The last humanitarian aid vessel bound for Gaza was stopped by Israel today. The flotilla consisted of over 40 vessels from all across the world. They were unarmed. The Israeli navy boarded many of the vessels, detaining hundreds, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

Putin is not as clever as he thinks | Ransom Miller #geopolitics #trump #putin #ukraine #russia

Trump backs Qatar. President Trump signed an executive order yesterday guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The small Gulf country has been a key mediator in the Israel-Gaza conflict since October 7th. Last month, Israel bombed Hamas’s negotiators in Doha, Qatar’s capital.

How many lives have been saved by AIDS relief? Experts estimate the number is well over 20 million. This chart shows lives HIV/AIDS that were saved, according to estimates of the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy.

The US federal government shut down today. It's the first shutdown in over 6 years. The United States government shuts down when Congress fails to pass a budget before the next funding cycle begins.

The geopolitics of the Middle East today are changing, quickly. On the sidelines of the UNGA, IGA convened to discuss the latest developments. Jonathan Guyer led a conversation with Daniel Levy of US/MEP and Annelle Sheline of the @quincyinst.bsky.social.

Israel's attacks on press in Gaza | Jonathan Guyer

MAGA’s military agenda. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth summoned the highest-ranking US military officers from around the world to Virginia today.

Two hurricanes are striking the Caribbean Sea at once. This satellite image from Monday, September 29 shows hurricanes Imelda and Humberto.

Where's the beef? In terms of exports, this chart from 2023 shows that much of it comes from Brazil. That's followed by India and the United States. Recent reports from Reuters indicate that Australia has recently overtaken the US, as Trump's tariffs reduce Chinese imports of American beef.

Trump wants America back in Afghanistan | Chris Preble reacts #geopolitics #military #afghanistan #news

The United States bails out Argentina. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced this week that the United States will provide significant economic aid to Argentina.

Russia and Ukraine have the biggest armies in Europe, by far. This chart shows the size of European militaries' active-duty and reserve forces. Of particular note is Finland, which has a relatively small active-duty force of only 24k troops, but nearly a million reservists.

Africa is probably bigger than you think. This map shows each country's true size, normalized to the equator.

Why Taiwan used to sit on the United Nations Security Council | Ransom Miller #geopolitics #internationalrelations #UnitedNations #taiwan #history

What does the UN actually do? A lot, writes IGA CEO Mark Hannah in US News, despite what many politicians say. Three takeaways from his latest piece...

Where do United Nations peacekeepers come from? This graph shows that Bangladesh contributes the most as of 2023.

6 quick takeaways from President Trump’s speech to the United Nations.

Jonathan Guyer on how MAGA splits on Israel. #geopolitics #internationalrelations #israel

TikTok’s new American owners? A proposed deal is in the works for Oracle to take over a US version of the TikTok algorithm.

This map shows which states around the world recognize a Palestinian state. France became the latest to recognize Palestine at the United Nations this Monday in New York, joining states like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia earlier this year.

Mark Hannah with Katy Tur on @msnbc.com: Why Jimmy Kimmel's firing might weaken America.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s new alliance. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed a mutual defense pact yesterday.

Trump's allies strategy works in Europe | Eloise Cassier

Two days of protests rocked the country of Nepal last week, bringing down the government in Kathmandu. What makes this movement unique? Most of its more than 160,000 members are Gen Z.

Ransom Miller | Taiwan doesn't expect a war with China.

Trump says that America and China have reach a deal on TikTok. This map shows where TikTok is banned across the world.

Trump ordered the military to bomb another ship leaving Venezuela. This afternoon, the US military launched an attack on a ship leaving Venezuela's waters, less than two weeks after the first attack. Details are still emerging about the latest bombing, which the president says killed three men.

Israel launched an attack inside Qatar this Tuesday against Hamas's political representatives.

Brazil’s Bolsonaro convicted of coup attempt. The Brazilian Supreme Court voted to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup d’etat, after his defeat in the 2022 presidential election. The sentence could mean dozens of years in prison for Bolsonaro.

Russian drones flew across Poland yesterday. This map shows the reported location of drone debris and launch sites. Russia's government has denied responsibility for the incursion.

As President Trump cuts military aid to the Baltic states, Americans are divided on aid to Europe, specifically Ukraine. About half of Americans think the US should expend less attention and resources on Ukraine, in favor of domestic issues.

What to make of the meeting in Beijing? That China is increasingly credible – but only as America becomes more and more unstable, explains IGA’s Lizzy Shackelford. Three takeaways from her latest for the @chicagotribune.com.

Department of War? Or Department of Defense? And does it matter which the government uses? Short answer: probably not. As shown in this WWI-era poster, America had a Department of War.

Israel's post-October 7th wars are both a strategic and moral liability to America, argues IGA's Jonathan Guyer. Israel's military has had high-profile successes, but its government has failed to translate these into stability. His latest conversation, on @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social.

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan this week, and the death toll is high: 2,200 people according to a spokesperson for the Taliban government. Most of the casualties were in Kunar province, where many people reside in remote valleys, separated by large mountains.

Trump announced this afternoon that the American navy fired on a vessel off the coast of Venezuela, which the president says was carrying drugs. This map shows the rough position of American naval vessels off the coast of Venezuela, as shared by Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fl) over the weekend.

American support for Israel’s war in Gaza isn’t just a moral failing, argues IGA’s Jonathan Guyer in the September issue of the @newrepublic.com. It’s a strategic one as well. Changing course is in America’s interest. Three takeaways from his latest piece.

Most AI models are made in America. These charts show the country of origin for 134 large language learning (LLM) developers, and whether they build closed or open-source models.

Russia's daily oil exports are enormous, despite US sanctions. On the left, the largest buyers of Russian oil before its invasion of Ukraine. On the right, the largest buyers earlier this year.

A haboob, also known as a dust storm, rolled over Phoenix, Arizona on Monday. Haboobs are fairly common in the American Southwest, especially during the monsoon season, when wind and moisture pour into the region from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.

@emlbelcher.bsky.social on why the cost of nuclear war may be higher than we think. Listen to our full conversation on this season of None Of The Above. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This map shows where US troops are deployed across the Asia-Pacific. Over 28,500 are stationed in South Korea.

It's naive to expect a US-India alliance, according to Steve Coll. Although some interests are aligned, even the two countries' approach to their mutual rival, China, differs. Listen to our full conversation on this season of None Of The Above. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This chart shows that the US stock market is the largest in the world – by far. The US is the largest economy in the world, accounting for 26.11% of global GDP in 2024. But the US stock market accounts for a much higher percentage, with more than two-thirds of global stocks.

August 22, 1962 – Assassins attempt to kill French President Charles de Gaulle, in retaliation for his defeat in Algeria’s war for independence. They fire 187 rounds, hitting the president’s vehicle only 14 times. No one is killed.

1/ Israel announced that it would call up 60,000 reservists and extend service for 20,000 active duty troops in preparation for the occupation of Gaza City.

1/ Is Taiwan ready for war with China? Not at all, says IGA’s Ransom Miller in his latest for Inkstick. Taiwan’s politics, military, and economy are ready for more of the status quo, and conflict with China remains out of mind. Three takeaways from his piece.

What China learned from the Soviet collapse, according to Jeffrey Wasserstrom – give people with better stuff and they're less likely to rebel. He explains. Listen to our full conversation on this season of None Of The Above. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

3 Takeaways from Trump’s Ukraine Meetings 👇