Palestinians walk outside buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment on al-Zahra, on the outskirts of Gaza City, Oct. 20, 2023.

Largely absent from the conversation about Israel’s military offensive in Gaza is the question of whether or not Israel is using inherently indiscriminate means and methods of warfare. If so, even if any resulting deaths might be arguably “proportionate” and “incidental,” they could still be considered war crimes.

The Kurdistan flag is seen waving over a statue of Kurdish leader Mulla Mustafa Barzani, founder of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Dec. 17, 2021.

Last month, the Iraqi army clashed with Kurdish peshmerga forces, leading to multiple casualties on each side. But while ethno-sectarian violence in Iraq was historically aimed at toppling the government, this recent violence should be seen as a way to negotiate power within the political system. And it shows that the equilibrium between Baghdad and Erbil is shifting.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro delivers a speech during the first meeting of the Global School Meals Coalition in Paris, Oct. 18, 2023.

With Central America facing numerous crises, it could be easy to overlook a small legislative scuffle in Honduras. However, the institutional maneuverings there in recent weeks are a great example of the sorts of questionable power grabs that degrade democracy and undermine anti-corruption efforts around the region.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the U.N. Sustainable Development Forum.

Following the Sustainable Development Goals Summit this past September, the U.N. published a guidance paper to identify pathways to achieving the SDGs by their target date of 2030. But if those goals are to be met, even partially, the U.N. must also rethink the political underpinnings of international development cooperation.

A passenger from Kigali, Rwanda, waits to be cleared by immigration officials at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 1, 2020.

Kenya and Rwanda’s decision to remove visas for African travelers were met with enthusiasm. But visas are only part of the complexity of cross-border travel for Africans across the continent. Visa-free travel is a step in the right direction, but it is not sufficient to address the challenges facing Africans who cross borders in Africa.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The ongoing war in Gaza will undoubtedly and permanently alter the relationship between Israel and Hamas as well as between Israelis and Palestinians. But despite what some observers are predicting, the Israel-Hamas war will do little to change the international system more generally or U.S. grand strategy more specifically.

Thousands of Moroccans take part in a protest in Rabat.

Ever since Morocco normalized diplomatic relations with Israel in late 2020, the government has had to engage in an awkward balancing act—nurturing fast-growing political, economic and military relations with Israel while simultaneously portraying Rabat’s official position as remaining actively pro-Palestinian.

Three members of the Naypyidaw People’s Defense Force battalion take part in military training.

Opposition forces fighting against Myanmar’s military junta had been making progress in recent months, but on Oct. 27 they crossed a threshold, dealing a powerful blow to government forces and putting the regime on the defensive. The offensive in Myanmar’s eastern-most Shan state could be a turning point in the country’s civil war.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference.

As preparations fall into place for the first in-person summit in four years between EU officials and their Chinese counterparts, hopes for constructive partnership have been displaced by mutual suspicion. Yet in hardening its stance toward Beijing, Brussels is ignoring weaknesses within China that could also generate risks.

U.S. President Joe Biden addresses a press conference, in Hanoi, Vietnam, Sept. 10, 2023.

The APEC Summit presents an opportunity for the U.S. to prioritize human rights in climate policy. To begin, this requires considering the conditions in which climate activists operate as a metric of successful climate response. And the human rights landscape across key U.S. partner states in the Indo-Pacific isn’t promising.

A man takes a nap on the street, in Beijing. China, Sept. 14, 2020.

While China’s current economic malaise has multiple factors, there is something about President Xi Jinping’s pursuit of utopian policies that increasingly seems to weigh on the country. One manifestation of this despondency is the phenomenon of “lying flat,” a Chinese concept that closely equates to “opting out.”

Bright beams of light from skyscrapers light up Shenzhen to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Reform and Opening Up policy, Shenzhen, China, Nov. 29, 2018.

The city of Shenzhen is looking for ways to adapt to China’s shifting economic landscape. But Shenzhen is not just another city. It was the birthplace and symbol of the Reform and Opening Up era. What future does that leave for Shenzhen, now that the China it once represented no longer exists under President Xi Jinping?

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