Editors' Picks

A curated selection of FP’s must-read stories.

List of Editors' Picks articles

A man in a white shirt and jacket gestures with both hands as he talks behind a bank of microphones. Solar panels are seen above him.
A man in a white shirt and jacket gestures with both hands as he talks behind a bank of microphones. Solar panels are seen above him.

Hard Truths Come for Germany’s Climate Prophet

Robert Habeck may be deepening the social divisions over environmental policy that he always wanted to overcome.

A composition illustration shows a vintage joystick with a Soviet star atop it against a glitchy background.
A composition illustration shows a vintage joystick with a Soviet star atop it against a glitchy background.

Why Is My Video Game Full of Russian Propaganda?

Gamers have become unwitting agents in a global culture war.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses parliament during a session to approve his new cabinet appointments in Tehran on August 21, 2024.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses parliament during a session to approve his new cabinet appointments in Tehran on August 21, 2024.

Iran’s New Outreach to the West Is Risky

Masoud Pezeshkian says he wants to rekindle the nuclear deal. The ball is now in the West’s court.

Officials of BRICS countries pose for a family photo during the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on Aug. 23, 2023.
Officials of BRICS countries pose for a family photo during the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on Aug. 23, 2023.

What Is South Africa’s Foreign Policy?

Pretoria says Israel is committing a genocide but is more equivocal about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola explains why.

Switchboard operators manually connect calls at a telephone exchange in Paris on March 14, 1935.
Switchboard operators manually connect calls at a telephone exchange in Paris on March 14, 1935.

Why Europe Is Losing the Tech Race

And what the European Union could do to catch up.

Employees work on a new energy vehicle assembly line at a BYD factory in Huaian.
Employees work on a new energy vehicle assembly line at a BYD factory in Huaian.

Biden’s High-Wire Balancing Act on Chinese Tech

A new rule would effectively ban Chinese cars from the United States. Some experts worry about the costs of the sweeping approach.

A view of the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 22.
A view of the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 22.

Can the United Nations Still Be Effective?

War tends to stymie the international body, but smaller technical agencies still play a crucial role in running the world.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers his keynote speech during the Labour Party conference at ACC Liverpool on September 24, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers his keynote speech during the Labour Party conference at ACC Liverpool on September 24, 2024 in Liverpool, England.

Starmerism Is Crashing Against Reality

Britain’s prime minister has a lifelong theory of reform that may not fit current needs.

U.S. President Joe Biden waves from a podium.
U.S. President Joe Biden waves from a podium.

The World Is Leaving Biden Behind

In his valedictory speech at the United Nations, the president declared that the center was holding. But things are falling apart faster than he can keep up.

Visitors take pictures in front of portraits of Chinese leaders at an exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on Sept. 26, 2019.
Visitors take pictures in front of portraits of Chinese leaders at an exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on Sept. 26, 2019.

China Has Become Powerful Before It Is Rich

By placing power above plenty too soon, Xi Jinping may have made a great strategic blunder.

A mushroom cloud of pale gray smoke billows up against a hazy sky from mid-rise buildings in a neighborhood of a densely constructed town.
A mushroom cloud of pale gray smoke billows up against a hazy sky from mid-rise buildings in a neighborhood of a densely constructed town.

Will Hezbollah Choose to Keep Its Word—or Its Arsenal?

The militant group must decide between walking back its threat to northern Israel or risking the loss of its advanced missile capabilities.

Anti-government protesters display Bangladesh's national flag as they storm the prime minister's palace in Dhaka.
Anti-government protesters display Bangladesh's national flag as they storm the prime minister's palace in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Picks Up the Pieces After the Revolution

The West needs to step up to help a damaged country.

Unitx-review-defense-technology-pentagon
Unitx-review-defense-technology-pentagon

Silicon Valley Hasn’t Revolutionized Warfare—Yet

The Pentagon is warming up to commercial technologies, but it has a long way to go.

Book covers for several new novels out in September including My Friends and The Hypocrite.
Book covers for several new novels out in September including My Friends and The Hypocrite.
Supporters of the National People’s Power (NPP) party’s presidential candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, attend an election rally in Dehiowita.
Supporters of the National People’s Power (NPP) party’s presidential candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, attend an election rally in Dehiowita.

As Sri Lanka Heads to the Polls, Economy Takes Center Stage

Can any of the presidential candidates lift the country out of its economic predicament?

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