The World Next Week
by Council on Foreign Relations
The World Next Week brings a journalist’s perspective to the critical and intriguing stories developing around the globe—from Kyiv, to Pyongyang, to Capitol Hill, to Cannes. TWNW’s hosts have years of experience covering international and Washington news. Before joining CFR, Robert McMahon, managing editor of digital content, reported for the Associated Press and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Carla Anne Robbins, a senior fellow and director of the MIA Program at Baruch College’s Marxe School, was deputy editorial page editor at the New York Times and chief diplomatic correspondent at the Wall Street Journal.
Episodes
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More Resources: The Interconnect
Missing The World Next Week? Host Robert McMahon shares his favorite CFR resources for news and analysis on foreign policy and global affairs. The Interconnect, a new podcast series from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Stanford Emerging Technology Review, brings together leading minds in...
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More Resources: The Foreign Affairs Interview
Missing The World Next Week? Host Robert McMahon shares his favorite CFR resources for news and analysis on foreign policy and global affairs. Foreign Affairs invites you to join its editor, Daniel Kurtz-Phelan, as he talks with influential thinkers and policymakers about the forces shaping the...
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New Podcast Spotlight: The Interconnect
Emerging technologies are transforming international relations and our country’s economy. So how do we connect science and engineering labs with Washington and the world of business? The Interconnect, a new podcast series from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Stanford Emerging Technology...
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More Resources: Why It Matters
Missing The World Next Week? Host Robert McMahon shares his favorite CFR resources for news and analysis on foreign policy and global affairs. Why It Matters is explaining some of the least-understood issues that are shaping our world. Every two weeks, host Gabrielle Sierra speaks to a diverse...
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More Resources: The President's Inbox
Missing The World Next Week? Host Robert McMahon shares his favorite CFR resources for news and analysis on foreign policy and global affairs. The President’s Inbox goes beyond the headlines as host James M. Lindsay speaks with leading experts about how the United States should respond to global...
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More Resources: CFR Newsletters
Missing The World Next Week? Host Robert McMahon shares his favorite CFR resources for news and analysis on foreign policy and global affairs. CFR newsletters bring you a wide range of expert insights in an easy-to-read email straight to your inbox. The World This Week, delivered every Friday The...
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SERIES FINALE: Trump Addresses Davos, Gaza Navigates Cease-Fire, 2025 Elections Loom, and More
In this live series finale, Bob and Carla discuss the most pressing international news stories with special guest Deborah Amos. President Donald Trump virtually attends the annual Davos summit where he will address corporate and government leaders just three days after his inauguration; the next...
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Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire, Trump’s First Immigration Moves, Russia’s and Iran’s New Partnership, and More
Israel and Hamas reach a cease-fire deal aimed at exchanging hostages and prisoners while seeking a longer-term pause in fighting; the incoming Donald Trump administration weighs ambitious moves on immigration; Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign off on a...
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Hegseth Faces Senate Hearing, SCOTUS Hears TikTok Case, Canada Weighs Future Leadership, and More
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Supreme Court hears arguments over the Joe Biden administration’s imminent banning of TikTok; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation prompts...
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The World Next Year: Wars, New Governments, and Stormy Weather to Watch in 2025
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...
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Syrians Plot Transition, Turmoil in Georgia and Romania, UK Joins Trans-Pacific Trade Deal, and More
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…
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Turmoil in South Korea, French Government Collapses, Syrian Rebels Reignite Conflict, 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...
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U.S. ATACMS for Ukraine, COP29 Wraps Up, Cease-Fire Negotiations in Lebanon, 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…
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TWNW Special: Why the World Next Week Matters
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…
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World Reacts to Trump Win, Israel’s Gaza Aid Deadline Nears, Azerbaijan’s Climate Summit, and More
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...
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TWNW Special: Surveying Foreign Media Coverage of U.S. Election 2024
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…
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France Presses for Lebanon Aid, Japan Holds Snap Election, Georgia’s Divided Vote, and More
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…
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Russia Hosts BRICS Summit, EU Leaders Talk Migration, UN Biodiversity Summit Kicks Off, 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...
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Meddling in U.S. Elections, Florida Reels from Twin Storms, Nobel Peace Laureate to Be Named, 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...
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Iran-Israel Escalation, Harris and Trump Seek Hispanic Vote, Biden in Germany, 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...
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Zelenskyy’s Diplomatic Drive, Japan’s New Leader, U.S. and Canadian Tariffs on China’s EVs, 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...
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UN Meets in Tense Times, Pager Explosions Rattle Hezbollah, Biden’s Last Quad Summit, 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;...
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Congress’s Funding Battle, Iran Sends Missiles to Russia, Orbán Defies the EU, 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...
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Gaza’s Troubled Cease-Fire Efforts, Harris and Trump Debate, Toronto International Film Fest, 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...
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The Stakes in Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive, Stopping Mpox Spread, Nuclear Arms Race Returns, and More
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...
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TWNW Special: What to Read This Summer 2024 (Replay)
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…
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Ukraine Pushes Into Russia, 2024 DNC Begins, Foreign Hacking Targets Trump and Harris, and More
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...
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U.S. Presidential Campaign Picks Up, Iran Mulls Retaliation, Bangladesh’s New Government, 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…
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Israel-Iran Tensions Escalate, Venezuela Election Questioned, Edinburgh Fringe Shines, 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…
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World Reacts to Biden Withdrawal, Summer Olympics Begin, Gaza Diplomacy After Netanyahu’s Visit to Washington, and More
Global leaders react to U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination; France ramps up security measures as the Summer Olympics kick off in Paris; Diplomacy continues over a potential Israel-Hamas cease-fire...
