The World Next Week (Council on Foreign Relations)

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Sebastian Mallaby, The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“CPJ and Partners Call on Blinken to Designate RFE/RL’s Alsu Kurmasheva ‘Wrongfully Detained’ by Russia,” Committee to Protect Journalists 

Justin Rowlatt, “UAE Planned to Use COP28 Climate Talks to Make Oil Deals,” BBC

Recommended Reading

RFE/RL’s Idel.Realities, “Russian Rights Group Memorial Recognizes RFE/RL’s Kurmasheva As Political Prisoner,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Robert McMahon, “Russia Is Censoring News on the War in Ukraine. Foreign Media Are Trying to Get Around That,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/cop28-dubai-russia-crackdown-journalists-china-illness-spike-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Biden’s SOTU, Blinken Visits China, EU Bans Russian Petroleum Products, and More,” The World Next Week

Joshua Kurlantzick, Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China’s Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World

Olaf Scholz, “The Global Zeitenwende: How to Avoid a New Cold War in a Multipolar Era,” Foreign Affairs

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/munich-security-conference-biden-visits-poland-israels-judiciary-overhaul-and-more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intensifies efforts to galvanize greater political and financial support; Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will elect a new leader to become the next prime minister; the United States and Canada each impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs); and Sri Lanka’s new president, Marxist Anura Kumara Dissanayake, calls for national elections.  

Mentioned on the Podcast

Kimberly Clausing and Mary E. Lovely, “Why Trump's Tariff Proposals Would Harm Working Americans,” Peterson Institute for International Economics

Joshua Yaffa, “Volodymyr Zelenskyy Has a Plan for Ukraine’s Victory,” New Yorker

Sheila A. Smith, “The LDP Leadership Race: Six More Join, a Field of Nine,” CFR.org

Sheila A. Smith, “The LDP Leadership Race: The Early Birds,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/zelenskyys-diplomatic-drive-japans-new-leader-us-and-canadian-tariffs-chinas-evs-and-more 

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.

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/asean-summit-amlos-final-year-covid-19-variants-emerge-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

“The Chinese City That COVID Forgot,” The Economist

Brad Dress, “Russia Says Nuclear War ‘Must Never Be Fought’ Despite Fiery Rhetoric,” The Hill

Charles A. Kupchan, “It’s Time to Bring Russia and Ukraine to the Negotiating Table,” New York Times

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.

Recommended Listening

“The Year of AI and Elections,” Why It Matters

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/mideast-tensions-grow-consumer-electronics-show-spotlights-ai-divided-us-congress-returns 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Max Boot, “What the Neocons Got Wrong,” Foreign Affairs

Peter Feaver, Christopher Gelpi, and Jason Reifler, “The Strange Case of Iraq Syndrome,” Foreign Affairs

Sebastian Mallaby, “What the Silicon Valley Bank Bailout Teaches Us,” Washington Post

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/un-afghanistan-twenty-years-us-invasion-iraq-black-sea-grain-initiative-and-more

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Oliver Holmes, “China Censors Maskless Crowd Footage in World Cup Broadcasts,” The Guardian

Yanzhong Huang, “Can Xi Jinping Reopen China?,” Foreign Affairs

Ian Johnson, “Xi Versus the Street,” Foreign Affairs

James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon, “U.S. Midterm Results, G20 Summit, Prospects for Russia-Ukraine Diplomacy, and More,” The World Next Week

“Russia Is Using Energy as a Weapon,” The Economist

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/un-biodiversity-conference-russian-oil-sanctions-chinas-covid-protests-and-more 

In this special episode to mark World Press Freedom Day, Jeffrey Gedmin, cofounder and editor-in-chief of American Purpose and former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss the global state of press freedom. They cover the challenges that a growing number of journalists face in exile or imprisonment, the U.S. role in upholding freedom of the press, and more. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Exile Journalists Map—Fleeing to Europe and North America,” Reporters Without Borders

“Media Freedom,” Freedom House

2023 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders

Journalists: 

Parnaz Azima

Jamal Khashoggi

Alsu Kurmasheva

Monica Lovinescu

Georgi Markov

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/world-press-freedom-day-2024-mounting-threats-renewed-purpose 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“After Twelve Years of Blood, Assad’s Syria Rejoins the Arab League,” The Economist

Recommended Reading

Kali Robinson, “Syria Is Normalizing Relations With Arab Countries. Who Will Benefit?,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/syria-returns-arab-league-g7-summit-japan-un-discussions-north-korea-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Isabel Debre, “Israeli Arms Quietly Helped Azerbaijan Retake Nagorno-Karabakh, to the Dismay of Region’s Armenians,” Associated Press

Riley Mellen, “Russia May Be Planning to Test a Nuclear-Powered Missile,” New York Times

David J. Scheffer, “Ethnic Cleansing Is Happening in Nagorno-Karabakh. How Can the World Respond?,” CFR.org

“UN Karabakh Mission Told ‘Sudden’ Exodus Means As Few As 50 Ethnic Armenians May Remain,” UN News

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/russia-tests-new-missile-and-seeks-rejoin-un-human-rights-council-icj-takes-syria-and-more 

Ukraine’s surprise incursion of Russia’s Kursk region captures territory and stuns the Kremlin; the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago with concerns of divisions in the party over support for Israel in its war in the Gaza Strip; U.S. intelligence is on high alert after foreign hacking attempts on both former President Donald Trump’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaigns; and Mexico turns down Ukraine’s request for it to uphold warrants to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court.   

