Deep Dish on Global Affairs

As the US-Israel war on Iran continues , the international  rules , laws,  and norms  meant to govern it are  collapsing  and being rewritten .   Does international law still matter? And h ow a re modern conflicts  reshaping  accountability and impunity ?  Former UN High Commissioner for Human Righ ts Lou ise  A rbour   br eaks d own  w hat's   changing, whether  law s  and  norms are eroding, and...

As the United States tightens sanctions and cuts off oil to Cuba, the island is facing deepening economic and humanitarian strain. President Trump has signaled he wants regime change, but what would that  actually mean  for Cuba, its people, and the region?  María de  los  Angeles Torres of the University of Illinois Chicago unpacks the real impact of US pressure, why sanctions may be backfiring,...

"This is no longer an Iran war. This is a region-wide war." Fawaz Gerges ,   of the London School of Economics  and Political Science ,   explains why he believes the conflict has expanded far beyond Iran, what Israel is trying to achieve in Lebanon, and why the search for security may be driving the Middle East toward deeper instability.

Gas prices may be the first way Americans feel the war in Iran, but Catherine Bertini, former executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, and Michael Werz of the Council on Foreign Relations explain why the deeper impact could unfold across global food systems—where rising energy costs and supply chain disruptions could drive prices higher, worsen hunger, intensify humanitarian...

Trump said he would stop wars, not start them. But as the conflict with Iran widens, that promise is under strain. Matt Duss of the Center for International Policy explores what this moment reveals about presidential war powers, the limits of military force, and what this war could mean for the next chapter of US foreign policy.

Just days after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, global leaders gathered in New Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue. As tensions escalated, conversations quickly shifted to urgent questions about war, energy shocks, and the future of the global order. Harsh Pant of the Observer Research Foundation and Karim Haggag of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute unpack how the world is reading th...

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have triggered retaliation across the region, with drones, missiles, grounded flights, and rising oil prices. But  what's  the actual goal? Is this a short, decisive campaign or the start of something bigger? And if the fighting stops, does the region return to normal or just settle into a tense pause before the next round? From Tel Aviv, former  US  Ambassador  to I...

Ukraine, China, and Iran are shaking up the world—but at the Munich Security Conference, the West  seemed to be  worrying about itself. Amid simmering transatlantic tensions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio got a standing ovation, but was it real reassurance or just  the same talking points, dressed up?  The  Observer ' s Giles Whittell and  E CFR's Dr. Jana  Puglierin break down the conference'...

Europe is rethinking its security as the US signals it may not always be a reliable partner. Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, countries are scrambling to rearm, diversify partnerships, and protect their interests. Can Europe stand on its own, or will it stay tied to the US? Georgina Wright from the German Marshall Fund and Sophia Besch from the Carnegie Endowment break it down.

As China and India rise, power in the Indo-Pacific is shifting fast, and the world is feeling it.  Former Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani puts it bluntly: "the era of Western domination of world history is over."  Along with Avinash Paliwal of SOAS, they unpack how the region views this shift, whether President Trump's second term has sped it up, and what it means for America's place in the...

The World Economic Forum doesn't always deliver clear answers—but this year, it delivered drama and tension. From President Trump's speech to Europe's pushback and a rare standing ovation, a few moments stood out. What do they tell us about America's relationships with its allies? Leslie Vinjamuri talks it through with Martin Wolf and Sir Robin Niblett, straight from Davos.

One year into US President Donald Trump's second term, the administration has outlined a vision of US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere and sharper competition with China. Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution and Emma Ashford of the Stimson Center  examine Washington's recent strategy and discuss how it is playing out from Europe to China—and what the rest of the world is making of it.

Protests are spreading across Iran, and reports suggest violent crackdowns and a rising death toll. So what's driving this moment, and how does it differ from protests Iran has seen before? Journalist Azadeh Moaveni and Chatham House expert Sanam Vakil break down what's fueling the unrest, how power really works inside Iran, and what might come next.

Fro m U S  pressure over Greenland to  high-stakes   peace  talks on Ukraine, long-standing assumptions about Europe's security are being tested.   The Economist 's defense editor Shashank Joshi explains how Europe is recalibrating its approach to defense, what this  pivotal  moment means, and why there may be no return to the old normal.

The past year has made one thing clear: this version of Trump on the world stage is different. From  the  Caribbean  to Europe to America's own institutions, fa milia r rules  don't  feel so fixed anymore.  The Guardian's  Jonathan Freedland looks back at the moments that defined Trump's year so far and why the next one could be even more dramatic.

Human Rights Day lands as conflict is rising and accountability is fading. Big-power tensions are shaking old norms, and new technologies are changing the rules. So, are human rights in retreat—or is this just a familiar cycle? Kenneth Roth, former head of Human Rights Watch, helps us make sense of it.

Defense is evolving fast—AI, drones, cyber threats, and autonomous weapons. The U.S. has led for decades, but China is closing in. Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Kath Hicks breaks down how the Pentagon is adapting, where it's falling behind, and what's at stake.

Sudan is now the world's largest humanitarian crisis — bigger than Gaza and Ukraine combined — yet it  remains  one of the  least  covered and least funded.  Martin Griffiths, former UN Under‑Secretary‑General for Humanitarian Affairs, explains why  a ceasefire has  remained  out of reach  and  whether global pressure can still make a difference.

President Trump's second-term national security strategy is coming, and it could reshape U.S. foreign policy from China to Europe to the Middle East. Nadia Schadlow, former Deputy National Security Advisor and architect of Trump's original Strategy, breaks down what's changed, what's stayed the same, and what it all means for allies and rivals under Trump 2.0.

East Asia's biggest powers are getting older — and smaller. China, Japan, and South Korea are seeing shrinking workforces and aging populations, with fewer young people to fill their armies or their factories. Andrew Oros , author of Asia's Aging Security , and public opinion expert Craig Kafura discuss how population decline is changing East Asia and whether technology could help fill the gap.  

The Arctic's heating up—literally and politically.  Melting ice is turning   a once - rem ote region into a stage for global power.  Experts  Kenneth Rosen and Anna Wieslander unpack how Russia, China, NATO, and the US are all  rac ing for influence, and why what happens up there could shape the rest of the world.

Tensions between Canada and the US are back in the headlines after new tariffs followed a controversial Ottawa ad. Experts Roland Paris and Robert Howse break down how Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is navigating this turbulent moment and what it means for Canada's economy, identity, and role on the world stage.

After months of diplomatic outreach, President Trump has abruptly shifted course on Venezuela — from covert CIA operations and expanded military activity in the Caribbean, to publicly backing Venezuela's opposition leader. Is this a crackdown on drugs and migration, or part of a broader strategy reshaping U S policy in South America ? Economist Francisco Rodríguez explains the political, economic,...

China's next move could reshape the global balance of power. As tensions spike over trade, tech, and alliances, the world is watching  closely . Georgetown professor   Evan Medeiros  explains  what's   coming next and why it matters.