The World Next Week

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

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

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   

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 Ha

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 

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-ta

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-

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 

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 

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

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 

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 

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

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”

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-c

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 

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 

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  

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”