A curated selection of FP’s must-read stories.
Editors' Picks
List of Editors' Picks articles
-
A Chinese soldier stands at attention in the foreground, facing away from the camera. In the background are armored vehicles in front of a government building in Tiananmen Square. Civilian Tech Is Powering China’s Military
Beijing’s gains could eventually erode Washington’s battlefield advantage.
-
Gold Trump-branded playing cards for sale. Who Holds the High Cards in Sino-American Supply Chain Poker?
Beijing’s control of rare-earth minerals will force Trump to find new leverage.
-
People gather to protest while holding Israeli and U.S. flags and banners. One banner reads "President Trump, stop the war! The mothers of Israel are behind you." Trump’s Approach Just Might End the War in Gaza, but the Next Stage Is Harder
Lasting agreements require sustained focus, not just theatrics.
-
A road is clogged with a vast mass of people stretching to the horizon. On one side is the sea on the other is devastation from the war in Gaza. Two Years After Oct. 7, a Trail of What-Ifs
Decisions made early on set the path for a devastating war.
-
A view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Jan. 4, 2024. Don’t Ask Jill Lepore if the United States Is in a Constitutional Crisis
The Harvard historian on government shutdowns and the rights and duties of an American citizen.
-
A photo of two white tanks near a yellow crane. A blue-and-white tanker carrying liquified natural gas is docked nearby in snow and sea ice. White smoke billows out of its smokestack. The China-Russia Axis Is Getting Firmer, and It’s Built on Gas
Moscow pivoted to the east a decade ago, but it is now besmitten—or captive.
-
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong at the U.S. State Department in Washington on July 1. AUKUS’s Survival Is a Good Sign for Trump’s Indo-Pacific Strategy
Australia has bucked the trend of shrinking U.S. security commitments.
-
An aerial shot shows three French soldiers in camouflage uniforms milling about on the deck of an oil tanker. Russia’s Shadow Fleet Is Doing More Than Sanctions-Busting
In the Baltic, Russian-linked vessels are suspected of spying and sabotage.
-
The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is closed to visitors during the federal government shutdown in Washington. Why America’s ‘Unusual’ Democracy Leads to Shutdowns
Other countries don’t have government shutdowns like the U.S.
-
A member of Capitol security walks through an empty rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 1, the first day of the most recent U.S. government shutdown. How a U.S. Government Shutdown Could Impact Washington’s Foreign Policy
Thousands of national security employees will continue working through the shutdown, but there are broader implications.
-
A woman wearing a black headscarf holds up a weapon as she stands next to a large portrait of Nasrallah. Inside Lebanon’s Audacious Disarmament Plan
The state faces a stark choice to confront groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas or risk another war with Israel.
-
Five Japanese officials stand side by side on a stage. The four men wear black suits with white shirts and ties; the sole woman wears a blue pantsuit. Three of the officials lean close to speak to one another, pointing at something in the crowd off camera. As Another Leadership Election Looms, Japan’s Real Bosses Take Stock
Nominal leaders are secondary to party power—but the system’s looking shaky.
-
Erdogan and Trump sit beside each other in gold-upholstered chairs in front of an ornate gilded fireplace. Trump is speaking, whereas Erdogan is slightly slumped while wearing an exhausted expression, his hand splayed to cover part of his face. An aide sits beside him holding a folder and a pen, leaning closer to speak. U.S.-Turkish Relations Have Gotten Duller, Not Better
Erdogan’s visit to Washington showed that the United States and Turkey just don’t need each other as much as they used to.
-
People walk on the sidewalk past a building with a Microsoft logo on it. Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Visa Miscalculation
The system is broken, but there are much better ways to fix it.
-
Black-and-white photo of a crowded social gathering, with several people in formal attire conversing and holding drinks. Two men in the center are smiling and engaged in conversation Why Both Parties Are Considering Midterm Conventions
They’ve been done before, with forgettable results, but there is reason to believe they would work better today.
Loading graphics