The World Next Week

In this special year-end episode, hosts Bob McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins sit down with the New York Times’ chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe Steven Erlanger to review the biggest stories of the past year and discuss developments to watch in 2025. They analyze the conflicts and political developments in the Middle East and Europe, President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for his national security team, the state of democracy worldwide, and more.   Mentioned on the Podcast   James M. Lindsay, “Ten Elections to Watch in 2025,” CFR.org   National Centers for Environmental Information, “Monthly Global Climate Report for October 2024,” NCEI.NOAA.gov   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/world-next-year-wars-new-governments-stormy-weather-watch-2025

Syrians begin the early stages of government formation as global and regional powers scramble to devise a strategy for Syria after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad; Georgians protest their government’s postponement of European Union (EU) membership talks as Romanians look for answers following the cancellation of their presidential election results; the United Kingdom (UK) accedes to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership; and China opens an anti-monopoly case against U.S. chipmaker Nvidia.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Luke Allnutt et al., “Romania's 'King Of TikTok' Tied To Alleged Scheme Boosting Far-Right Presidential Candidate,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty   Veronica Anghel, “Why Romania Just Canceled Its Presidential Election,” Journal of Democracy   Thomas Graham, “What Assad’s Fall Means for Russia in the Middle East,” CFR.org For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/syrians-plot-transition-turmoil-georgia-romania-uk-joins-trans-pacific-trade-deal-and-more

Impeachment looms for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose declaration of martial law spurred mass protests; French lawmakers passed the first no-confidence vote in more than sixty years, as the country is set to mark the the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral; Syrian rebels continue a surprise offensive against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime after seizing the cities of Aleppo and Hama; and U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump threatens 100 percent tariffs on BRICS nations.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Steven A. Cook, “What Syria’s Revived Civil War Means for the Region,” CFR.org   John Deluray, “Martial Law in South Korea,” CFR.org   Sarah Jeong, “Six Hours Under Martial Law in Seoul,” The Verge   Brad W. Setser, X   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/turmoil-south-korea-french-government-collapses-syrian-rebels-reignite-conflict-and-more 

The White House authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-made, long-range army tactical missile systems (ATACMS) missiles to hit targets within Russian territory; the UN climate change conference (COP29) wraps up in Baku, Azerbaijan, where progress on climate finance has been notably slow; negotiations for a cease-fire continues in the Middle East, with hopes for an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah; and thousands protest for Māori rights throughout New Zealand.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Clara Fong, “Understanding the Global Push for Climate Finance,” CFR.org   “Māori Lawmakers Perform a Haka to Protest against Indigenous Treaty Bill,” NBC News   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/us-atacms-ukraine-cop29-wraps-cease-fire-negotiations-lebanon-and-more  

Tumultuous events have rocked the last four years: the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe’s largest land war in eighty years, and an escalating Middle Eastern conflict between Israel and Iran-backed forces. On top of that, the United States faces an intensifying geopolitical struggle with China and Russia. Now, U.S. President Joe Biden is running out of time to secure his legacy while the transition to a second Donald Trump administration comes sharply into focus. The U.S. president-elect has been quickly nominating leaders to his cabinet and receiving calls from foreign leaders. Why It Matters sits down with the hosts of The World Next Week to talk about what the United States–and a closely watching world–should expect in the weeks and months to come as incoming President Trump takes office.   Mentioned on this Episode   Peter Baker, “A Four-Decade Secret: One Man’s Story of Sabotaging Carter’s Re-election,” New York Times    Helene Cooper and Maggie Haberman, “Trump Picks Pete Hegseth, a Veteran and Fox News Host, for Defense Secretary,” New York Times   Abigail Hauslohner and Dan Lamothe, “Fear, Celebration As Washington Scrutinizes Trump Pick to Run Pentagon,” Washington Post   “Trumpworld 2.0: Who Is Joining the Trump Administration?” NBC News   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw-special-why-world-next-week-matters

