Can India’s Digital Economy Draw Cues from the East India Company?

Takshashila Dispatch  |  Kripa Koshy

India's digital economy, despite its fifth-most digitalized ranking and robust public infrastructure, faces new challenges in a global order shifting from open trade to mercantilism and economic statecraft, according to Nitin Pai. He argues that the powerful now seek to own entire supply chains, viewing interdependence through the lens of chokepoints rather than mutual gain, necessitating prudent steps to manage risks.

The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash

BBC  |  Theo Leggett

Air India Flight 171 crashed on June 12 last year, 32 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad, India, killing 230 passengers (169 Indian, 53 British) and 19 on the ground, with one survivor. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating, but its preliminary report has generated intense controversy.

Why China’s Xi wants a ‘brighter’ future with North Korea

CNN  |  Simone McCarthy, Yoonjung Seo

Chinese leader Xi Jinping's first visit to North Korea in seven years aimed to articulate China's future alignment with its nuclear-armed treaty ally amidst global flux. During talks in Pyongyang, Xi told Kim Jong Un that both sides should "open up a brighter prospect for the socialist cause of the two countries as well as regional peace and development."

The Fault Lines in China’s Power: America Must Build—and Use—Leverage Against Beijing

Foreign Affairs | Ely Ratner and Nick Danby

The U.S.-Chinese trade war of 2025 exposed a profound strategic deficit when China weaponized its 90 percent global command of rare-earth processing, imposing export controls. This move threatened American manufacturing and the U.S. defense industrial base, forcing the Trump administration to concede tariffs and other demands. Beijing thus reset the relationship's terms in its favor, highlighting Washington's failure to leverage China's vulnerabilities.

Korean Peninsula Update, June 9, 2026

Understanding War | Yeji Chung

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping implicitly legitimized North Korean demands for nuclear program recognition and sanctions relief during his June 8-9, 2026, visit to Pyongyang. Xi acknowledged the regime’s “sovereignty and security” interests, likely raising the threshold for future North Korean engagement with the United States and South Korea by excluding denuclearization discussions.

How China Misperceives Itself

Foreign Affairs  |  Francesca Ghiretti

China currently confronts significant challenges, including decelerating economic growth, an aging demographic, financial system strain, and increasing trade restrictions from other nations. The author argues that great powers typically falter not from ignorance of their issues, but from misdiagnosing or incompletely identifying their fundamental causes. The crucial distinction between states that adapt and those that stagnate lies in their ability to precisely diagnose weaknesses, differentiate between transient limitations and structural impediments, and muster the political resolve necessary for profound reforms.

The Real Problem With Global Trade: How China’s Currency Manipulation Is Warping the World Economy

Foreign Affairs | Brad Setser and Shahin Vallée

China's persistent currency undervaluation, particularly the renminbi, is warping the world economy and driving significant global trade imbalances, a problem French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted for the Group of Seven meeting in Évian. Since 2018, China's overall trade surplus has tripled, fueled by a weakened renminbi following its 2021 property bubble collapse and ongoing state bank interventions.

Don’t Give Up on Global Order

Foreign Affairs  |  Philip H. Gordon

A significant consensus is emerging among Americans regarding contemporary politics and international relations, asserting that the long-standing liberal world order, established after World War II, is now definitively dead and buried. This global framework, built upon a system of U.S.-led alliances, various multilateral institutions, and a commitment to relatively open trade, also vigorously defended core international rules and norms such as state sovereignty, nonaggression, and freedom of navigation.

Washington and Tehran’s Very Dangerous Moment

Carnegie Endowment | Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar

The U.S.-Iran relationship has entered a highly dangerous phase, characterized by a "rapid-fire game of ping-pong" where rules of engagement are constantly changing, leading to increased risks. Iran is simultaneously managing military, economic, and internal conflicts, with its society deeply fragmented between anger, pro-government rallies, and fear amid triple-digit food inflation.

Washington’s Asian Allies Need a Backup Plan

Foreign Policy  |  Mira Rapp-Hooper, Zack Cooper

U.S. President Donald Trump recently considered delaying a $14 billion arms sales package to Taiwan, already authorized by Congress. Concurrently, the Trump administration announced, backtracked, and then pressed ahead with plans to reduce U.S. assets in Europe, without substantial consultations with allies. These two seismic shifts, experienced by U.S.

The Day After in Cuba: What American Military Force Can and Cannot Do

Foreign Affairs | Ricardo Zuniga

The Trump administration is threatening military action against Cuba, imposing a near-total oil blockade and expanded sanctions against government entities and officials, including GAESA. These measures have deterred foreign investors like Hapag Lloyd and Iberostar, leading to economic disaster and convincing Havana's leaders that a U.S. military assault is imminent.

Can the World Cup Transcend Donald Trump?

