5 Top Reads
List of 5 Top Reads articles
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A lectern is installed in front of 10 Downing Street pending a statement by prime Minister Liz Truss, on October 20, 2022 in London, England. Nightmare on Downing Street
How political meltdown gave Britain three prime ministers in four months.
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Electricity workers check solar panels in China. How the World Learned to Love Fossil Fuels Again
In 2022, happy visions of a green future gave way to existential worries about energy.
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A collage of US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping alongside military and trade issues of foreign policy How America’s Hawks Beat China’s Wolf Warriors
In 2022, Washington had the advantage in an increasingly bitter relationship.
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A Ukrainian national flag waves while smoke rises after Russian attacks hit a fuel storage facility in the city of Kalynivka, Ukraine, on March 25. The Invasion That Changed Everything
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 stunned the world and upended global politics.
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The emblem of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is unveiled. What the World Cup Means Off the Field
Beneath the fanfare, Qatar 2022 had plenty of geopolitical subplots.
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un-sanctions-inspectors-china-foreign-policy-illustration 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?
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A large screen displays video of U.S. President Joe Biden (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping as people walk by during the evening CCTV news broadcast outside a shopping mall in Beijing on Nov. 16. U.S.-China Relations Hit a Nadir in 2021
Relations between the world’s two largest economic powers are at historic lows.
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U.S. President Joe Biden meets Chinese President Xi Jinping. 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.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing on July 1. 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.
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climate-change-storytelling-foreign-policy-illustration What 2021 Meant for the Fight Against Climate Change
Time to avoid climate change’s worse impacts is running out. What did 2021 change?
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Quadrilateral Security Dialogue leaders have a virtual meeting. Why Can’t We Be Friends?
Biden pledged to restore the United States’ alliances. It’s been a bigger headache than he anticipated.
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Members of Ethiopia’s Republican March Band stand on guard. How Ethiopia’s Conflict Deepened in 2021
After more than a year of fighting, is peace on the horizon—or does wider war loom?
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People take photographs of fireworks during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 23. The Inevitably Awkward Tokyo Olympics
Athletes rebuked competitive norms as COVID-19 became the most normal part of the Tokyo Games.
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An aerial view shows Beirut in darkness during a power outage on April 3. In 2021, Lebanon Suffered While the World Looked On
Skyrocketing inflation, government corruption, and international apathy defined a country in economic free fall.
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Sotheby’s technicians position a silver wine cistern holding bottles of Champagne. The Least Essential Diplomatic Spats of 2021
Sometimes the slights are… slight.
