.S.-Korea policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the importance of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance and how domestic and international forces could be undermining it.
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Palestinian civilians find fewer safe places to shelter as Israeli forces expand ground operations south in the Gaza Strip; European Union (EU) leaders discuss prospects for more aid and EU membership for Ukraine; Egypt holds presidential elections amid an economic crisis; and a former senior U.S. diplomat is charged as a spy for Cuba.
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Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the collapse of the temporary ceasefire in Gaza and the future of the conflict between Israel and Hamas
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The United Arab Emirates, a major oil and gas producer, hosts the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), where hundreds of world leaders meet to discuss limiting global warming and helping states that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change; Russia arbitrarily detains a journalist with U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; and the World Health Organization asks China for information on a spike in respiratory illness.
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Scenes from the Israel-Hamas war have reverberated across the world. In the United States, debate about the conflict has intensified, and it has resurfaced long-standing questions about policy toward Israel and the Palestinian territories. What is the U.S. goal for the region? And how is the United States responding to the war?
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Peter Trubowitz, a professor of international relations and director of the Phelan U.S. Center at the London School of Economics and an associate fellow at Chatham House, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the reasons for the rise of anti-globalism in Western countries and its consequences for world order.
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Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces stalls as the future of U.S. aid remains uncertain; Argentina gears up for its presidential election runoff while inflation rates soar; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrives in Berlin to address refugee flows and the Israel–Hamas war with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; and David Cameron returns to the United Kingdom government as foreign secretary.
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Diplomacy and International Institutions
Matthew Goodman, a distinguished fellow for global economic policy and director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2023 forum in San Francisco, California. -
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit begins in San Francisco with U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping set to meet on the sidelines; French President Emmanuel Macron hosts a humanitarian conference to discuss new aid options for civilians in the Gaza Strip; the Arab League holds an emergency summit in Riyadh at the request of the Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia; and the United States and China discuss nuclear arms control.
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International trade has shaped the world for much of the past century. Countries benefited from the global flow of goods, and the world became richer and safer. At the same time, many Americans lost their jobs to cheaper overseas competitors. Now, a series of compounding challenges, including great power competition and climate change, have led U.S. officials to rethink trade policy. What's next for international trade? And can the United States retain the benefits of trade while protecting critical supply chains and fighting climate change?
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Israel’s ground operations in the Gaza Strip intensify as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Israeli leaders amid calls for a pause in fighting; U.S. President Biden hosts the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Summit to discuss regional economic growth and the migration crisis; Congress considers aid to Israel and Ukraine as a government shutdown approaches; and conflict displaces 6.9 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Matthew Waxman, adjunct senior fellow for law and foreign policy at CFR and the Liviu Librescu Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the laws of warfare and how they apply to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
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Diplomatic contacts surge ahead of anticipated escalation in the Israel-Hamas war; the United Kingdom (UK) hosts its first artificial intelligence (AI) Safety Summit to develop strategies that mitigate the risks of AI; Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in Washington, DC to speak with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan; and Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan possibly faces the death penalty.
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Over the past few years, a new threat has emerged as a leading cause of death in the United States: fentanyl. Yet even as the drug wreaks havoc on Americans lives, preventing its flow into the United States is complicated, partially because of the supply’s overseas origins, which is often China. What is China’s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis?
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Linda Robinson, a senior fellow for women and foreign policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the diplomatic and political challenges triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel.
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As the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continues, diplomacy ramps up in the Middle East amid concerns of spreading tensions; Argentina holds an election while its economy suffers record inflation; Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials venture abroad to seek allies as their war with Ukraine grinds on; and the death toll from Sudan’s conflict reaches at least nine thousand.
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Israeli and Palestinian casualties rise as fighting between Israel and Hamas continues; Poland holds a pivotal parliamentary election; Australia votes on whether to enshrine representation for Indigenous people in its constitution; and Afghanistan struggles with the aftermath of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake
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Russia has caused unprecedented damage in Ukraine. And with no diplomatic end in sight to the conflict, many Ukrainians are wondering when, if ever, they will be able to go back to their homes. According to many experts, the answer is actually sooner rather than later. Can reconstruction begin before a war ends? Who pays, and where should world leaders begin?
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Elliott Abrams, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at CFR, and Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the context and consequences of Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel.
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Recent satellite imagery indicates that Russia is preparing to test a new nuclear-powered missile; the UN Human Rights Council votes on new members, with Russia vying to rejoin after its April 2022 suspension; the International Court of Justice (ICJ) begins hearings on torture in Syria; and one hundred thousand ethnic Armenians flee as Azerbaijan asserts control over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.
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Thomas Graham, a distinguished fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how U.S.-Russia relations have evolved since the Cold War.
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Important provisions of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) could expire due to partisan divisions, threatening a widely successful initiative; libraries take part in U.S. Banned Books Week in the face of a rising censorship movement; Slovakia holds an early parliamentary election amid concerns that pro-Russia parties will gain power; and Chinese President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announce a partnership.
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For decades, U.S. homeowners have counted on property insurance to protect them from catastrophic loss if their homes are destroyed—and the U.S. economy has rested on the functionality of that model. But as this summer’s extreme weather broke records, private companies reduced their coverage. As climate disasters become more frequent, can home insurance hold up?
