A BYD car-carrier ship.

Last year, Chinese automaker BYD clinched a deal to take over Ford Motor’s factory in Bahia, Brazil, after Ford decided to withdraw from the Brazilian market. BYD is already the world’s largest producer of electric vehicles, and the move into Brazil is an effort to further consolidate its early conquest of EV markets in the Global South.

Panamanian presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino.

For decades, Panama has enjoyed relative economic prosperity and political stability compared to its neighbors. But after years of simmering popular discontent that culminated in massive protests last year, and amid political uncertainty ahead of an upcoming presidential election, its economic prospects look grim.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The agenda for global development, including its governance and architecture, clearly needs change. Yet, making sense of our development architecture in today’s context is a complicated matter: Global development faces a range of complex, interconnected challenges that must be tackled in a rapidly changing world.

Iranian surface-to-surface missiles.

More than a week later, there remains considerable uncertainty about Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel using its long-range strike capabilities. As more information becomes public, it is important to be mindful of three important considerations to understand the attack’s implications on military dynamics across the Middle East.

Israeli soldiers launch a drone.

Israel’s use of an automated system to identify targets in Gaza has raised alarm over the advent of autonomous weapons systems. But the fact that Israeli soldiers were “in the loop” in this case gives the concept of AI-powered “Killer Robots” new meaning, while also potentially giving campaigners a new direction for advocacy efforts.

UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The United Arab Emirates is rapidly emerging as a major player in the mining sector in Africa, starting with the acquisition of a large copper mine in Zambia. With its oil-dependent economy vulnerable to the global shift away from fossil fuels, Abu Dhabi is trying to secure a central place in the new energy economy.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A common understanding of why U.S.-China relations have cratered since the 2016 election of former President Donald Trump is that the world’s two largest economies had gone from being complementary to being increasingly competitive and zero-sum. But even in this economic relationship, there are still ways to find common ground.

U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed interacts with the robot Sophie.

Although the U.S., EU and China dominate coverage of the effort to regulate artificial intelligence, a less-publicized but vital discourse about AI is taking place throughout Africa. In particular, most African policymakers have a unique challenge: how to responsibly leverage AI to accelerate national development.

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Recent setbacks for two major Chinese projects in Latin America are likely music to U.S. policymakers’ ears and could point to the quiet diplomacy of the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden paying off in key areas of concern. How Beijing reacts to these setbacks will shape its future relations with Latin America.

Emirati astronauts.

The Gulf Cooperation Council states are on a transformative journey, tapping into new sectors to diversify their traditionally hydrocarbon-dependent economies. Now, a regional space race is emerging, driven by domestic economic ambitions and commercial interests, but also the desire to enhance global prestige and soft power.

Palestinian residents return to Khan Yunis in Gaza.

Around the world, militaries have begun to embrace AI as the latest technological silver bullet. This trend, and its pitfalls, has been on prominent display in Gaza, where the Israeli military’s use of AI-driven models for targeting decisions has had a devastating impact on civilians in exchange for limited strategic results.

The Baltic 2 offshore wind park.

The recent approval of the United States’ eighth major offshore wind project provided a boost to the offshore wind sector’s commitment to being part of the solution not only to climate change, but also the rapid degradation of marine biodiversity. These crises are two sides of the same coin and must be addressed together.

A deliverer for Uber Eats.

Feb. 15 was supposed to be a red-letter day for the EU’s 30 million gig economy workers. Instead, the bloc’s flagship digital platform work directive was blocked, the latest twist in the trajectory of a proposal that has been shaped by landmark court rulings, a global pandemic and the EU’s pernicious lobby industry.

Migrants in Sfax, on Tunisia's eastern coast.

This chatbot was trained on more than 80 articles on global migration published by World Politics Review from March 23, 2018, to Feb. 1, 2024. Ask it questions about events and trends related to global migration over the last few years and get answers drawn straight from WPR’s expert analysis.

A farmer in India.

Populist leaders worldwide have increasingly used rhetoric designed to appeal to people in society who feel disproportionately affected by sustainability measures. But while the rhetoric used by populist leaders are often opportunistic attempts to exploit these grievances, it is a mistake to dismiss the grievances themselves.

Russian Central Military District’s Tank Division on an ATV.

Russian assaults in Chinese-made all terrain vehicles, or ATVs, are now a daily occurrence along the frontlines of the Ukraine war. They indicate how Moscow is adapting its battlefield tactics, and this evolution could change how the Russian state approaches war on a strategic level.

Yangshan deep water port in Shanghai.

The consequences of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s intention to double down on China’s manufacturing prowess to boost growth has attracted a lot of discourse. But it’s important to understand that excess capacity has a political logic within the Chinese system that is fundamental to the country’s governance model.