The World Next Week

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 

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 

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 

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

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 Li

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 

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 sh

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 Nort

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 

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 

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 

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

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 Elec

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 

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 

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 

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 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 note

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-pres