Mentioned on the Podcast

Tim Alberta, “Trump Is Planning for a Landslide Win,” The Atlantic

Kevin Collier, Ken Dilanian, and Dan De Luce, “FBI Says It's Investigating Efforts to Hack Trump and Biden-Harris Campaigns,” NBC News

Alina Lobzina and Anton Troianovski, “Ukraine’s Incursion Into Russia Flips the Script on Putin,” New York Times

Jonathan Weisman, “Worried About a Convention Clash, Democrats Woo Uncommitted Delegates,” New York Times

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/ukraine-pushes-russia-2024-dnc-begins-foreign-hacking-targets-trump-and-harris-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

J.A. Bayona, Society of the Snow

Ilker Çatak, The Teachers’ Lounge

Manohla Dargis, “‘The Zone of Interest’ Review: The Holocaust, Reduced to Background Noise,” New York Times

Matteo Garrone, Io Capitano

Greta Gerwig, Barbie

Johnathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

Andrea Kannapell, Hwaida Saad, and Michael D. Shear, “‘We Need a Cease-Fire,’ Biden Says.” New York Times

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Françoise Mouly, “Barry Blitt’s ‘Slappenheimer’,” New Yorker

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Celine Song, Past Lives

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Wim Wenders, Perfect Days

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ramadan-cease-fire-prospects-portugals-snap-election-oscars-go-international-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Alice C. Hill, “COP27 Didn’t Make Enough Progress to Prevent Climate Catastrophe,” CFR.org

Joshua Kurlantzick, Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China’s Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World

Beza Tesfaye, Climate Change and Conflict in the Sahel

“National Security Strategy [PDF],” The White House

“Renewables 2022 [PDF],” International Energy Agency

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/world-next-year-what-watch-2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the incursion into Kursk is an important step towards ending the war with Russia, but Ukraine is facing a major test in its own Donbas battlefields; the intensifying mpox outbreak places additional strain on the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding African nations; heightened security tensions spur the United States, keeping nuclear defense planners busy; and the Taliban bans the voices of women and girls in public. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Countries Should Act Faster to Curb the Spread of Mpox,” The Economist

“If a China and America War Went Nuclear, Who Would Win?,” The Economist

Allison Krugman and Chloe Searchinger, “Mpox Vaccine Tracker: Millions Pledged, Millions Still to Be Delivered,” Think Global Health

David E. Sanger, “Biden Approved Secret Nuclear Strategy Refocusing on Chinese Threat,” New York Times

Lara Seligman, “U.S.-Made F-16 Jet Fighter Crashes in Ukraine,” Wall Street Journal

“Ukraine’s Attack on Kursk, With Liana Fix,” The President’s Inbox

“Ukraine Pushes Into Russia, 2024 DNC Begins, Foreign Hacking Targets Trump and Harris, and More,” The World Next Week

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/stakes-ukraines-kursk-offensive-stopping-mpox-spread-nuclear-arms-race-returns-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

"Satellite Photos Show Expansion of Chinese-funded Naval Base in Cambodia," Radio Free Asia

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/german-chancellor-scholz-visits-washington-chinas-congress-convenes-cambodian-opposition

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Will Freeman, “Will Venezuela invade Guyana?,” CFR

Michelle Gavin, “The Democratic Republic of Congo Holds Tense Elections: What to Know,” CFR.org

Recommended Reading

Jerry Lewis, “The Nuclear Option,” Foreign Affairs

Carla Anne Robbins, “Antiballistic Missile System Gets Renewed Support From Clinton,” Wall Street Journal

Carla Anne Robbins, “Bush's Planned Missile-Shield Program May Violate ABM Treaty 'Within Months’,” Wall Street Journal

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/guyana-venezuela-border-dispute-missile-defense-base-poland-drc-elections-and-more 

The world reacts to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the selection of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as former President Donald Trump’s running mate; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress; Cyprus marks fifty years since the Turkish invasion that left the country still split in two; and Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli begins his fourth term in office.   

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven Cook, “Netanyahu’s High-Stakes Visit to Washington,” CFR.org

Ross Douthat, “What J.D. Vance Believes,” New York Times

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/gop-election-enthusiasm-netanyahu-addresses-us-congress-cyprus-50-years-after-invasion-and 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware, God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America

Ebenezer Obadare and Robert I. Rotberg, “1100 Kenyans Will Not Save Haiti,” CFR.org

Avinash Paliwal, “Could Myanmar Come Apart?,” Foreign Affairs

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/rebels-gain-myanmar-marks-coup-anniversary-eus-ukraine-aid-challenge-kenyas-pending 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2024,” International Crisis Group

“How We Have Portrayed North Korean Leaders on The Economist’s Covers,” Economist

Joshua Kurlantzick, “Pakistan’s Election Results: Imran Khan Claims Victory, But He’s Unlikely to Get It,” CFR.org

Munich Security Report 2024, Munich Security Conference 

Munich Security Index 2024, Munich Security Conference

Scott A. Snyder, “Why is North Korea Turning More Aggressive?” CFR.org

Uzair Younus, “Five Ways Imran Khan’s Party Used Technology to Outperform in Pakistan’s Elections,” Atlantic Council

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/60th-munich-security-conference-african-unions-conflict-laden-agenda-bellicose-north-korea 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“A Conversation With David Malpass” 

Brad W. Setser, “The World Bank Stepped Up During the Pandemic,” CFR.org

Ian Shapira, “Before Trump’s Wild Shifts on the NRA, Ronald Reagan Took on the Gun Lobby,” Washington Post

“The IMF Faces a Nightmarish Identity Crisis,” The Economist

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/imf-and-world-bank-spring-meetings-nra-ila-leadership-forum-un-libya-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven A. Cook, “Iran Attack Means an Even Tougher Balancing Act for the U.S. in the Middle East,” CFR.org

“How India’s Imports of Russian Oil Have Lubricated Global Markets,” Economist

Andy Bounds, Laura Dubois, Christopher Miller, “Germany Urges Dozens of Allies to Send Air Defense Systems to Ukraine,” Financial Times

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/aftermath-irans-attack-israel-eu-talks-ukraine-indias-massive-election-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Renewing America, Council on Foreign Relations

