This graphic shows the 20 largest cities in the world, by population. The top three are all in Asia. New York City doesn't even make the top 10.

Germany disarmed and adopted a pacifist defense policy after World War II. Today, that is beginning to change. The country has pledged to increase military spending and will resume mandatory military screening for 18-year-olds.

America has a lot of lobbyists. Many of them advocate on behalf of foreign countries. On the latest episode of NOTA, host Jonathan Guyer is joined by the Quincy Institute's Nick Cleveland-Stout to discuss all things transparency. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

The German government is too afraid of public backlash to strengthen its military, writes @moritz-graefrath.com for @wpr.bsky.social. But right now is a particularly opportune moment to pursue decisive change. Three takeaways from his latest piece.

Nearly half of Americans think Trump's approach is making climate change worse. That's compared to only 14% that say he's improving things. Last week, COP30 concluded, without any official US participation.

After Marjorie Taylor Greene's resignation announcement last week, it's clear that Trump's MAGA movement is no longer a monolith. Its next divide may be China, argues Ransom Miller in his latest for @thehill.com. Three takeaways from his piece.

See my piece in @wpr.bsky.social for an overview of the recent military service debate in 🇩🇪 and why its resolution does not provide much ground for optimism ⤵️

Yuli Novak and Kareem Jubran of the leading Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem joined IGA for a lunch roundtable yesterday. Thank you to all who attended for great conversations. Stay tuned for more IGA events in the future.

NEW OPPORTUNITY | International Democracy Fellowship 2026 Rising elected leaders globally (i.e., those with fewer than 10 years in elected office) are encouraged to apply. Application deadline is December 13, 2025. instituteforglobalaffairs.org/projects/int...

More Americans think Trump is making things worse than better when it comes to nuclear risk. Last month, the president threatened to resume nuclear testing. America's last nuclear test took place in 1992.

This map shows active and planned nuclear reactors across the globe. Trump signed a deal with Saudi Arabia this week to cooperate on civilian nuclear technology. The UAE, Egypt, Turkey, and Iran all have nuclear reactors already.

Trump's embrace of war is leading America to repeat past failures, writes @moritz-graefrath.com in his latest for The Critic. He argues that America best leverages its military strength when force is used sparingly.

Trump is pushing to restart Ukraine peace talks as Zelensky travels to Turkey. Amid faltering US-led peace talks, Americans broadly disapprove of Trump's efforts on Ukraine. A plurality think he's making the situation worse. Only about a quarter think he's improving things.

1/ More nuclear weapons wouldn’t be such a bad thing, write Mark Raymond and IGA’s @moritz-graefrath.com in @foreignaffairs.com. This is, if US allies are the ones getting them, they explain. Three takeaways from their piece.

Canada, Japan, and Germany should get the bomb. Selective proliferation will benefit both the United States and its allies. My debut in @foreignaffairs.com w/ @profmarkraymond.bsky.social ⤵️

This chart shows the 10 largest military aircraft fleets in the world. Trump announced that he intends to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia at the White House yesterday. If Saudi Arabia placed an order, it would become the 19th foreign participant in the F-35 program.

34% of Americans say Trump's approach is improving the Israel-Gaza Conflict. 35% say he's making it worse. Partisan divides are strong. But more independents say he's making the conflict worse than better. (this was fielded 10/6-14, as the ceasefire was negotiated and signed)

1/ The UN Security Council adopted President Trump’s plan for Gaza. But peace is far off. 13 countries voted in favor. China and Russia raised objections but declined to use their vetoes. Still, questions remain about major aspects of the plan.

1/ Trump is rapidly changing US foreign policy, from boat strikes to tariffs across the globe. But nearly a year in, America has yet to face the consequences of these dramatic shifts, writes Jonathan Guyer for @inkstickmedia. That affects how Americans see the president.

Explosions destroyed a section of railway in eastern Poland this past weekend. There were no injuries. The rail line links Poland's capital, Warsaw, to Ukraine. Poland's government alleges foreign sabotage.

NEW OPPORTUNITY | IGA 2026 Nonresident Fellowship Fellows receive a $4,000 stipend, attend IGA’s spring retreat in NYC, and monthly career development workshops. Must publish 3–4 deliverables, including op-eds, videos, or events by end of term. instituteforglobalaffairs.org/2026-nonresi...

Saudi Arabia's leader is in Washington this week. Many experts speculate that a defense pact may be in negotiation. But few Americans support an increased US military presence in the Middle East. Even among Republicans, more want a decrease or withdrawal than an increase.

Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told lawmakers last Friday that if Taiwan were attacked, it could put Japan in a “survival-threatening situation.” She specifically described a situation in which US forces were attacked. 1/

JD Vance is the most popular figure in the administration among Republicans. He's significantly more popular than Marco Rubio. Trump and Vance are about equal, the difference isn't statistically significant. Hegseth and Gabbard approximately tie for last place.