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GOP Election Enthusiasm, Netanyahu Addresses U.S. Congress, Cyprus 50 Years After Invasion, and More
The world reacts to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the selection of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as former President Donald Trump’s running mate; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress; Cyprus marks fifty years since the Turkish...
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NATO and Ukraine Beyond 75, Japan Hosts Pacific Islands, France’s Political Gridlock, and More
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) wraps its seventy-fifth summit, pledging to keep Ukraine on an “irreversible” path to membership while concerns grow about the future of U.S. commitment; Japan hosts the tenth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting to counter China’s influence in the region;...
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TWNW Special: What to Read This Summer 2024
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…
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France, Iran, and the UK Hold Snap Elections, EU Pushback on Chinese EVs, and More
France’s governance is at stake as it holds snap elections for its National Assembly, with the far-right National Rally looking to build on its success in the European Parliament elections; the United Kingdom (UK) has its own snap general elections with Keir Starmer and his Labour Party looking…
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Russia’s Secret Trial for Gershkovich, EU’s Rightward Shift, Boeing in Space, and More
A Russian court moves judicial proceedings for detained U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich to Yekaterinburg for a closed-door espionage trial; the success of far-right parties in the European Parliament elections challenges the power of several incumbent European Union (EU) leaders; the Boeing...
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Ukraine Pushes Peace Summit, Sudan in Catastrophe, Israel-Hamas Deal at a Crossroads, and More
Ukraine pushes for wider international support and endorsement of its proposed peace process at Switzerland’s Ukraine peace summit; the UN Security Council deliberates how to assist Sudanese civilians and de-escalate the civil war; diplomatic pressure builds for a U.S.-backed cease-fire deal in…
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European Parliament Elections, G7 Leaders’ 50th Summit, Powerful Hurricane Season Looming, and More
All twenty-seven European Union (EU) member states vote in European Parliament elections with polls showing right-wing parties poised to gain more seats; the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial democracies meet in Italy with a sizable agenda, including support for Ukraine and trade concerns…
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Biden’s Gaza Dilemmas, 80 Years Since D-Day, Mexico’s Milestone Election, and More
U.S. President Joe Biden faces increasing international and domestic pressures on his policy toward the Israel-Hamas war amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip; Western leaders commemorate the eightieth anniversary of D-Day with Russia’s war in Ukraine front of mind; Mexico…
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Iran’s Succession Woes, ICC Angers Israel, South Africa’s Election, and More
Iran’s regime carefully vets candidates for new presidential elections after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash; Israeli leadership reacts to the International Criminal Court (ICC) request for warrants to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav...
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Ukraine Tries To Halt Russian Advance, Biden Woos Kenya, the Fate of Assange, and More
Ukraine rushes to push back against a new Russian offensive in its northeast Kharkiv region; U.S. President Joe Biden invites Kenyan President William Ruto for a state visit, the first U.S. state visit for an African leader since 2008; London’s High Court decides on whether to extradite WikiLeaks...
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Israel’s Rafah Plans, Greece and Turkey Boost Diplomacy, Cannes Festival Unveils New Films, and More
Israel’s newest military operation in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah stirs concerns of catastrophe for Palestinians in Gaza, and prompts the United States to condition its offensive military aid for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out; Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos…
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World Press Freedom Day 2024: Mounting Threats, Renewed Purpose
In this special episode to mark World Press Freedom Day, Jeffrey Gedmin, cofounder and editor-in-chief of American Purpose and former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss the global state of press freedom. They cover the challenges...
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Blinken Visits China, May Day Stirs Workers’ Rights Concerns, the U.S. Resumes Ukraine Aid, and More
Secretary of State Antony Blinken wraps his second visit to China as tensions mount over Beijing’s military support of Russia’s war in Ukraine and ongoing threats in the South China Sea; International Workers’ Day on May 1 comes at a time of revived labor activism over wages and inequality; and...
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Aftermath of Iran’s Attack on Israel, EU Talks Ukraine, India’s Massive Election, and More
Concerns grow over the widening Middle East conflict after Iran launches three hundred ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at Israel; European Union (EU) leaders discuss how to bolster aid to Ukraine amid an uptick in Russian attacks and the situation unfolding in the Middle East…
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Congress’s Urgent Agenda, Sudan’s Year of War, Ecuador-Mexico Embassy Fray, and More
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…
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Rwanda 30 Years After Genocide, U.S.-Japan-Philippines Summit, ABBA’s Eurovision Legacy, 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...
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Biden and Netanyahu at Odds, Putin Responds to ISIS-K Attack, Cuba Food and Electricity Shortages, and More
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...
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Senegal and Slovakia Elections, Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Clash, Nuclear Energy Gains Favor, and More
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...
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Russia’s Gloomy ‘Elections’, U.S. Budget Divisions, Elton John-Bernie Taupin Awarded, and More
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…
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Ramadan Cease-Fire Prospects, Portugal’s Snap Election, Oscars Go International, and More
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...
About this show
The World Next Week brings a journalist’s perspective to the critical and intriguing stories developing around the globe—from Kyiv, to Pyongyang, to Capitol Hill, to Cannes. TWNW’s hosts have years of experience covering international and Washington news. Before joining CFR, Robert McMahon, managing editor of digital content, reported for the Associated Press and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Carla Anne Robbins, a senior fellow and director of the MIA Program at Baruch College’s Marxe School, was deputy editorial page editor at the New York Times and chief diplomatic correspondent at the Wall Street Journal.
Hosted by
Council on Foreign Relations