More than one hundred days into the war in the Gaza Strip, hostilities continue to escalate region-wide, 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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Films, Sundance Film Festival 2024

Joshua Kurlantzick, “Taiwan’s Presidential Election Elicits Strong Response in Indo-Pacific,” CFR.org

Kali Robinson, “Who Governs the Palestinians?,” CFR.org

Michelle Gavin, “New Deals Open Old Wounds in the Horn of Africa,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/us-iran-proxy-war-intensifies-sudan-conflict-rages-sundance-film-festival-marks-forty

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Noah Berman and Clara Fong, “Pakistan Is on Edge Ahead of 2024 Elections,” CFR.org

Joshua Kurlantzick, “Pakistan’s Election Will Have One Major Winner: The Military,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/biden-confronts-iran-chinas-lunar-new-year-economic-slowdown-pakistans-flawed-elections 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Michelle Gavin, “PEPFAR at Twenty,” CFR.org

“Let Freedom Read Day,” BannedBooksWeek.org

Jonathan Masters and Will Merrow, “How Much Aid Has the U.S. Sent Ukraine? Here Are Six Charts,” CFR.org

More Perfect, WNYC Studios

The Coldest Cast in Laramie, Serial Productions

The Rewatchables, The Ringer

Peter Wehner, “The Republican Betrayal of PEPFAR,” The Atlantic

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/pepfar-reauthorization-struggle-banned-books-week-slovakia-democracy-test-and-more 

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) wraps its seventy-fifth summit, pledging to keep Ukraine on an “irreversible” path to membership while concerns grow about the future of U.S. commitment; Japan hosts the tenth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting to counter China’s influence in the region; France struggles to form a government as party differences intensify; and President-Elect Masoud Pezeshkian raises hopes for possible change in Iran.   

Mentioned on the Podcast

A Conversation With Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Council on Foreign Relations

Emmanuel Macron, “A Letter to the French People,” Le Parisien

Pacific Aid Map, Lowy Institute

Ray Takeyh, “What Could Change Under Iran’s New ‘Reformist’ President?,” CFR.org

Washington Summit Declaration, NATO 

Sarah Wheaton, “Orbán’s Humble Pie,” Politico

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/nato-and-ukraine-beyond-75-japan-hosts-pacific-islands-frances-political-gridlock-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Elbridge Colby, “America Must Face Reality and Prioritize China Over Europe,” Financial Times

Virtual Media Briefing: Iran After Raisi and New ICC Charges, Council on Foreign Relations

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/irans-succession-woes-icc-angers-israel-south-africas-election-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Rory Jones and Summer Said, “Gaza Chief’s Brutal Calculation: Civilian Bloodshed Will Help Hamas,” Wall Street Journal

Sorensen Distinguished Lecture: A Conversation With Cindy McCain, Council on Foreign Relations

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ukraine-pushes-peace-summit-sudan-catastrophe-israel-hamas-deal-crossroads-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Jon Wertheim, “Australia and New Zealand Are Eager to Show a More Inclusive Version of Themselves,” Sports Illustrated

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/eu-latin-america-and-caribbean-summit-us-defense-spending-conflicts-womens-world-cup-down  

Global leaders react to U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination; France ramps up security measures as the Summer Olympics kick off in Paris; Diplomacy continues over a potential Israel-Hamas cease-fire after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the U.S. Congress; and a Russian court sentences two American journalists. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Charles A. Kupchan, “Biden’s Legacy: Major Accomplishments but Unfinished Business,” CFR.org

Linda Robinson, “Vice President Kamala Harris’s Real-World School of Foreign Policy,” CFR.org

“Politics and Protest at the Olympics,” CFR.org

Suzanne Lynch and Ben Munster, “‘Invisible’ Kamala Harris Struggles to Win Over Europe,” Politico

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/world-reacts-biden-withdrawal-summer-olympics-begin-gaza-diplomacy-after-netanyahus-visit   

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Abortion Law: Global Comparisons,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/eu-leaders-summit-biden-marks-abortion-ruling-anniversary-guatemalas-election-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Liana Fix, “For Europe, Time to Plan for a Post-Putin Russia,” CFR.org

Stephen Sestanovich, “How Should NATO Think About Ukrainian Membership After Russia’s Coup Attempt?,” CFR.org

Michelle Zauner, Crying in H Mart

Music Selections

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, “Blenda”

Villano Antillano and Pedró, “Reina de la Selva”

Bad Bunny and Rosalía, “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE”

Burna Boy, “Ye”

Japanese Breakfast, “Be Sweet”  

Rina Sawayama, “XS”

Rema and Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/russias-post-rebellion-moves-natos-vilnius-summit-europes-21st-century-woodstock-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven Cook, “Here’s How to Read Turkey’s Election Results—So Far,” CFR.org

Mariel Ferragamo and Diana Roy, “What Is the Extent of Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis?,” CFR.org

Ebenezer Obadare, “Why Buhari Failed,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/turkeys-runoff-election-debt-ceiling-dangers-nigerias-tinubu-inaugurated-president-and

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/syria-turkey-relations-israels-ongoing-domestic-tensions-pope-visits-hungary-and-more

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.

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/canadas-wildfires-opec-oil-report-natos-largest-air-drill-and-more 

The UN General Assembly begins its seventy-ninth high-level debate amid questions about its limited role in resolving major conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East; fears of a wider regional war grow as Hezbollah vows retaliation against Israel after thousands of pagers exploded across Lebanon; U.S. President Joe Biden hosts the leaders of the Quad in Wilmington, Delaware, to strengthen coordination in the Indo-Pacific region; and Russia seeks to add 180,000 troops to its army.