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Ian Johnson, the Stephen A. Schwarzman senior fellow for China studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Chinese filmmakers, journalists, and artists are challenging the Chinese Communist Party’s version of history.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with U.S. President Joe Biden and members of Congress to ensure continued U.S. military aid amid Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia; the Spanish parliament attempts to choose a prime minister, with both Alberto Núñez Feijóo and serving President Pedro Sánchez reliant on smaller fringe parties to secure a majority; the United Nations observes the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons despite the continuing global prevalence of nuclear weapons; and relations between Canada and India are frayed after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of ordering the death of prominent Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
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Max Boot, the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow in national security studies at CFR and a columnist for the Washington Post, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the progress Ukraine is making in its ongoing effort to retake the territory Russia seized in its 2022 invasion.
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One year after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police prompted widespread domestic protests, the Islamic Republic appears to have rebounded while keeping a prominent international profile; the United Nations General Assembly begins its high-level debate week with leaders gathering to attend major summits on Sustainable Development Goals and climate challenges; and Cuba arrests Russian recruiters looking for more fighters.
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Female representation in politics leads to numerous benefits, but the vast majority of the world’s most powerful politicians are men. Using the Council on Foreign Relations’ Women’s Power Index tool to track women’s leadership across the globe, this episode examines the problems that arise from a shortage of female leaders.
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Jessica Brandt, policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution, where she is a fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence might affect the 2024 U.S. elections.
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Leaders of major global economies meet in New Delhi, India for the annual Group of Twenty (G20) summit to solve the most pressing economic challenges; on September 11th, Chile marks fifty years since General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte’s military coup and the United States observes the twenty-second anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks; a possible meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin troubles national security experts; and the European Union struggles with a surge in asylum applications.
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Matthias Matthijs, senior fellow for Europe at CFR and associate professor of international political economy at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, and Sophie Meunier, a senior research scholar at the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the European Union has transformed its approach to economics and the implications for transatlantic relations.
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Southeast Asian leaders meet in Jakarta, Indonesia for the forty-third Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, working to improve the bloc’s cooperation with external partners; Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, begins the last year of his six-year term; new COVID-19 variants drive a spike in U.S. cases and hospitalizations; and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo’s visit to Beijing spurs renewed interest in U.S.-China trade.
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Major technology companies rush to comply with the European Union (EU) Digital Services Act, which makes online platforms responsible for moderating harmful content; questions mount about the Russian private military company Wagner Group after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is reportedly killed in a plane crash; the Taliban enters its third year in power since the U.S. military evacuated from Afghanistan; and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visits Saudi Arabia as the former rival countries to normalize relations.
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Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing negotiations to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
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U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol meet at Camp David to try to strengthen security cooperation against North Korea and coordinate China policies; Ecuador holds a snap election amid political violence; South Africa hosts the fifteenth summit of BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa with the goal of expanding the group’s geopolitical influence; and Niger’s crisis worsens as the military junta vows to prosecute deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
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Zongyuan Zoe Liu, the Maurice R. Greenberg fellow for China studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the causes and consequences of China’s faltering economy.
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Caitlin Welsh, director of the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Russia’s war on Ukraine and the Kremlin’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative threaten global food security.
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A Russian court will deliver the final verdict for opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s trial on “extremism” charges; eight South American heads of state meet in Belém, Brazil to try to strengthen a common policy for Amazon Rainforest protection; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for judiciary reform intensifies; and protesters in Niger direct their anger towards France.
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Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss spiking crime rates across Latin America and their consequences for the region and the United States.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Australia to wrap up a visit aimed at boosting security ties and offsetting Chinese influence; the Colombian government and guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (ELN) agree to implement a cease-fire; the formation of a newly elected Thai government remains in limbo as differing factions disagree on who can stand for prime minister; and China’s government removes former Foreign Minister Qin Gang after only seven months of service.
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Michelle Gavin, the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the deadly struggle between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for control of Sudan.
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Russia’s rejection of extending the Black Sea Grain Initiative threatens global food security; Spain holds an early general election amid signs of a resurgent populist right; Comic-Con and the media industry cut back on events due to strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA); and a U.S. soldier crosses through the demilitarized zone into North Korea.
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Ivo H. Daalder, the chief executive of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and former U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the decisions reached at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. -
Leaders from the European Union (EU), Latin America, and the Caribbean meet to renew a strategic partnership on issues including trade and climate change; the U.S. Congress wrestles with unprecedented divisions over the annual National Defense Authorization Act; thirty-two soccer teams land in Australia and New Zealand for the FIFA Women’s World Cup; and grim days appear likely for the Wagner Group amid a post-rebellion crackdown from the Kremlin.
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A small island one hundred miles off the coast of China could be the flashpoint that determines the future of great-power competition. Experts increasingly warn that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be globally catastrophic, regardless of its success or if the United States intervenes. How concerned should Americans be?
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In this special series of The President’s Inbox on climate change, Sarang Shidore, the director of studies and senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the impact of climate change in the Bay of Bengal region. This series is made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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In this special episode of The World Next Week, Rosa Brooks, the Scott K. Ginsburg Chair in Law and Policy and professor at Georgetown University Law Center, joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss the books they recommend reading, the books they’re looking forward to reading, and other entertainment they’re enjoying this summer.