World leaders express hopes for cooperation with the United States after former President Donald Trump’s comeback election win; Israel faces a deadline to increase humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip or risk restrictions on U.S. military funding; Azerbaijan prepares to host the twenty-ninth UN climate conference (COP29) as concerns grow that climate targets could fall short; and Moldova’s election spurs hopes of European Union ties.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Clea Caulcutt, Barbara Moens, Nicholas Vinocur, “Macron to Europe: We Need to Become ‘Omnivores’ After Trump’s Victory,” Politico   Alice Hill, “COP29 Summit in Baku: What to Expect,” CFR.org   “Trump and the Future of American Power: A Conversation With Stephen Kotkin,” Foreign Affairs   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/world-reacts-trump-win-israels-gaza-aid-deadline-nears-azerbaijans-climate-summit-and-more 

In this special episode of The World Next Week, hosts Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins discuss how news outlets around the world are reporting on the November 5 U.S. elections and how it reflects on public and government interests.    Mentioned on the Podcast   American Evolution 2024, The Straits Times   Pierre Breteau, “2024 U.S. Presidential Election: Try Our Swing State Results Simulator,” Le Monde   Campaign Notebook, International Edition, Columbia Journalism Review   Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart, The Rest is Politics, Goalhanger   Emilio Casalicchio, “Meet the Gun-Toting Brits Who Will Vote for Donald Trump,” Politico Europe   Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci, The Rest Is Politics: US   James M. Lindsay, “Election 2024: How to Respond to the Axis of Autocracies,” CFR.org   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org   “Why Is the World Obsessed with the U.S. Election? Ask Germany,” Why It Matters   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/twnw-special-surveying-foreign-media-coverage-us-election-2024 

France seeks to spur international support for humanitarian aid for Lebanon as fighting grinds on between Israel and Hezbollah; Japan holds a snap general election as Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru hopes to rally the embattled and longtime ruling Liberal Democratic Party; Georgia heads to the polls in an election that could shift the country away from the European Union and firmly into Russia’s orbit; and China and India reach a border deal.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Mariel Ferragamo, “What Is the BRICS Group and Why Is It Expanding?,” CFR.org   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/france-presses-lebanon-aid-japan-holds-snap-election-georgias-divided-vote-and-more

The summit of the BRICS group begins in Russia, the first meeting since formally welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates into the bloc; European leaders discuss migration after a series of calls for speedier deportations and revised asylum processes; Colombia hosts the UN Biodiversity Summit; and Canada expels six Indian diplomats tied to the murder of a Sikh separatist.   Mentioned on the Podcast   “The Drug Lords’ Side-Hustle: Smuggling Macaws, Jaguars and Frogs,” The Economist   “Living Planet Report 2024,” World Wildlife Fund   “A Warning Sign: Where Biodiversity Loss Is Happening Around the World,” World Wildlife Fund   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/russia-hosts-brics-summit-eu-leaders-talk-migration-un-biodiversity-summit-kicks-and-more 

Intelligence officials warn of foreign meddling in the U.S. presidential and congressional elections; Hurricane Milton marks second straight weather blow to the U.S. southeast; this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner is announced in Norway; and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico vows to block Ukraine’s bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).   Mentioned on the Podcast   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org   Virtual Media Briefing: Technology and Electoral Dynamics, Council on Foreign Relations and Brookings Institution   “Malala Yousafzai: Nobel Peace Prize Lecture 2014,” Nobel Prize For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/meddling-us-elections-florida-reels-twin-storms-nobel-peace-laureate-be-named-and-more 

Hostilities between Iran and Israel reach a new level after Israel’s ground invasion in southern Lebanon and the latest Iranian missile attack on Israel; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump hold separate town halls to reach undecided Hispanic voters; U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Germany to shore up military support for Ukraine; and Norway considers building a fence on its border with Russia.     Mentioned on the Podcast   One Year Later: U.S. Policy Options in the Israel-Hamas War, Council on Foreign Relations   Virtual Media Briefing: Israel, Gaza, and the Middle East a Year After the Hamas Attack, Council on Foreign Relations   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/iran-israel-escalation-harris-and-trump-seek-hispanic-vote-biden-germany-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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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   

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