Mentioned on the Podcast

A Conversation With U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Council on Foreign Relations

Ronen Bergman, Sheera Frenkel, and Hwaida Saad, “How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers,” New York Times

Natalie Caloca and Paul B. Stares, “Security Challenges Cloud UN’s Summit of the Future”, CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/un-meets-tense-times-pager-explosions-rattle-hezbollah-bidens-last-quad-summit-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Mohamed Bazoum, “President of Niger: My Country Is Under Attack and I’ve Been Taken Hostage,” Washington Post

Hanna Foreman, Mireya Solís, and Andrew Yeo, “America’s Window of Opportunity in Asia,” Foreign Affairs

Scott A. Snyder, “The Trilateral Summit at Camp David: Institutionalizing U.S.-Japan-South Korea Coordination,” CFR.org

Scott A. Snyder and Sheila A. Smith, “Media Briefing: U.S.-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Summit,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/us-japan-south-korea-summit-ecuadors-snap-election-brics-leaders-meet-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“How a Sombre Mood Gripped Europe,” Economist

“How Victor Manuel Rocha Got Away with Spying for Cuba for So Long,” All Things Considered

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/fighting-resumes-gaza-eu-summits-ukraine-challenge-egypts-elections-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Child Marriage,” CFR.org

Ivo H. Daalder and James M. Lindsay, “The West Holds Firm,” Foreign Affairs

Barbara Herz and Gene B. Sperling, What Works in Girls’ Education 

“U.S. Policy Toward Russia, With Derek H. Chollet,” The President’s Inbox

Meighan Stone and Rachel B. Vogelstein, “Investing in Girls’ STEM Education in Developing Countries,” CFR.org

The U.S. Congress returns from its summer recess to try to pass a budget for federal discretionary programs before the fiscal year ends and avoid a government shutdown; the United States and other Western allies accuse Iran of transferring ballistic missiles to Russia, raising concerns over intensified strikes on Ukraine; Hungary faces a second deadline to pay a $221 million fine for breaking European Union asylum law, which President Viktor Orbán remains unwilling to follow; and China gifts Cambodia two newly built Type 056 corvette warships, raising questions about Beijing’s naval ambitions.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Zongyuan Zoe Liu, “Tracking China’s Control of Overseas Ports,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/congresss-funding-battle-iran-sends-missiles-russia-orban-defies-eu-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“The Power of the Pope,” Why It Matters

Qin Gang, “The Planet’s Future Depends on a Stable China-U.S. Relationship,” Washington Post

“The World Next Year: What to Watch in 2023,” The World Next Week

This is Jim’s last episode as a regular co-host of The World Next Week. Revisit a live taping that marked the tenth anniversary of the show, in which Jim and Bob were joined by NPR journalist Deborah S. Amos: “2019 Back to School and Live Taping of The World Next Week Podcast.”

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/pope-visits-democratic-republic-congo-russia-responds-western-tank-offers-un-presses

France’s governance is at stake as it holds snap elections for its National Assembly, with the far-right National Rally looking to build on its success in the European Parliament elections; the United Kingdom (UK) has its own snap general elections with Keir Starmer and his Labour Party looking to end the fourteen-year rule of the Conservatives; Iran’s snap presidential elections could signal unity of regime hard-liners or glimmers of change; the European Union (EU) plans to impose provisional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles; and Ukraine strikes more than thirty Russian oil refineries.  

Mentioned on the Podcast

Amanda Chu, Kenza Bryan, and Lukanyo Mnyanda, “Global Glut Turns Solar Panels into Garden Fencing Option,” Financial Times

Ian Johnston, “French Voters Juggle Democratic Duty and Summer Getaways,” Financial Times

David Lammy, “The Case for Progressive Realism,” Foreign Affairs

Matthias Matthijs, “Pivotal Elections for France—and Europe,” CFR.org

Ray Takeyh, “Does Iran’s Presidential Election Matter?,” CFR.org

Sergey Vakulenko; Michael Liebreich, Lauri Myllyvirta, and Sam Winter-Levy, “Should Ukraine Keep Attacking Russian Oil Refineries?,” Foreign Affairs

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/france-iran-and-uk-hold-snap-elections-eu-pushback-chinese-evs-and-more  

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Carla’s Picks

Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Caitlin Doughty, From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death

Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”

Bob’s Picks

Konstantin Paustovsky, translated by Douglas Smith, The Story of a Life

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

“Jonathan GPT Swift on Jonathan Swift,” Conversations with Tyler

Rosa’s Picks

Alex Mar, Seventy Times Seven: A True Story Of Murder And Mercy

George Black, Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone

John Linson and Taylor Sheridan, “Yellowstone”

Additional Books, Podcasts, Shows, and Games Mentioned on the Podcast

John Adams, Doctor Atomic

Edward Berger, “All Quiet on the Western Front”

Tyler Cowen, “Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide”

Joan Didion, The White Album

Craig Mazin, “The Last of Us”

Pong

Sam Shaw, “Manhattan”

Frank Spotnitz, “The Man in the High Castle”

Fred Zinnemann, “From Here to Eternity”

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw-special-what-read-summer-2023 

This episode first aired: July 6, 2023

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Eurovision Winners, Eurovision World

Frontline: Ghosts of Rwanda, PBS

Mariel Ferragamo, “Thirty Years After Rwanda’s Genocide: Where the Country Stands Today,” CFR.org 

“Rwanda: Freedom in the World 2024,” Freedom House

“Three Decades After Rwanda’s Genocide, the Past is Ever-Present,” The Economist

When Abba Came to Britain, BBC 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/rwanda-30-years-after-genocide-us-japan-philippines-summit-abbas-eurovision-legacy-and 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

“China’s Covid Surge, With Yanzhong Huang and Zongyuan Zoe Liu,” The President’s Inbox

Steven A. Cook, “What Everyone Gets Wrong About Turkey,” Foreign Policy

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/high-level-us-visit-israel-chinas-covid-clouded-new-year-greece-turkey-tensions-and-more

The Middle East braces for the possibility of a full-scale war between Israel and Iran-backed forces after the assassinations of Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr; Venezuelans protest the results of the presidential election that grant incumbent President Nicolás Maduro a third term; the Edinburgh Festival Fringe spotlights wide-ranging, new talent; imprisoned journalists in Russia are freed in a major prisoner swap; and militant groups kill troops from Russia’s private military company Wagner Group, including a Wagner commander, in Mali.  

