The World Next Week

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 

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 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

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

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 

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  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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