The joint U.S.-Japan intervention to prop up the yen, the first since the 1990s, has as much to do with protecting U.S. Treasury markets as with helping an ally manage currency volatility, argues expert Rebecca Patterson.

The Dollar Boomerang Threat: Washington’s Motivations to Support the Yen | Council on Foreign Relations

The joint U.S.-Japan intervention to prop up the yen has as much to do with protecting U.S. Treasury markets as with helping an ally manage currency volatility.

cfr.org

Michigan has reported 2 deaths in an ongoing Cyclospora outbreak. Food microbiology and safety expert Lee-Ann Jaykus spoke to Think Global Health about the current outbreak, the state of the U.S. food surveillance system, and the potentially expanding risk of foodborne disease.

Cyclospora Outbreak: Is Foodborne Illness Becoming More Common in the United States? | Think Global Health

According to food microbiologist Lee-Ann Jaykus, climate change and funding cuts could lead to greater risk of foodborne disease

thinkglobalhealth.org

In a new survey, CFR asked more than 350 foreign policy experts to predict how the capabilities of “frontier AI”—AI that pushes the leading edge of what current systems can do—and the governance structures that could emerge around them will affect the global order. Read about the survey findings:

How Experts Think AI Will Change the Global Balance of Power by 2035 | Council on Foreign Relations

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) means policymakers need to navigate a future defined by technological uncertainty. To help them do so, CFR asked foreign policy experts to predict how frontier AI capabilities and the governance structures that c...

cfr.org

"While President Trump is focused on Iran, a propitious moment to be the peacemaker in the Russia-Ukraine war could be slipping away," writes CFR expert Thomas Graham for NYT Opinion.

Opinion | Trump’s Chance for Peace in Ukraine Is Real. But It Won’t Last.

There’s a narrow chance for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal before things go south.

nytimes.com

A new Gallup poll suggests that a large portion of the U.S. electorate worries that they will not see free-and-fair elections in November. "Gallup’s numbers highlight the current ills of American politics. Democracy rests on the consent of the governed," writes expert James M. Lindsay.

Voters Worry About Election Integrity | Council on Foreign Relations

A new Gallup polls shows that Americans are worried that they will not see free-and-fair elections in November.

cfr.org

"If you want to understand India’s cockroach movement, the best comparison isn’t with Bangladesh or Egypt, but with India’s own past," writes Sadanand Dhume. "The parallels with India in the mid-1970s are striking. Then, too, corruption and unemployment dominated the concerns of India’s youth."

India’s Cockroach Party Protests Have a Powerful Precedent—and It Isn’t the Arab Spring | Council on Foreign Relations

Global media have likened India’s Cockroach Janta Party movement to the Arab Spring and to the uprisings that toppled governments in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A more instructive comparison is I...

cfr.org

"From Vietnam to Iran, successive American administrations have not learned the lessons of their own misapprehensions. And the results have too often been forever wars and humanitarian catastrophes," writes expert Ray Takeyh.

Will Iran Turn Into a Forever War? | Council on Foreign Relations

Like Lyndon Johnson in Vietnam, Trump risks entering a war whose end may be impossible to control.

cfr.org

CFR’s U.S. Government Deal Tracker sheds light on how the government is experimenting with new tools and financing structures to advance a range of strategic sectors, including critical minerals, energy, global logistics, manufacturing, telecommunications, and other technologies. Read the tracker:

Washington's Growing Portfolio: Tracking U.S. Government Investments | Council on Foreign Relations

CFR’s U.S. Government Deal Tracker reports deals announced since January 2025 that include equity and quasi-equity stakes taken by the federal government.

cfr.org

"The global nuclear order that the United States has led for 80 years is fraying. If Congress approves this deal, it would accelerate a relaxation of the norms that have kept Americans and citizens around the world safe for the decades we have lived with atomic weapons," writes Erin D. Dumbacher.