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven A. Cook, “Are Israel and Iran Headed for All Out War?,” CFR.org

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh Festival Fringe App

Edinburgh Fringe Festival Recommendation Lists: Independent, Playbill, and Time Out Magazine

Kali Robinson, “What Is Hamas?,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/israel-iran-tensions-escalate-venezuela-election-questioned-edinburgh-fringe-shines-and 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Europe’s Migration Dilemma, CFR.org

Caroline Kapp and Matthias Matthijs, “What’s at Stake in the EU Elections?,” CFR.org

Nicholas Vinocur, “An American’s Guide to the 2024 European Election,” Politico

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/european-parliament-elections-g7-leaders-50th-summit-powerful-hurricane-season-looming-and 

A Russian court moves judicial proceedings for detained U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich to Yekaterinburg for a closed-door espionage trial; the success of far-right parties in the European Parliament elections challenges the power of several incumbent European Union (EU) leaders; the Boeing Starliner "Calypso" spacecraft prepares to return from the International Space Station after delays; and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolves his war cabinet. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Silvina Frydlewsky, Georgi Kantchev, and Joe Parkinson, “The Russian Spies Next Door,” Wall Street Journal

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/russias-secret-trial-gershkovich-eus-rightward-shift-boeing-space-and-more   

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

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

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/world-next-year-stories-watch-2024 

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. 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/blinken-visits-south-pacific-colombia-eln-cease-fire-thailands-political-face-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Will Freeman and Ariana Rios, “How Peru’s Crisis Could Send Shockwaves Through the Region,” CFR.org

Rone Tempest, “Protesters Block Euro Disneyland : France: Irked by U.S. Trade Policies, Farmers Use Tractors to Keep Cars and Buses Out of the Park,” Los Angeles Times

“​​U.S. Immigration Policy, With Edward Alden,” The President’s Inbox

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/turkish-presidential-campaigning-begins-russias-cloudy-security-council-presidency-disney

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Edward Alden, “Washington Raises Stakes in War on Chinese Technology,” Foreign Policy

Steven A. Cook and Martin S. Indyk, The Case for a New U.S.-Saudi Strategic Compact 

John Hudson and Widlore Mérancourt, “U.S. backs sending international forces to Haiti, draft proposal says,” The Washington Post

Diana Roy and Sabine Baumgartner, “Crossing the Darien Gap: Migrants Risk Death on the Journey to the U.S.,” CFR.org

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven Cook, “What if Kemal Kilicdaroglu Wins Turkey’s Election?,” Foreign Policy

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/momentous-elections-turkey-and-thailand-black-sea-grain-initiative-and-more

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.  

Mentioned on the Podcast

Charles A. Kupchan, “Is Bosnia on the Verge of Conflict?,” CFR.org

James McBride, “Russia’s Influence in the Balkans,” CFR.org 

Stephen Sestanovich, “It’s Time to Debunk Putin’s Existential Fallacy,” Foreign Policy

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/russias-constitution-day-eu-mulls-enlargement-us-africa-summit-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Nicolas Camut and Jakob Hanke Vela, “As Trump Looms, Top EU Politician Calls for European Nuclear Deterrent,” Politico

Joshua Kurlantzick, “Indonesia’s Presidential Election: The Old Guard Faces the New,” CFR.org

Brad Setser, “Mobilizing Russia’s Immobilized Reserves,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/chiles-inferno-nato-ramps-security-exercises-indonesias-presidential-election-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Lucy Fisher, Anna Gross, and Jim Pickard, “David Cameron Brings Experience and Baggage as He Returns to Politics,” Financial Times

Brad W. Setser, “Argentina Election Draws Wider Attention to Embattled Economy,” CFR.org

“Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief on the Breakthrough He Needs to Beat Russia,” Economist

Andrew Wilks, “Turkey’s Erdogan Says He Trusts Russia as Much as He Trusts the West,” Associated Press

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/winter-stalemate-ukraine-argentinas-presidential-runoff-turkeys-president-visits-berlin 

This special episode of The World Next Week features a summerlong feast of reading, watching, and listening treats. Deborah Amos, the Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence at Princeton University and a former international correspondent for National Public Radio, joins CFR’s TWNW hosts Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss good reads they recommend, books they are looking forward to reading, and other entertainment they are enjoying this summer.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Bob’s Picks

Elizabeth Kolbert, H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z 

Stefan Zweig, The World of Yesterday: Memoirs of a European

Carla’s Picks

Steve Coll, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq

Peter Pomerantsev, How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler 

Deborah’s Picks

Jayne Anne Phillips, Night Watch

Nathan Thrall, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy 

Additional Books, Films, Podcasts, Shows and More Mentioned on the Podcast

Books

Russell Baker, Growing Up

Ron Chernow, Grant 

Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

Roy Stewart, The Places In Between

Films

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel

James Bridges, The China Syndrome

George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck.

