Influence Without Hegemony: The New Middle Eastern Equilibrium
A fast-moving strategic realignment is reshaping the Middle East as states diversify partnerships, pursue flexible…
Influence Without Hegemony: The New Middle Eastern Equilibrium
A fast-moving strategic realignment is reshaping the Middle East as states diversify partnerships, pursue flexible coalitions, and reject dependence on any single power—creating a system where influence, not dominance, defines regional power. The collapse of the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), the unexpected Israel-Hamas peace accord, Israeli strikes against Iranian-linked targets across the region, and the…
What It Takes to Be an Artist in New York City
Rooted in a Russian artistic heritage yet drawn toward New York’s endless possibilities, reinvention became the soul of my journey. New York demands everything from those who dare to create here. It strips artists down to their essentials, tests their limits, and asks, again and again, whether they have the courage to keep going. And…
The Planet Has a Plastic Problem Norway Has a Groundbreaking Solution
Every cent spent on plastic bags goes directly to plastic cleanup. Splayed like an octopus on a patch of grass near the harbor, the tangled orange-and-blue fishing net formed a coarse snarl, studded with buoys and dragging dark kelp. Beside it, two barrel-sized white bags were brimming with worn plastic bottles, twisted and bent like…
Saving Succeeding Generations from the Scourge of War Through Creative Coalitions
When the right people come together, even in the hardest moments, the results can exceed what any one actor could achieve alone. The U.N. system is being forced to confront an uncomfortable truth: in the years ahead, it will be asked to respond to more crises, with fewer resources, and under mounting geopolitical strain. For…
Japan’s Next Chapter Begins Softly
Becoming the first female prime minister may be a milestone in other countries. For Japanese, her qualifications are more important. As I sat amid the larch forests of mountainous Nagano watching news coverage of the naming of Japan’s first female prime minister in October, something seemed strange. The milestone is big news here, to be…
The Future Won’t Wait To Be Fair And Global Cooperation Is Key To Expanding Digital Access
Sixteen nations are working together to build a digital economy that includes women, entrepreneurs and underserved communities, aiming to turn today’s divides into shared opportunity. At a time of uncertainty and acceleration, one truth stands out: cooperation is the foundation of shared prosperity. Technology now advances faster than trust, and our ability to work together…
A Model for the World? How Refugees Revitalize America’s Heartland
One Midwestern city is using refugee ambition to rebuild neighborhoods America forgot. A city of some 500,000 people lying practically in the geographic center of North America, Omaha, Nebraska, has a well-earned reputation for its delicious steaks, its generous billionaires, and its long tradition of supporting progressive causes. Lately, the city has been drawing accolades…
Does Art Breathe CO2? Why Sustainability Is Becoming the Cultural Sector’s Next Big Challenge
When we think of climate responsibility, we picture coal, factories, cargo ships and data giants — not museums or libraries. Has the Mona Lisa’s climate footprint been questioned? Now the world’s cultural institutions are joining the climate change battlefield. Many art companies across Europe are assessing not only their popularity measured in projects or thousands…
High Heels, a Taxi and the UN’s Next Chapter
From TikTok to Coney Island, the former German foreign minister did not come to New York City for a smooth ride. Ahead of her swearing-in ceremony in September 2025 as president of the U.N. General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock launched a TikTok page with an introductory post. In the video, Baerbock hails a cab, hops in…
Talking to Your Child About Climate Change
How to engage children on the issue with hope and positivity Climate change is happening, and nearly every child in the world will be affected.Talking about climate change with our own children can feel difficult for many parents. It’s natural to want to protect kids from harm and worry. But if your child is a…
The Twilight of Immunity Amid the Rise of State-Owned Power in Global Markets
In a world where commerce and sovereignty increasingly overlap, international law must preserve that delicate balance, jurisdiction for market participation and immunity for sovereign authority. In the 20th century, the ideological boundary between socialism and capitalism seemed firm: in one, the state owned; in the other, it merely regulated. In the 21st century, that line…
How Developing Countries Can Borrow Without Falling Into Debt Traps
Many emerging economies must borrow to grow. But borrowing smartly — not just borrowing more — can protect governments from crises and build stronger financial futures. Most developing countries face the same dilemma: Without exportable natural resources such as oil or minerals, they cannot fund long-term economic development on their own. Roads, schools, hospitals and…
UN Fast-Tracks Global Tax Overhaul as OECD Stalls
“Although everyone likes to joke about how things take forever at the U.N., actually the U.N. tax committee has delivered a whole set of things quite quickly,’’ says economist Alex Cobham of the Tax Justice Network. What do you get when you put complex international tax reforms into a multilateral negotiation format involving the United Nations’…
The Future of Crime Is Digital, the UN Scrambles for Answers
A quarter century after the Palermo Convention, mafias have reinvented themselves online—faster, encrypted, and algorithmic. The U.N.’s new cybercrime treaty may be the world’s best chance to close the widening gap between crime and justice. The mafia no longer hides in the alleys of Palermo—it scrolls, posts, and recruits through TikTok, Telegram, and encrypted channels…
What the World Needs from the Next UN Secretary General
The next U.N. chief will need to develop greater and closer ties with the private sector and build new, more effective partnerships to help manage the resource dilemma. A growing number of violent conflicts. A never-ending liquidity crisis. A bloated organization rife with antisemitism and facing loud calls for it to be completely overhauled….
Can a Tobacco Giant End Smoking?
The world’s biggest manufacturer promises to end cigarettes. Public-health experts aren’t persuaded. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I’ve spent years trying to make the two people I love most, my mother and brother, quit smoking. I’ve failed. I’ve failed with logic, case studies, statistics, all tools a journalist knows how…