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Jack Rakove, the William Robertson Coe professor of history and American studies and professor emeritus of political science and law at Stanford University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss why the United States declared independence in 1776 and its meaning for the country today.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to assert control and stability after the coup attempt by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin; NATO prepares for its summit in Vilnius, Lithuania with mounting questions about Ukrainian membership; hundreds of thousands attend Denmark’s Roskilde music festival that highlights the power of art in society; and Zambia secures a deal to restructure its $6 billion in sovereign debt.
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Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay upon completing two decades leading CFR to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the United States.
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Heads of state from the European Union’s twenty-seven members meet in Brussels to discuss support for Ukraine and new initiatives to coordinate defense, economics, and migration; the Biden administration takes part in events marking the one-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which continues to draw international scrutiny; Guatemala holds its general election with voters concerned about poverty, crime, and political corruption; and the UN pledges $1.5 billion in aid to Sudan as fighting continues.
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The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought lawmakers and industry leaders to the same conclusion: regulation is necessary to ensure the technology changes the world for the better. The similarities could end there, as governments and industry clash on what those laws should do, and different governments take increasingly divergent approaches. What are the stakes of the debate over AI regulation?
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Susan M. Gordon, former principal deputy director of National Intelligence, and Admiral Michael G. Mullen, former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the nature and extent of U.S. support for Taiwan in the face of growing Chinese power.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken finally heads to China amid hopes that U.S.-China tensions will subside; U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit to focus on expanded, strategic economic ties; Ukraine presses on with its long-awaited counteroffensive; and four indigenous children survive forty days in the Amazon after a plane crash.
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Nora Bensahel, a visiting professor of strategic studies and senior fellow of the Merrill Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the challenges the U.S. armed services are having in attracting new recruits and what can be done about it.
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After decades of seeming like another sci-fi catchphrase, artificial intelligence (AI) is having its moment. Some experts predict that AI will usher in an era of boundless productivity and techno-utopia; others see a new realm of great-power competition and the end of humanity. Nearly all agree that AI will change the world. But will it be for the better?
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Canada’s unprecedented wildfire season overwhelms Canadian firefighters, and many in the eastern United States deal with dangerous levels of smoke; the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries releases its monthly oil report as Saudi Arabia seeks to boost prices; Germany hosts NATO’s largest air defense exercise as a signal to Russia; and Ukraine rushes to respond to the humanitarian and security crises caused by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam.
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Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss what the reelection of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan means for U.S.-Turkey relations and the future of NATO.
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The International Atomic Energy Association reports on the nuclear-powered submarines that the United States and the United Kingdom will provide to Australia within the AUKUS alliance; world leaders and defense officials meet in Singapore for Asia’s premier security event– the Shangri-La Dialogue; U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wraps up his Nordic tour with his final stop in Helsinki, meeting with Finnish officials to discuss North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) priorities; and NATO sends additional troops to Kosovo to respond to ethnically-charged clashes.
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Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss why the United States is struggling to stop the flood of fentanyl entering the country.
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Feeding the world's eight billion people has never been easy. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine shocked the market for fertilizer, that task has gotten even harder. The fertilizer crisis threatens to exacerbate food insecurity worldwide, especially in low-income countries already reeling from record-high inflation and rapidly depreciating currencies. What is fertilizer’s role in the food supply chain?
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his opponent Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu face off in Turkey’s runoff election; U.S. government leaders contend with a looming deadline to avoid a disastrous default; president-elect Bola Tinubu is sworn in as Nigeria contends with an economic crisis; Evan Gershkovich’s pre-trial detention is extended; and Sudan struggles to find a lasting solution to the conflict between the military and a paramilitary group, exacerbating its humanitarian crisis.
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Sadanand Dhume, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a South Asia columnist for the Wall Street Journal, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the political, economic, and climate crises roiling Pakistan.
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The Arab League summit marks the return of Syria and its president, Bashar al-Assad; Japan hosts the leaders of the Group of Seven democracies in Hiroshima, Japan, with concerns over China and Russia at the fore; the UN Security Council discusses sanctions on North Korea amid the country’s missile buildup; and migration slows at the southern U.S. border after the lifting of Title 42.
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Ashley J. Tellis, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the challenges inherent in the evolving relationship between the United States and India.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan faces off with opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in Turkey’s presidential election; Thais vote in their first general election since 2019; the Black Sea grain deal faces possible expiration; international film makers step forward at the Cannes Film Festival; and Ukraine fends off Russia’s recent drone attack.
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Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the possibility of nuclear war felt like a problem of days past. Now, as great-power competition heats up, the potential for nuclear conflict seems higher than at any point in decades. How did the nuclear taboo fade, and what does nuclear proliferation mean for the United States?
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Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at CFR and a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the status of the war in Ukraine and whether it is time for the United States and the West to rethink their strategy.
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Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio meets with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea; major pandemic-related U.S. immigration policies such as Title 42 end, straining an already overwhelmed southern border; the director of national intelligence and the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency brief a Senate panel on the top international threats to U.S. national security; and the U.S. Congress debates a plan to prevent default.
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Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies and the director of the program on U.S.-Korea policy at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s recent state visit with U.S. President Joe Biden and its implications for the U.S.-South Korean alliance.
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Iran and Russia aim to broker a rapprochement between Syria and Turkey; the Israeli Knesset begins its summer session in the face of mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed judicial reforms; Pope Francis makes a three-day visit to Hungary, where he is expected to raise concerns about migration and the war in Ukraine; and a cease-fire fails to put an end to conflict in Sudan.