Alex Garland, Civil War 

Howard Hawks, His Girl Friday

Roland Joffé, The Killing Fields

Richard Linklater, Hit Man

Sidney Lumet, Network

Alan J. Pakula, All the President's Men

Peter Weir, The Year of Living Dangerously

Podcasts

Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart, The Rest is Politics, Goalhanger

Jon Ronson, Things Fell Apart, BBC Radio 4

Television Shows

Jez Scharf, Bodkin 

David Simon, The Wire

Aaron Sorkin, The Newsroom

Other

The Reckoning Project

“Watch the U.S. Stall on Climate Change for 12 Years,” Vox

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw-special-what-read-summer-2024 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Jack Devine, “What Really Happened in Chile,” Foreign Affairs

Pablo Larraín, El Conde

Francisco O. Mora, “Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Coup D’état in Chile,” U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States

Scott Snyder, “The Perils of a Renewed North Korea-Russia Relationship,” CFR.org

The 9/11 Commission Report [PDF], The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/indias-g20-summit-911-chile-and-us-kim-jong-un-and-putin-draw-closer-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Benjamin H. Bradlow and Mohammad Ali Kadivar, “How Brazil Can Prevent an Authoritarian Resurgence,” Foreign Affairs

“Constitutional Change in Japan,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/attack-brazils-capital-japans-pm-visits-washington-czech-presidential-election-and-more

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Mariel Ferragamo, “The Niger Coup Could Threaten the Entire Sahel,“ CFR.org

Bryan Harris, “Brazil to Launch ‘Most Ambitious’ Green Transition Package,” Financial Times

Yaniv Kubovich, "Israeli Army Retroactively Cancels Call-ups of Reservists Who Refused to Report for Duty," Haaretz

Dov Lieber, “Israeli Reservists Start Missing Duty, Threatening Military Unity and Readiness,” Wall Street Journal

Recommended Reading

Diana Roy, “Can Amazon Countries Save the Rain Forest?,” CFR.org  

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/navalnys-verdict-amazon-cooperation-summit-israels-political-crisis-and-more 

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.

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/zelenskyy-washington-spain-tries-form-government-un-spotlights-nuclear-weapons-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Israeli-Saudi Peace Deal, With Steven A. Cook,” The President’s Inbox

Tatiana Stanovaya, “Putin’s Age of Chaos,” Foreign Affairs

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/eu-crackdowns-big-tech-after-prigozhin-two-years-taliban-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“The Future of the Israel-Hamas War, With Linda Robinson,” The President’s Inbox

“The Middle East, Including the Palestinian Question: Vote on Competing Draft Resolutions,” What's In Blue

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/diplomacy-intensifies-israel-hamas-war-uks-ai-safety-summit-chinas-foreign-minister-visits 

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. 

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/senegal-and-slovakia-elections-pakistan-and-afghan-taliban-clash-nuclear-energy-gains 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

John Bresnahan and Jake Sherman, “UNRWA Funding Emerges as Sticking Point in FY 2024 Spending Talks,” Punchbowl

Liana Fix and Maria Snegovaya, “Leadership Change in Russia,” CFR.org

From the Catbird Seat, Library of Congress

Thomas Graham, “Why Russia’s Election Matters to Putin,” CFR.org

Michael Kimmage and Maria Lipman, “Forever Putinism: The Russian Autocrat’s Answer to the Problem of Succession,” Foreign Affairs

Putin's Approval Ratings, Levada-Center

Brett Zongker, “Elton John & Bernie Taupin = 2024 Gershwin Prize,” Library of Congress Blog

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/russias-gloomy-elections-us-budget-divisions-elton-john-bernie-taupin-awarded-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Frank Capra, Lost Horizon 

Thomas L. Friedman, “NATO or Tomato?,” New York Times

Valona Tela, “Kosovo ‘Tactical Game’ Is A Strategic Blunder, Security Expert Charles Kupchan Warns Amid Balkan Violence,” Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

“Turkey’s Election [Twitter Spaces],” Council on Foreign Relations

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/australian-submarine-deal-asian-security-summit-blinken-finland-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Richard Haass, A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, National Intelligence Estimate: Climate Change and International Responses Increasing Challenges to U.S. National Security Through 2040 

The White House, Biden-Harris Administration's National Security Strategy

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Keith Bradsher, Anatoly Kurmanaev, and David Pierson, “Putin Visits China to Bolster Ties With ‘My Friend,’ Xi,” New York Times

Christina Bouri and Diana Roy, “The Israel-Hamas War: The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza,” CFR.org

Steven A. Cook, “Will Egypt Play a Role in Easing the Gaza War?,” CFR.org

Steven A. Cook, “Why the U.S. Tolerates Qatar’s Hamas Ties,” Foreign Policy

Shannon K. O’Neil and Will Freeman, “Latin America This Week: September 20, 2023,” CFR.org

“President Joe Biden: The 2023 60 Minutes Interview,” 60 Minutes

David J. Scheffer, “What International Law Has to Say About the Israel-Hamas War,” CFR.org

“The Genocide That No One’s Talking About,” The Intelligence

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/eyes-gaza-argentinas-presidential-vote-putin-seeks-friends-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report 

Michelle Gavin, “Zimbabwe Limps Toward Elections,” CFR.org

Joshua Kurlantzick, “Thailand’s Parliament Has Been Dissolved: Elections Loom, But Will They Be Free?,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/brazils-lula-visits-china-earth-hour-second-summit-democracy-and-more

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar prepare another cease-fire proposal after Hamas killed six Israeli hostages and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu demanded control of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border; Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump hold their first presidential debate; the Toronto International Film Festival showcases independent films spanning from Hungary to Georgia and more; and the United States seizes Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s plane.  

What to Watch at Toronto International Film Festival

Edward Berger, Conclave

William Bridges, All of You

Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

Dea Kulumbegashvili, April

Mentioned on the Podcast

Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Shrinking

Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence, Ted Lasso

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/gazas-troubled-cease-fire-efforts-harris-and-trump-debate-toronto-international-film-fest 

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.

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,” Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State

“Global Military Spending Surges Amid War, Rising Tensions and Insecurities,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Max Boot, “Weapons of War: The Race Between Russia and Ukraine,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/blinken-visits-china-may-day-stirs-workers-rights-concerns-us-resumes-ukraine-aid-and-more

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.