cfr.org

"The United States has bases all over the Persian Gulf that are too close to Iran," argues expert Elliott Abrams.

cfr.org

The most surprising outcome of the Strait of Hormuz crisis to date is that the price of oil "has not risen nearly as much as many analysts expected," writes CFR expert David Hart. "The biggest reason is that China cut its fossil fuel imports massively in the months since the closure." Read more:

For the first time in nearly 2 decades, a new Pew Research survey—based on interviews with more than 42,000 people across 36 countries—shows China is viewed more favorably than the US. "This is a story driven more by an American decline in soft power than by a Chinese surge," writes Yanzhong Huang.

cfr.org

CFR's Jessica Brandt and Adam Segal asked foreign policy experts to predict how AI and its governance will affect the global order in 2035. They disagreed on almost everything, but what they did agree on was alarming: no one is prepared to govern the AI capabilities that could be coming. Read more:

CFR Surveyed 350 Experts About AI’s Future. Here Are the Takeaways. | Council on Foreign Relations

CFR asked experts to predict how artificial intelligence (AI) and governance will affect the global order in 2035. Almost all agreed that governments are failing to keep pace with AI, the future of fr...

cfr.org

This June ranked as the hottest month ever recorded in Western Europe. Temperatures have surpassed those seen during the 2003 catastrophic heat wave and wildfires have again spread in southwestern France. Think Global Health asked experts what it will take to protect people from extreme heat:

Europe's Historic Heatwave Is Testing France's Playbook | Think Global Health

Experts outline how France can take steps to protect its population amid record-breaking temperatures and deadly wildfires

thinkglobalhealth.org

Conflict-driven disruptions of critical supply chain chokepoints have become a recurring feature of the world today, from Russia's 2022 blockade of Ukraine's grain exports via the Black Sea to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A new CFR report lays out the playbook for how the US can respond:

cfr.org

"Congress should clearly define when and how the government takes equity stakes and the guardrails necessary to support public investment for national defense," writes CFR expert Laura Taylor-Kale.

Trump Administration's Dealing in Companies Is on Shaky Ground | Council on Foreign Relations

Intel's shareholders are doing what Congress seems unable to do: push back on the administration's interpretation of the law to justify grabbing ownership in companies.

cfr.org

"The global nuclear order that the United States has led for 80 years is fraying. If Congress approves this deal, it would accelerate a relaxation of the norms that have kept Americans and citizens around the world safe for the decades we have lived with atomic weapons," writes Erin D. Dumbacher.

The Saudi Nuclear Deal Would Set a Dangerous New Proliferation Precedent | Council on Foreign Relations

The recently announced agreement between the U.S. and Saudi governments to develop civilian nuclear energy has aroused concerns that the decades-old approach to sharing this technology has been upende...

cfr.org

Today President Zelenskyy and President Trump meet to revive stalled ceasefire negotiations with Russia. Zelenskyy arrives in Washington "at a moment of self-inflicted crisis," after the ouster of his popular defense minister triggered protests across Ukraine, write Liana Fix and Molly Carlough.

As Zelenskyy Meets Trump, Ukraine’s Political Crisis Reveals a Silver Lining | Council on Foreign Relations

Zelenskyy arrives in Washington carrying a political crisis of his own making, after the ouster of his popular defense minister triggered protests across Ukraine. But by forcing him to answer for it, ...

cfr.org

Since its founding 250 years ago, the United States has grown from a loose union of former colonies to the global superpower it is today. Trace some of the major moments in U.S. foreign policy with our timeline:

250 Years of American Foreign Policy | CFR Education

The United States developed from a fragile union focused on survival to a superpower with global interests. Throughout that journey, the country has grappled with recurring questions about how to prot...

cfr.org

For the first time in nearly 2 decades, a new Pew Research survey—based on interviews with more than 42,000 people across 36 countries—shows China is viewed more favorably than the US. "This is a story driven more by an American decline in soft power than by a Chinese surge," writes Yanzhong Huang.