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National Security and Defense Program
All current U.S. military personnel have one thing in common: they volunteered. But falling recruitment has raised questions of national security, military readiness, and the health of U.S. society. Can the all-volunteer force handle a changing international security landscape? -
Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute and a professor of public policy at the Colorado School of Mines, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss why critical minerals have emerged as a major issue in the U.S.-China geopolitical competition.
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U.S. President Joe Biden hosts South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol for a state visit, marking the seventy-year U.S.-South Korean alliance; people worldwide celebrate Earth Day with pledges to take environmental action; and the UN Security Council discusses its mission to Haiti and plans to stabilize the turbulent country.
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The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group wrap up their joint spring meetings, where the focus is on restructuring debt for low-income countries; expected Republican presidential candidates convene at a National Rifle Association Leadership Forum amid ongoing mass shooting concerns; and the United Nations discusses the prospects for national elections in Libya, as the country continues to grapple with sharp divisions.
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Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Freedom of the press is under attack around the globe, but for journalists in Latin America in particular, reporting has become a matter of life and death. Populist leaders in the region have consolidated power and clamped down on press freedom, making the area the deadliest in the world for reporters. With anti-journalist sentiment on the rise, can a free and fair press prevail in an increasingly polarized world? -
Jenny Town, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and the director of Stimson’s 38 North program, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss North Korea’s nuclear advances and their consequences for the security situation in Northeast Asia.
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China’s President Xi Jinping woos France’s President Emmanuel Macron, while Macron urges Xi to bring “Russia back to reason” on Ukraine; Northern Ireland’s Good Friday peace agreement turns twenty-five; and as Iran celebrates National Nuclear Technology Day, its enriched uranium stocks grow.
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Esther Brimmer, The James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance at The Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss a recent multilateral agreement reached at the United Nations to protect biodiversity in the world’s oceans.
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Diplomacy and International Institutions
Turkey’s presidential candidates officially kick-off their campaigns ahead of May elections; Russia begins its term as president of the UN Security Council; and Walt Disney World wraps up its fiftieth anniversary celebration amid legal disputes with the Florida state government. -
As rising global temperatures thaw the ice at the North Pole of the planet, competition between nuclear-powered states threatens to heat up the Arctic Circle even further. An increasingly minable Arctic, which contains vast natural resources, has piqued the economic interests of oil-hungry great powers, even as the warmer climate jeopardizes Indigenous tribes. Here’s how the Arctic could become the next frontier of great-power competition.
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Paul Scharre, the vice president and director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping great power competition and intensifying the geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China to discuss Brazil-China economic ties; millions of people around the world switch off their lights for 60 minutes to celebrate Earth Hour; and the United States, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Zambia co-host the second Summit for Democracy.
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Edward Alden, the Bernard L. Schwartz senior fellow at CFR and Ross Dist Visiting Professor at Western Washington University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the crisis at the U.S. southern border and the domestic debates over U.S. immigration policy.
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The UN Security Council decides whether to renew the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan; on its twentieth anniversary, Americans and Iraqis take stock of the U.S. invasion of Iraq; and the future of the Ukraine-Russia Black Sea Grain Initiative, a vital food export agreement, is decided.
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The world is entering a new era of great-power competition. As U.S. policymakers look ahead, it pays to know what global threats to anticipate. Every January, the Council on Foreign Relations publishes a survey that analyzes the conflicts most likely to occur in the twelve months ahead and rates their potential impact on the United States. But can the country prepare itself for mass immigration, cyberwarfare, and nuclear tensions while still cooperating with adversaries on global issues such as climate change?
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Shannon K. O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Mexico’s new electoral law and other developments that may be eroding the country’s democratic governance.
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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss migration, trade, security, and other issues; the world enters the fourth year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic; and Academy Award-nominated films spotlight international issues.
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Ebenezer Obadare, the Douglas Dillon senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the results of Nigeria’s presidential election and their consequences.
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss U.S.-German security cooperation in NATO and in the Indo-Pacific; China’s National People’s Congress begins its legislative session; Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha awaits the verdict of his treason trial as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s authoritarian grip tightens; and political tensions rise in Nigeria as the country reacts to Bola Tinubu’s presidential win.
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Fiona S. Cunningham, assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss China’s expanding nuclear weapons program and the likelihood of an arms race with the United States.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, holds its presidential election; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reaches the one-year mark; U.S. President Joe Biden’s new restrictions on migrants seeking asylum spurs fury from immigration activists.
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Samuel Charap, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, and Miranda Priebe, director of the Center for Analysis of U.S. Grand Strategy and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the war in Ukraine is headed and how U.S. foreign policy should respond.
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World leaders attend the Munich Security Conference, a high-level event focusing on global challenges; U.S. President Joe Biden visits Poland to reinforce NATO’s resolve for supporting Ukraine; and tens of thousands protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed changes to powers of the judiciary branch.
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Michelle Gavin, the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the impact of climate change in the Horn of Africa. This series is made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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Turkey and Syria struggle to respond to devastating earthquakes; Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, puts forward possible pardons for thousands of protesters; and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meets with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, DC.
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Jonathan Berkshire Miller, senior fellow and director of foreign affairs, national defense, and national security at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Canada’s first Indo-Pacific strategy and the implications for its allies.