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/blinkens-rescheduled-china-trip-modis-state-visit-us-ukraines-counteroffensive-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Carla’s Picks

Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Caitlin Doughty, From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death

Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”

Bob’s Picks

Konstantin Paustovsky, translated by Douglas Smith, The Story of a Life

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

“Jonathan GPT Swift on Jonathan Swift,” Conversations with Tyler

Rosa’s Picks

Alex Mar, Seventy Times Seven: A True Story Of Murder And Mercy

George Black, Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone

John Linson and Taylor Sheridan, “Yellowstone”

Additional Books, Podcasts, Shows, and Games Mentioned on the Podcast

John Adams, Doctor Atomic

Edward Berger, “All Quiet on the Western Front”

Tyler Cowen, “Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide”

Joan Didion, The White Album

Craig Mazin, “The Last of Us”

Pong

Sam Shaw, “Manhattan”

Frank Spotnitz, “The Man in the High Castle”

Fred Zinnemann, “From Here to Eternity”

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw-special-what-read-summer-2023 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven Erlanger and Matina Stevis-Gridneff, “China’s Ambassador to the E.U. Tries to Distance Beijing From Moscow,” New York Times

Barak Ravid, “Scoop: U.S. Discussing Freeze-for-Freeze Approach to Iran Nuclear Program,” Axios

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/macron-goes-china-good-friday-agreement-turns-25-irans-nuclear-technology-day-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Michelle Gavin, “The Continental Implications of Nigeria’s Elections,” CFR.org

Ebenezer Obadare, “What’s at Stake in Nigeria’s General Elections?,” CFR.org

“The Invasion That Shook the World,” Council of Councils

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/nigerias-election-one-year-russia-invaded-ukraine-us-asylum-restrictions-and-more

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.  

Mentioned on the Podcast

Steven A. Cook, False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tunisias-election-us-congress-seeks-avert-shutdown-world-cup-ends-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Rachel Chason, “U.S. Threats Led to Rupture of Vital Military Ties, Nigerien Leader Says,” Washington Post

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ukraine-tries-halt-russian-advance-biden-woos-kenya-fate-assange-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).

Mentioned on the Podcast

Ali Abbasi, The Apprentice 

“Anyone Who’s on the Ground in Gaza is in ‘Danger,’ WFP Chief McCain Says,” NBC News

Jacques Audilard, Emilia Perez

Christina Bouri and Diana Roy, “Few Options for Gazans as Israel Enters Rafah,” CFR.org

Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis 

David Cronenberg, The Shrouds 

“Emmanuel Macron In His Own Words,” Economist

Yorgos Lanthimos, Kinds of Kindness 

George Miller, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga  

War in Gaza Update: The Rafah Incursion and Negotiations Over Hostage Release and Ceasefire, Council on Foreign Relations

“Why Lithuania is Considering Sending Soldiers to Ukraine,” Financial Times

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/israels-rafah-plans-greece-and-turkey-boost-diplomacy-cannes-festival-unveils-new-films  

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Colm Bairéad, The Quiet Girl

Edward Berger, All Quiet on the Western Front

Lukas Dhont, Close

Sara Dosa, Fire of Love

Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory

Lewis Milestone, All Quiet on the Western Front

Santiago Mitre, Argentina, 1985

Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front

Daniel Roher, Navalny

Jerzy Skolimowski, EO

Simon Lereng Wilmont, A House Made of Splinters

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/uk-france-summit-3-years-covid-19-pandemic-foreign-films-oscars-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Ian Johnson, “Can a Summit Ease U.S.-China Tensions?,” CFR.org

Inu Manak, “Unpacking the IPEF: Biden’s Indo-Pacific Trade Play,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/biden-and-xi-apec-macrons-gaza-conference-arab-league-emergency-summit-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Center for Preventative Action, “Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” CFR.org

Noël James, “Women This Week: Sexual Assault Increasing Among Displaced Women in the Congo,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/israel-hamas-war-ground-campaign-biden-hosts-latin-american-leaders-congress-debates

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Qin Gang, “The Planet’s Future Depends on a Stable China-U.S. Relationship,” Washington Post

Shannon K. O’Neil, The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/118th-us-congress-north-american-leaders-summit-china-reopens-and-more

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Kali Robinson, “Russia Killed the Black Sea Grain Deal. These Countries Could Suffer Most.,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/black-sea-grain-blockade-spains-snap-elections-hollywood-strikes-broader-impact-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Regina Garcia Cano and Gabriela Molina, “Mexico Severs Diplomatic Ties with Ecuador After Police Storm Its Embassy to Arrest Politician,” Associated Press

“Sudan Crisis Sends Shockwaves Around the Region as Displacement, Hunger, and Malnutrition Soar,” World Food Program

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/congresss-urgent-agenda-sudans-year-war-ecuador-mexico-embassy-fray-and-more 

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, campaign ahead of the party’s convention; world leaders and diplomats reach out to Iran and Israel to head off a wider regional war after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran spurred retaliation threats; Bangladesh prepares an interim government after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country; and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government responds to anti-immigrant riots across the country.   

Mentioned on the Podcast

Fred Kaplan, “Kamala Harris Has Been Much More Involved in Foreign Policy Than We Realize,” Slate

Jonathan Masters, “The U.S. Vice President and Foreign Policy,” CFR.org

Recommended Reading

Swift Boats at War in Vietnam, edited by Guy Gugliotta, Neva Sullaway, John Yeoman

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/us-presidential-campaign-picks-iran-mulls-retaliation-bangladeshs-new-government-and-more 

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Richard Haass, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens

Ana Swanson, “Netherlands and Japan Said to Join U.S. in Curbing Chip Technology Sent to China,” New York Times  

Recommended Reading

James M. Lindsay, “Ten Facts About the State of the Union Address,” The Water’s Edge  

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/bidens-sotu-blinken-visits-china-eu-bans-russian-petroleum-products-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Who Runs the World?... Not Women,” Why It Matters

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/anniversary-mahsa-aminis-death-un-summits-climate-and-development-russia-recruits-cubans 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Paul B. Stares, “Conflicts to Watch in 2023,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/south-korea-japan-summit-us-border-policy-changes-us-annual-threat-assessment-and-more

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. 