This live map shows satellites and space junk in Earth's orbit. Today, Chinese astronauts returned from space, after a week-long delay. Space debris damaged their vessel, which required repairs while in orbit.

Has it seemed like a hot year to you? The past two decades have seen some of the most abnormally hot years on record. It's no accident - climate change continues to spike temperatures as excess carbon dioxide traps heat in our atmosphere.

Trump ran on his immigration policy. Now, more Americans think he's making US immigration worse than better. That includes half of independents.

NEW EPISODE | What Americans Really Think of Trump's Foreign Policy Since his return to office, Trump has negotiated a struggling ceasefire in Gaza, fought a war with Iran, and launched strikes in the Caribbean. Americans are more divided than ever, but how does the country see these actions?

We’re joined by Jonathan Guyer discussing a new poll, “Reckless Peacemaker: How Americans See Trump’s Foreign Policy.” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Tonight the House is voting to end the longest government shutdown in US history. Most Americans don't much trust Congress to act in their best interests (62%). Congress is the least trusted foreign policy institution of the five we surveyed, below even ICE.

10 months out from Trump's return to office, Americans are seeing the president's foreign policy in a new light. The results aren't good for Trump. Jonathan Guyer talks about IGA's latest polling data with @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social. Listen now.

This chart shows where migrants are coming from and where they're going. For more than a decade India has been the top point of origin and the US the top destination for international migrants.

A sneak peek at how Americans view Trump foreign policy so far, by Eloise Cassier. Three takeaways🧵 Read the full piece in Responsible Statecraft.

This chart shows that trust in the military remains high. Veterans won in a few races on Tuesday night, from New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill to Maine's defeat of a ballot measure backed by Senate-hopeful Graham Platner.

What do Americans think of Trump’s war on drug cartels? President Trump has declared that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. The US has launched strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

War with Venezuela is really unpopular in the US, says Andrew Payne. Payne is a Research Director at Chatham House and a lecturer at the University of Oxford. #geopolitics #internationalrelations #venezuela #news

IGA’s new public opinion report “Reckless Peacemaker? How Americans See Trump’s Foreign Policy” is out NOW! Stay tuned for some of the biggest headlines… Or read the full report at the link below.

This map shows the US military build-up around Venezuela. It is the largest US naval presence in the Caribbean since the 1994 military intervention in Haiti.

Trump's Diplomatic Tour of Asia. Trump is visiting three different Asian countries. He attended the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia this weekend, and will attend the APEC Leader's Summit in South Korea tomorrow. He plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday (10/30).

US Strike Group moves to the Caribbean. On October 24, President Trump ordered the USS Gerald Ford and three accompanying destroyers to the Caribbean. The deployment of warships could signal imminent military action in the region, amid rising tensions with Venezuela.

America placed major new sanctions on Russian oil firms on Wednesday. They may seriously impact India. The sanctions are on enormous Russian oil companies Rosneft, PJSC, and Lukoil PJSC. This chart shows that Rosneft and Lukoil supply the vast majority of Russian oil to India.

This chart shows the largest crude oil producing countries in the world. America is number one. The United States has always produced a lot of oil, but it wasn't until 2020 that it became a net exporter of oil since the country uses so much for its own energy.

Why is Trump successful on Gaza but fails against domestic opponents? In the Middle East, he’s negotiating like a realist. At home, he’s initiated a vicious cycle of threat politics, argues Mark Hannah in his latest for the Boston Globe.

Argentina has the most debt to the IMF - by far. This chart shows the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) largest debtors. Argentina has $57.1 billion in debt; far more than Ukraine, the second largest borrower.

French Crown Jewels stolen from the Louvre. On October 19, 2025, thieves robbed the world’s most-visited museum, the Louvre in Paris. They seized eight objects in broad daylight and fled the scene. Empress Eugénie’s diadem, pictured above, was found outside the museum, broken.

This chart shows global murder rates. Jamaica has the highest rate of homicides, at 53.3 per 100,000. The United States' murder rate is higher than the global average. It has the 42nd highest rate among all countries.

Which countries manufacture the most? China and the United States. Combined the two countries accounted for nearly half of global manufacturing in 2021. Japan and Germany lagged far behind in third and fourth place.

1/ Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange fire. Overnight fighting erupted on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan on Sunday. Taliban officials claimed they were retaliating against air strikes instigated by Pakistan.

This chart shows the number of deaths from famine each year, per 100,000 people. The data was last updated in 2023.

Israel and Hamas struck a ceasefire in Gaza last week. The deal marks a significant turn, but true peace remains long way's off. IGA's Jonathan Guyer explores the hurdles going forward. Listen now to his conversation on The Arlene Bynon Show.