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U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address; U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Beijing to try to stabilize U.S.-China relations; and the European Union’s embargo on Russian refined oil products is scheduled to go into effect.
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Sheila Smith, the John E. Merow senior fellow for Asia-Pacific studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the reasoning behind Japan’s new defense strategy and the Japanese government’s decision to double defense spending.
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Pope Francis visits the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan during his fourth visit to Africa; Russia reacts to Western pledges to send tanks to Ukraine; and the United Nations works to counter the Taliban’s discrimination against women amid an escalating humanitarian crisis.
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Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss his new book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.
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U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discusses Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; China grapples with a sharp influx of COVID-19 cases amid Lunar New Year travels; and NATO concerns rise over tensions between Greece and Turkey.
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Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council and professor and director of global health studies at Seton Hall University's School of Diplomacy and International Relations, and Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a fellow for international political economy at the Council, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the consequences of China’s decision to end its zero-COVID policy.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confronts the challenges posed by riots in the capital, Brasília; Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio visits U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss U.S.-Japan security cooperation; and the Czech Republic votes for a new president.
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Martin S. Indyk, the Lowy distinguished fellow in U.S.-Middle East diplomacy at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the consequences of Benjamin Netanyahu’s return as Israel’s prime minister.
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The 118th U.S. Congress gets off to a rocky start; U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador meet in Mexico City for the tenth North American Leaders’ Summit; and China relaxes its strict COVID-19 border policies amid a surging COVID caseload.
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Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how China uses its media power to influence the domestic politics of countries around the world.
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In this special series of The President’s Inbox on climate change, Paul J. Angelo, the director of the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies at the National Defense University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the impact of climate change in Central America. This series is made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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In this special year-end episode, CFR Senior Fellow Carla Anne Robbins joins James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon to review the biggest events of 2022 and the stories to keep an eye on next year. They discuss precarious U.S.-China relations, climate change, Russia’s war in Ukraine, Iran’s protests, the state of democracy globally, and more.
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In 2022, several colossal events dominated the headlines, most prominently the war in Ukraine and the worldwide inflation that it helped spark. But beyond Ukraine, events with global implications continued to unfold. In this episode, Why It Matters checks in with three CFR fellows and CFR President Richard Haass to understand the least-covered stories of 2022 and to take a peek at what could await the world in 2023.
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Edward Alden, the Bernard L. Schwartz senior fellow at CFR and Ross Dist Visiting Professor at Western Washington University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the Biden administration’s economic policies are creating rifts with some of the United States’ closest allies.
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Tunisians will vote in the first elections since the adoption of a new constitution that critics say is antidemocratic; the U.S. Congress rushes to pass a spending bill to avert a government shutdown; and Argentina and France compete in the World Cup final as host Qatar faces international scrutiny.
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Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at CFR, and Michael Kimmage, a history professor at the Catholic University of America and a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the current status of the war in Ukraine and to assess the strategies that Russia, Ukraine, and the West are pursuing.
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Russia celebrates its Constitution Day as President Vladimir Putin manages the messaging around his war in Ukraine; the European Union’s top political leaders discuss possible expansion of the bloc and energy and security concerns amid the Ukraine war; and President Joe Biden hosts the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit to boost cooperation on trade, food security, COVID-19 responses, and other issues.
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For years, the world thought of the internet as a borderless zone that brought people from around the world together. But as governments pursue very different regulatory paths, the monolithic internet is breaking apart. Now, where there had been one, there are at least three internets: one led by the United States, one by China, and one by the European Union.
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Sebastian Mallaby, the Paul A. Volcker senior fellow for international economics at the Council and a columnist at the Washington Post, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the likely consequences of the recent U.S. ban on the export of advanced semiconductor chips and technology to China.
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The UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) takes place in Montreal, Canada; the European Union and Group of Seven (G7) plan to implement price caps and partial embargos on Russian oil to respond to the war in Ukraine; and the Chinese Community Party reacts to nationwide protests over its zero-COVID policy.
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The 2022 FIFA World Cup has kicked off in Qatar, and billions of fans worldwide are tuning in to the world’s most popular live event. And yet as in years past, the Qatar Cup is transpiring under the shadow of controversy.
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Daniel Silverberg, managing director at global strategy firm Capstone and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and Christopher Tuttle, senior fellow and director of the Renewing America Initiative at the Council, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the results of the 2022 U.S. midterm elections and its impact on U.S. foreign policy.
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The UN Human Rights Council meets for a special session on the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters; the COP27 conference draws to a close amid calls from developing countries to increase funding for climate damages; and the 2022 FIFA World Cup begins in Doha, Qatar, even as controversy lingers.
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In this special series of The President’s Inbox on climate change, Beza Tesfaye, director of Research and Learning for Migration and Climate Change at Mercy Corps and senior associate for the Project on Fragility and Mobility at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the impact of climate change in the Sahel region. This series is made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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The United States takes stock of the midterm election results; geopolitical tensions loom over the Group of Twenty summit in Bali, Indonesia; and conversation swirls around possible diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine.
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Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the causes and consequences of the recent protests in Iran.
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Egypt hosts the COP27 climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt; Americans vote in closely watched midterm elections; and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, kicks off a month of summitry in Asia.