Mentioned on the Podcast

Relief organizations among those involved in the massive response to Turkey and Syria:

• Ahbap
• Akut
• CARE
• Doctors Without Borders
• The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• The International Rescue Committee
• The Karam Foundation
• Save the Children
• The White Helmets

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/turkey-syria-earthquake-aftermath-khameneis-pardon-lula-visits-washington-and-more

This special episode of The World Next Week features a summerlong feast of reading, watching, and listening treats. Deborah Amos, the Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence at Princeton University and a former international correspondent for National Public Radio, joins CFR’s TWNW hosts Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss good reads they recommend, books they are looking forward to reading, and other entertainment they are enjoying this summer.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Bob’s Picks

Elizabeth Kolbert, H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z 

Stefan Zweig, The World of Yesterday: Memoirs of a European

Carla’s Picks

Steve Coll, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq

Peter Pomerantsev, How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler 

Deborah’s Picks

Jayne Anne Phillips, Night Watch

Nathan Thrall, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy 

Additional Books, Films, Podcasts, Shows and More Mentioned on the Podcast

Books

Russell Baker, Growing Up

Ron Chernow, Grant 

Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

Roy Stewart, The Places In Between

Films

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel

James Bridges, The China Syndrome

George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck.

Alex Garland, Civil War 

Howard Hawks, His Girl Friday

Roland Joffé, The Killing Fields

Richard Linklater, Hit Man

Sidney Lumet, Network

Alan J. Pakula, All the President's Men

Peter Weir, The Year of Living Dangerously

Podcasts

Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart, The Rest is Politics, Goalhanger

Jon Ronson, Things Fell Apart, BBC Radio 4

Television Shows

Jez Scharf, Bodkin 

David Simon, The Wire

Aaron Sorkin, The Newsroom

Other

The Reckoning Project

“Watch the U.S. Stall on Climate Change for 12 Years,” Vox

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw-special-what-read-summer-2024 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Arash Ghafouri and Alex Vatanka, “Five Key Takeaways From New Poll Ahead of Iran’s Parliamentary Elections,” Middle East Institute

Andrew Higgins, “A Land Once Emptied by War Now Faces a Peacetime Exodus,” New York Times

Andrew Osborn and Vladimir Soldatkin, “Putin Warns West of Risk of Nuclear War, Says Moscow can Strike Western Targets,” Reuters

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/biden-addresses-sotu-iran-holds-elections-bosnias-pipeline-feud-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Council on Foreign Relations, U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Responding to a More Assertive China, 2023

David McCabe and Tripp Mickle, “U.S. Moves Closer to Filing Sweeping Antitrust Case Against Apple,” New York Times

David Sacks, “Taiwan’s Status Quo Election,” Foreign Affairs

David Sacks, “Taiwan’s 2024 Presidential Election: Analyzing Hou Yu-ih’s Foreign Policy Positions,” CFR.org  

David Sacks, “Taiwan’s 2024 Presidential Election: Analyzing Ko Wen-je’s Foreign Policy Positions,” CFR.org

David Sacks, “Taiwan’s 2024 Presidential Election: Analyzing William Lai’s Foreign Policy Positions,” CFR.org

David Sacks, “Why China Would Struggle to Invade Taiwan,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/taiwans-pivotal-elections-apple-battles-regulations-davos-addresses-world-risks-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Earthday.org

Rocio Cara Labrador and Diana Roy, “Haiti’s Troubled Path to Development,” CFR.org

Scott Snyder, “How to Prepare for the Future After Seven Decades of the U.S.-South Korea Alliance,” CFR.org

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/biden-hosts-south-koreas-president-earth-day-un-addresses-haiti-and-more

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Is Anyone Still Afraid of the United States?: A Conversation With Robert Gates,” Foreign Affairs

Inu Manak and Manjari Chatterjee Miller, “Responsible Consensus at the WTO Can Save the Global Trading System,” CFR.org

Stephanie Nolen, “War and Illness Could Kill 85,000 Gazans in Six Months,” New York Times

“Year Three of the Ukraine War, With Miriam Elder and Carla Anne Robbins,” The President’s Inbox

Recommended Reading

Keith M. Rockwell, “A Moment of Truth for the WTO,” Hinrich Foundation

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/grim-ukraine-war-anniversary-wto-limbo-blinkens-lula-and-milei-tour-and-more 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

Wojciech Kość, “Poland’s Ruling Party Publishes Top Secret War Plan as a Campaign Stunt,” Politico

Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam, “Afghanistan Earthquakes a ‘Disaster on Top of a Disaster’, World Food Programme Says,” Reuters

“The Israel-Hamas War, With Elliott Abrams and Steven Cook,” The President’s Inbox

Visit CFR.org’s Israeli-Palestinian Conflict page for up-to-date coverage

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/israel-hamas-wars-next-phase-polands-democracy-test-australias-indigenous-voice-referendum 

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.

Mentioned on the Podcast

“Mexico’s Next President Can Reset Relations With the United States,” The Economist

Shannon K. O'Neil, The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter

Eli Stokols and Alexander Ward, “White House Not Thrilled by Macron’s D-Day Invite to Russia,” Politico

Sue Mi Terry, “The Coming North Korean Crisis,” Foreign Affairs

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/bidens-gaza-dilemmas-80-years-d-day-mexicos-milestone-election-and-more 

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.  

Mentioned on the Podcast

Barak Ravid, “Netanyahu Cancels Meetings with Biden Officials Over UN Ceasefire Vote,” Axios

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/biden-and-netanyahu-odds-putin-responds-isis-k-attack-cuba-food-and-electricity-shortages