5 Top Reads
The Problem With Sanctions
From the White House to Turtle Bay, sanctions have never been more popular. But why are they so hard to make work?
U.S.-China Relations Hit a Nadir in 2021
Relations between the world’s two largest economic powers are at historic lows.
Five Major Diplomatic Disputes That Could Spell More Trouble in 2022
From the AUKUS fracas to China’s bullying tactics in Europe, here are some of the top diplomatic spats from the past year that could haunt us in the next.
The Chinese Communist Party’s Big Year
China’s government wants the country to have one story, and Xi Jinping is at the center of it.
What 2021 Meant for the Fight Against Climate Change
Time to avoid climate change’s worse impacts is running out. What did 2021 change?
Why Can’t We Be Friends?
Biden pledged to restore the United States’ alliances. It’s been a bigger headache than he anticipated.
How Ethiopia’s Conflict Deepened in 2021
After more than a year of fighting, is peace on the horizon—or does wider war loom?
The Inevitably Awkward Tokyo Olympics
Athletes rebuked competitive norms as COVID-19 became the most normal part of the Tokyo Games.
In 2021, Lebanon Suffered While the World Looked On
Skyrocketing inflation, government corruption, and international apathy defined a country in economic free fall.
The Least Essential Diplomatic Spats of 2021
Sometimes the slights are… slight.
The Best of 2021, to Read and to Watch
From a semi-fictionalized account of the Netanyahus to a meditation on ancient Rome’s stabbiness, here are the best book and film reviews Foreign Policy published this year.
The Year Germany Said Auf Wiedersehen to Angela Merkel
Germany said goodbye to a generational leader—and hello to an entirely new era.
Myanmar’s Tumultuous Year
A stunning military coup in early 2021 kicked off a year of unprecedented change.
How Narendra Modi Nearly Lost His Way in 2021
India’s farmers’ protests and COVID-19 catastrophe may have slowed the prime minister’s rise.
Our Best Long Reads From 2021
Here are some of Foreign Policy’s best deep dives from the past year.
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