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Christopher Nichols, professor of history and Wayne Woodrow Hayes chair in National Security Studies at The Ohio State University, Emily Conroy-Krutz, associate professor of history at Michigan State University, and Jay Sexton, professor of history and Rich and Nancy Kinder Chair of Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how ideology has historically influenced and shaped U.S. foreign policy.
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Jair Bolsonaro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva face off in Brazil’s presidential runoff; the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party selects Rishi Sunak to be the new prime minister; and Israel holds general elections, with Benjamin Netanyahu looking to make another political comeback.
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The global arms trade is big business and the United States accounts for more than 40 percent of the world’s weapons exports. Aside from the profit motivation, selling arms abroad can be an effective foreign policy tool, allowing the United States to exert influence over conflict and security worldwide without having to put boots on the ground. But are the risks worth the reward?
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Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the future of the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia in the wake of the decision by OPEC+ to cut oil production.
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Investors and high-ranking officials land in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Future Investment Initiative, dubbed the ‘Davos of the Desert;’ the German Group of Seven (G7) presidency and the European Commission host experts to discuss Ukraine’s postwar recovery, reconstruction, and modernization; and U.S. import controls on chips take effect, with major consequences for China’s technological growth.
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Shannon K. O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how regionalization, not globalization, has been the biggest trend of the past forty years—and why that matters.
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The Iraqi parliament meets to choose a new president; Xi Jinping is expected to consolidate power at the Twentieth National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party; and Israel and Lebanon prepare to finalize a historic agreement on a disputed maritime border.
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How does a war end? In this special episode, Why It Matters speaks with CFR President Richard Haass on the conflict in Ukraine. We ask if and how this war can come to a close and discuss what compromises might have to be made.
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Ian Johnson, Stephen A. Schwarzman senior fellow for China studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss what the Chinese Communist Party’s upcoming 20th National Congress means for China and its approach to the world.
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The UN General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution condemning Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory; thousands of participants gather in Reykjavik, Iceland, for the Arctic Circle Assembly; and the United Nations marks the tenth anniversary of the International Day of the Girl Child.
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Liana Fix, a CFR fellow for Europe, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how German foreign policy has changed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and whether the Kremlin’s decision to halt natural gas exports will force Berlin to end its support for Kyiv.
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European leaders investigate the sudden leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, suspecting sabotage; Brazil holds its presidential election amid strong partisan tensions; and Iranians continue their anti-government protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
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The U.S.-Saudi relationship is fraught with complications. Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves in the world, giving it influence over what Americans pay at the gas pump. At the same time, the kingdom’s human rights abuses are at odds with the United States’ stated democratic values. Who holds the power in this partnership? And what compromises are being made so the countries can work together?
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Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Suzanne Nossel, the Chief Executive Officer of PEN America, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss growing threats around the world to free expression and how the fight to protect human rights needs to adapt to succeed in a world of great power competition. -
Italians vote in a snap general election with an expected populist surge; occupied territories in Ukraine stage referendums on whether or not to join Russia; and the Joe Biden administration holds a summit with Pacific Island leaders to counter growing Chinese influence.
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Leslie Vinjamuri, the Director of the US and the Americas programme and Dean of the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs at Chatham House, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss what a new monarch, a new prime minister, and the legacy of Brexit mean for Britain’s future.
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Beware, coffee lovers: climate change could disrupt your precious morning cup of joe. Coffee beans could lose half of their farmable land by 2050 as temperatures and weather patterns become more extreme and less predictable. This could lead to scarcer yields and pricier brews. But there is hope that unique varieties and novel farming techniques could change coffee’s destiny. The transition will require massive investments and many observers question whether the industry can meet the challenge.
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United Nations General Assembly
World leaders gather for the seventy-seventh session of the UN General Assembly; NATO’s senior military authority meets in Estonia to discuss the war in Ukraine; and the U.S. Federal Reserve plans another interest rate hike to combat inflation. -
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Mexico with an economics-focused agenda; Swedes head to the polls for a general election that’s expected to be a close race between the ruling left-wing bloc and right-wing opposition; and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi join leaders from across Asia in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to discuss regional stability, food security, and trade at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.
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Diplomacy and International Institutions
Hip-hop is a phenomenon that has captured hearts around the world. Its musical form ranges from party anthems to critical social commentary. But the genre plays another role: it is an influential soft-power tool for the United States. Like its predecessors jazz and rock, hip-hop is utilized by the U.S. State Department to connect with young minds, and its unique ability to inspire goodwill toward the United States offers a significant advantage over adversaries such as China and Russia. How did hip-hop become a go-to diplomatic instrument? -
For the past two thousand years, the pope has been a major player in global affairs. He is frequently called upon to act as a peace broker, a mediator, an advocate, and an influencer; and with over 1.3 billion followers around the world, the pope and his governmental arm, the Holy See, have the power to shape the future. How has the pope's power changed over time, and what is his role today?
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In this special episode, Why It Matters follows up with CFR President Richard Haass to hear his insights on the war in Ukraine.
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For years, large corporations have exploited international tax laws to pay less taxes. But last year, 137 countries backed a potential solution: a 15 percent corporate tax applied regardless of a company’s location. The reform could raise global tax revenues by more than $150 billion a year, but as advocates garner political support, there are significant roadblocks.
