The World Next Year: Stories to Watch in 2024

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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Hosts
  • Robert McMahon
    Managing Editor
  • Carla Anne Robbins
    Senior Fellow
Credits

Ester Fang - Associate Podcast Producer

Gabrielle Sierra - Editorial Director and Producer

Episode Guests
  • Nahal Toosi
    Senior correspondent for foreign affairs and national security, Politico

Show Notes

Mentioned on the Podcast

 

Matthieu Favas, “The Green Transition Will Transform The Global Economic Order,” The Economist

South Korea

Impeachment looms for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose declaration of martial law spurred mass protests; French lawmakers passed the first no-confidence vote in more than sixty years, as the country is set to mark the the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral; Syrian rebels continue a surprise offensive against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime after seizing the cities of Aleppo and Hama; and U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump threatens 100 percent tariffs on BRICS nations.

Ukraine

The White House authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-made, long-range army tactical missile systems (ATACMS) missiles to hit targets within Russian territory; the UN climate change conference (COP29) wraps up in Baku, Azerbaijan, where progress on climate finance has been notably slow; negotiations for a cease-fire continues in the Middle East, with hopes for an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah; and thousands protest for Māori rights throughout New Zealand.

Election 2024

Why It Matters sits down with the hosts of The World Next Week to talk about what the United States–and a closely watching world–should expect in the weeks and months to come as incoming President Trump takes office.

Top Stories on CFR

Syria

The ascendance of Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria should be viewed with great caution by Western powers, but the Assad regime’s collapse disables a critical node in Iran’s regional proxy network.

Energy and Climate Policy

What powers artificial intelligence (AI)? As global electricity use is surging, with unprecedented demand coming from an increase in data centers, AI’s dependence on fossil fuels presents a serious issue for the planet. In the United States, data center power usage is on track to double by 2030, largely due to the proliferation of AI technology. But while the application of AI shows potential to mitigate climate problems through modeling or predicting weather events, will its power grab stall the clean energy transition?

South Korea

CFR’s Sheila A. Smith spoke with Dr. Duyeon Kim with the Center for a New American Security, who is based in Seoul, to get her assessment of the fallout of President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law.