China Now Outranks the United States in Global Favorability. What Happened? | Council on Foreign Relations

For the first time in nearly two decades, a new Pew Research survey shows China is viewed more favorably than the United States in most countries surveyed—but the findings say more about a decline in ...

cfr.org

President Donald Trump's signature tax bill is contributing to a contraction in the country's clean energy manufacturing that threatens U.S. supply chains and competitiveness, just as rising electricity prices underscore the industry's importance.

cfr.org

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed a dire need for interceptor missiles following Russia's bombardment of Kyiv on July 6. Since the invasion began in 2022, the U.S. has provided or agreed to provide Ukraine with a long list of defense capabilities. We mapped the level of support in 11 charts:

cfr.org

The most surprising outcome of the Strait of Hormuz crisis to date is that the price of oil "has not risen nearly as much as many analysts expected," writes CFR expert David Hart. "The biggest reason is that China cut its fossil fuel imports massively in the months since the closure." Read more:

Evolution, Not Revolution: Why China Isn't Pushing Its Cleantech Advantage in the Hormuz Crisis | Council on Foreign Relations

China might have taken greater advantage of the Strait of Hormuz closure to accelerate clean energy exports, but other exports led Beijing to moderate oil price rises.

cfr.org

"When new Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh promised to shake up monetary policy, some analysts feared he would campaign for premature interest rate cuts. But Warsh has focused instead on reforming the central bank's public messaging — mostly by demanding less of it," writes CFR expert Benn Steil.

washingtonpost.com

The announcement of a U.S. deal to provide Saudi Arabia with nuclear technology has raised alarm about proliferation, especially in Israel, argues Steven A. Cook. The Trump administration’s swift move to add conditions puts it in limbo.

The U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal Set Off Tremors. Is It Still Alive? | Council on Foreign Relations

The announcement of a U.S. deal to provide Saudi Arabia with nuclear technology has raised alarm about proliferation, especially in Israel. The Trump administration’s swift move to add conditions puts...

cfr.org

Conflict-driven disruptions of critical supply chain chokepoints have become a recurring feature of the world today, from Russia’s 2022 blockade of Ukraine’s grain exports via the Black Sea to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A new CFR report lays out the playbook for how the US can respond:

Conflict-Driven Chokepoint Disruptions | Council on Foreign Relations

When armed conflict disrupts a critical maritime trade route, the United States can monitor, contain, or escalate the situation economically or militarily.

cfr.org

Public sentiment is something decision-makers must contend with, especially in democratic states. However, the extent to which public opinion shapes foreign policy varies. Global think tank experts reflect on how public opinion does—and sometimes does not—affect foreign policy decisions.

The Nuanced Relationship Between Public Opinion and Foreign Policy | Council on Foreign Relations

Public sentiment is something decision-makers must contend with, especially in democratic states. However, the extent to which public opinion shapes foreign policy varies. Three Council of Councils experts in France, India, and Nigeria reflect on how pu...

cfr.org

The rapid spread of a rare strain of Ebola in Central and East Africa now constitutes the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record. There have been more than 1,000 confirmed cases and hundreds of fatalities so far. Here's what to know about what's driving the current Ebola outbreak:

cfr.org

"The United States has bases all over the Persian Gulf that are too close to Iran," argues expert Elliott Abrams.

To Base or Not to Base: The Iran War Exposes Flaws of U.S. Basing in the Middle East | Council on Foreign Relations

U.S. military installations across the Gulf sit within easy range of Iranian missiles, a legacy of basing decisions made when U.S. forces faced far less capable adversaries. As the war exposes that vu...

cfr.org

"Donald Trump has long treated NATO like a punching bag, leading many observers to proclaim the demise of the Western alliance," writes CFR expert Charles Kupchan for The Atlantic. "And yet, the quiet reality is that NATO, albeit wounded, is actually going strong."

theatlantic.com