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How can the world create better medicines? More powerful solar cells? New batteries? The answers could come from a revolutionary research tool known as the quantum computer. It can seem like magic—harnessing the power of quantum physics to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. But there are unmitigated risks too, as the technology continues to develop. What would a quantum-led future hold?
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The world is already witnessing the effects of climate change. One inescapable and irreversible consequence is sea-level rise, which could destroy coastal cities. How will the world adapt to rising tides?
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In this special episode, Why It Matters sits down with CFR President Richard Haass to ask the basic questions about the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s frame of mind, and his threat to world order.
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The world is moving toward electric vehicles and clean energy, but a green future doesn’t depend on wind turbines, solar panels, and Teslas alone. It will also require a vast supply of advanced batteries. As a result, global demand for lithium—an essential battery ingredient—is outpacing supply, with the gap expected to grow in the years to come.
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Why It Matters is back for a fifth season, asking the important questions about the global issues, problems, and trends that will affect the future. What role does American music play in international relations? Will the global supply chain put the path to clean energy at risk? What the heck is quantum computing?
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Last summer, China tested a hypersonic missile that traveled through orbit. The test shocked many observers and led to widespread concern about the potential for nuclear-armed missiles that can evade detection and defense systems. The technology is not as new as it might seem, but this latest test highlights an underlying threat that the world has been living with for decades.
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Nuclear energy is critical for decarbonization in the fight against climate change. But high-profile accidents, substantial costs, and concerns about waste management have kneecapped its expansion. As the climate crisis intensifies, the world is rethinking how to use nuclear energy to tackle ambitious climate targets.
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Experts argue that Mexico affects daily life in the United States more than any other country. For years, U.S. and Mexican officials have attempted to tackle immigration, trade, and security challenges, and their success has depended on cooperation. With so much at stake, Why It Matters investigates the complex relationship and the factors that threaten it.
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Female service members are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a fellow member of the military than shot by an enemy combatant at war. As the reports increase, the controversial military justice system remains intact. The current policy gives commanders authority over the prosecution, often allowing perpetrators to evade accountability. The consequences are dire for survivors and the armed services at large, as the status quo undermines military readiness.
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Nonproliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament
Why It Matters is pleased to present an episode from its sister podcast, The President’s Inbox. Today, U.S. national security is dependent on international nuclear agreements. How does the world regulate nuclear weapons as countries continue to advance their arsenals? -
The glamour and thrill of espionage, brought to life on screen by characters such as James Bond, have long captivated imaginations. But this profession is deeply misunderstood, and it is always changing. Today, spycraft hangs in the balance as new technologies emerge and societies change.
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In this special episode, CFR President Richard N. Haass examines the war in Afghanistan and the lessons to be learned in its wake.
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The United States’ alliance with Japan is the centerpiece of U.S. security in Asia, but new demographic challenges from within Japan raise concerns about the future of the region.
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Fresh water is more than just a resource, it is the source of all life. But in many arid regions of the world, water supplies are under pressure from climate change, and outdated rules and infrastructure are making the problem worse. What does the world need to know about water consumption, and how can societies build better systems for a dryer future?
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Silicon chips are in almost all electronics, and access to them can make or break a country’s economic future. Their production relies on complex supply chains, and during the pandemic, the world learned just how fragile these supply chains are. Many countries, including the United States and China, are investing billions of dollars to develop the capacity to produce chips domestically, and some analysts see chip-related conflict on the horizon.
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Will the world have enough water to survive in the era of climate change? Could a shortage of silicon chips eventually lead to war? Do human spies matter in the era of cyber espionage? Why It Matters is back for its fourth season, unpacking new problems and speaking with a host of new guests.
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Industrial overfishing and other man-made factors have pushed one-third of the world’s fish stocks to be threatened with extinction, and many other species are not far behind. The problem represents a serious risk to ocean biodiversity, and to large human populations that rely on fish for day-to-day survival. What can be done?
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Successful vaccine rollouts in the United States and other wealthy nations have made many people hopeful that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight. But the majority of the world’s population does not yet have access to these vaccines. Without a strong global effort to immunize everyone, new variants could tighten the pandemic’s grip on rich and poor countries alike.
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The dollar is the world’s primary reserve currency, accounting for $6.7 trillion in foreign reserves. This has given the United States what some have called “an exorbitant privilege,” allowing it to borrow easily and to levy painful sanctions. But could it lose this status?
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Terrorism and Counterterrorism
For years, security experts have warned that white nationalist and white supremacist extremism represent the most significant domestic terrorism threat to the United States. Now, in the wake of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, the country seems to be gaining clarity about the seriousness of the situation for the first time. How did we get here, and what can be done? -
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What does it take to make a Hollywood blockbuster? Movie stars? A great script? How about approval from the Chinese government? In this episode, two guests explore the surprising role of Chinese censorship and oversight in the production of U.S. films and ask what’s at stake as their presence increases.
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Projections show that by 2050, Africa’s population will double. By 2100, one in three people on Earth will be African. This means that, by the end of the century, sub-Saharan Africa—which already has an extraordinarily young population—will be home to almost half of the young people in the world. In this episode, two experts examine whether Africa’s youth boom will be a blessing or a curse.
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The Brazilian Amazon is burning, threatening the world’s largest repository of biodiversity. If the fires are not controlled soon, they could release a “climate bomb” of stored carbon that would accelerate climate change.
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Fifty-five percent of the global population lacks access to safe sanitation, a deadly global health disparity that rarely finds its way into the spotlight. In this episode, we examine the scope of the problem, and the cultural challenges that have made it surprisingly difficult to fix.
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The United States trails far behind most advanced democracies when it comes to voter turnout, with just 55 percent of eligible voters participating in the 2016 election. What are other countries doing right, and what is the United States doing wrong?
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What happens when the world runs out of fish? Does TikTok actually present a national security risk? Will Africa's population boom change the world as we know it? In season three, Why It Matters explores a new series of challenges that are gathering on the horizon.
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Works of art and cultural heritage sites are common casualties in war. In many cases, the sale of plundered treasures has helped finance ongoing conflict. In this episode, two experts examine the history of conflict-driven looting. Along the way, they trace the opaque, unregulated international art market that allows irreplaceable treasures to travel from strife-torn regions to the catalogues of prestigious auction houses.
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For decades, international students have enjoyed bipartisan support in the United States, with strong consensus that they fuel American innovation, job creation, and competitiveness. But in recent years, their access to U.S. colleges and universities has come under threat, and other nations are seizing the opportunity to bring in the world’s brightest students.
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As the effects of climate change move from scientific predictions to daily headlines, some investors have begun sounding the alarm about impending dangers to financial markets. In this episode, experts break down the intersection of climate change and the economy, and examine whether the persuasive power of the dollar can be leveraged in the fight for climate action.
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Hosting the Olympics is a monumental undertaking that often leaves behind rusted stadiums and financial losses. So why do nations compete to do it? This episode examines the political history of the games, and the soft power that countries hope to gain by hosting them.
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Whether you think we are making history or repeating it, it’s safe to say we are living in a historic time. In this episode, Why It Matters asks three historians to weigh in on how to use the past to examine the present and make better choices for the future.
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The killing of George Floyd, the anti-racism protest movement that followed, and the Donald J. Trump administration’s response have shaken the United States and captivated the world. Why It Matters speaks with two foreign correspondents to understand how the protests are being understood abroad.
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In this special episode of The World Next Week, James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon are joined by Gabrielle Sierra, CFR podcast producer and host of Why It Matters, to discuss their favorite quarantine reads, beloved documentaries and television series, podcasts, and more entertainment they’re looking forward to enjoying this summer. Read more about Jim, Bob, and Gabrielle’s picks on Jim’s blog, The Water’s Edge.
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It is estimated that twenty to forty million people around the world are victims of human trafficking. Of these, the majority are trafficked for labor, and many of them are exploited in the United States.
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China is undertaking massive infrastructure projects across the world and loaning billions of dollars to developing nations. On paper, the objective is to build a vast trade network, but is China also exporting authoritarianism?
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Roughly four hundred million people in India use the encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp. Now, the country’s ruling party is trying to force WhatsApp to let the government trace and censor messages. The outcome could change digital freedoms in the world’s largest democracy, and could have strong implications for the future of privacy everywhere.
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What’s the true cost of cheap clothes? Fast fashion has become a multibillion-dollar industry in recent decades, reshaping the world’s shopping habits. But the industry’s low prices disguise a staggering environmental cost.
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Is the coronavirus a zero-sum game in which we must choose between saving lives and saving the economy? In this episode, we sit down with two experts to find out.
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Is China exporting its authoritarian model to other countries? Is the “fast fashion” industry accelerating climate change? In season two, Why It Matters explores a new series of issues that are flying under the radar now, but won’t be for long.
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The worldwide spread of the new coronavirus has pulled back the curtain on the vulnerabilities of our interconnected world. Now we are left asking some basic questions. What lessons have we learned so far?
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
You’re making the rounds at a party when someone asks you about NATO. Is it still important? The alliance is credited with preventing a third world war, but a lot of us don’t know what it is or how it works. This episode takes a look at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from the ground up, paired best with a cold drink. -
As climate change accelerates, some scientists are researching ways to alter our climate to slow down warming. But the method, called solar geoengineering, comes with some serious risks.
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The aftershocks of Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. election are still being felt today. Is the United States ready for future elections?
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Militaries around the world are designing artificial intelligence–powered weapons that could one day make their own decisions about who to target. The technology could change the scope of warfare, but at what cost?
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At the start of the new year, the Why It Matters team takes a look at some of the best interview segments that didn’t make it into the episodes.
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Public Health Threats and Pandemics
Antibiotics have saved untold millions of lives, but bacteria are learning to outsmart them at alarming rates. Projections show that by 2050, ten million people could die each year from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. -
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Women and girls are excluded from career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This gender gap is causing the world to lose out on “the genius of half the population,” according to former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.
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The first episode of CFR's new podcast, Why it Matters, takes a look at nuclear launch authority in the United States.
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For years, China processed more than half of the world’s plastic recycling. Then, in 2018, it stopped. Things have gotten messy since then.
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A U.S. president can launch a first-strike nuclear attack at any time and, according to the law, does not need to seek advice first. Some experts think that’s too much power to put in one person’s hands.
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Each episode breaks down an issue that is shaping our world’s future. Join host Gabrielle Sierra as she speaks with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these questions head on. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, Why It Matters brings some of the world’s most compelling stories home to you.
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In 2018, CFR once again hosted high-level discussions of global affairs, from U.S. election security to the Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry to the artificial intelligence race.