The New Yorker  |  Ishaan Tharoor

The article, titled "Can the World Cup Transcend Donald Trump?", critically examines the capacity of a significant global sporting event, such as the World Cup, to rise above the influence and controversies associated with prominent political figures like Donald Trump. It delves into the inherent political complexities that often surround international tournaments, posing the question of whether the event's unifying spirit can overcome divisive political narratives.

A vote for isolation? What the Swiss population referendum means for Europe

LSE European Politics  |  Adrian Favero

Switzerland will vote on June 14 on a proposal by the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) to cap the country’s permanent resident population at ten million people. This initiative, which links population figures to constitutional obligations, directly challenges Switzerland's bilateral relations with the EU and risks isolating the nation with significant political and economic consequences.

Working Papers 26-10: Global economic implications of the 2026 Middle East war

Peterson Institute for International Economics

Global economic growth is projected to slow, with 2026 GDP lower and inflation higher in most economies, under two scenarios for a potential Middle East war causing an energy price spike. The first scenario sees oil prices surge to around $120 per barrel for one year, alongside sharp increases in liquefied natural gas, refined petroleum, and fertilizer.

El Niño under way and threatens weather extremes, scientists say

BBC News  |  Matt McGrath, Simon King, Mark Poynting

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has officially declared El Niño conditions are under way in the tropical Pacific, marked by sharply rising sea surface temperatures. Many forecasts predict a "super" El Niño, potentially among the strongest since 1950, with a 63% chance of a very strong event during November-January.

Our Climate’s Wild Card

The New York Review of Books  |  Jonathan Mingle

In mid-October 2015, residents of Porter Ranch in northwestern Los Angeles experienced headaches, nausea, and nosebleeds due to a massive methane leak at Southern California Gas's Aliso Canyon facility. This depleted oil field, the second-largest natural gas storage system in the US, released approximately six billion cubic feet of natural gas, or 109,000 metric tons of methane, by the time it was plugged on February 18.

Lessons from the 2025 G7 Cycle: Quantum, AI and Science Diplomacy

CIGI  |  Michael P. A. Murphy

The 2025 Group of Seven (G7) cycle successfully achieved meaningful agreements on emerging technologies, including quantum and artificial intelligence (AI), despite widespread fears of global instability and institutional disintegration. Canada's 2025 G7 presidency strategically employed "science diplomacy," shifting focus from normatively charged geopolitical debates to specific, technical cooperation.

POWERING THE HOUTHIS

Conflict Armament Research

Conflict Armament Research (CAR) has actively tracked the evolution of Ansar Allah (Houthi) forces' technical capabilities over the past decade, documenting weapons, ammunition, uncrewed systems, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Yemen and the wider Gulf region. CAR's analysis of over 800 missile and UAV components recovered from recent maritime seizures in the Red Sea, including the unprecedented Al Sherwa dhow interdiction on 25 June 2025, provides critical insight into the composition of Houthi advanced conventional weapon systems.

The Iran War is Reshaping South Korea’s Perceptions of US Security Pledges

Globalasia  |  Torunika Roy

The current war initiated by the US and Israel against Iran in February is significantly reshaping South Korea's perceptions of US security pledges, leading to a growing trust deficit. South Korea faces a difficult security situation as the US redeploys parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot missile systems from the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East.

Department of War Establishes Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay

Department of War

The Department of War (DoW) is launching the Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay (C-MIP) program, a strategic initiative under Project Patriot Pipeline and CYBERCOM 2.0, to modernize incentives for its Cyberspace Operations Forces (COF) assigned to U.S. Cyber Command. This program aims to harden cyber defenses, strengthen the Defense Industrial Base, and cultivate an elite corps of cyber warfighters capable of dominating the digital battlespace.

Exporting U.S. Military AI Won’t Be Easy

Foreign Policy | Jake Steckler

The United States faces significant challenges in exporting its military artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The difficulty stems from two primary factors: middle powers, who are potential recipients, possess alternative options for acquiring military AI, suggesting a competitive market or diverse supply chains. Additionally, AI laboratories, likely referring to the developers and researchers of these advanced technologies, hold distinct opinions that may complicate or oppose the U.S.

Iran and the Hidden Cost of Wartime Access

Foreign Affairs  |  Rachel Metz

The United States launched a war in Iran, over 6,000 miles from its borders, a capability attributed to its extensive overseas military bases. This global power projection, despite inherent logistical challenges for distant fronts, was a crucial, overlooked factor in the Trump administration's decision-making. The article argues that overseas bases, while making the U.S.

Trump Blinked, Iran Noticed

Frida Insight  |  Frida Ghitis

On June 7, 2026, Iran fired nearly a dozen ballistic missiles at Israel, prompting President Trump to demand Israel refrain from striking back, a stance Tehran then exploited by shooting down a U.S. Apache helicopter on June 8, 2026. This sequence highlighted Trump's transparent desperation for a deal to end the war, an eagerness not reciprocated by the Islamic Republic.

How Trump Can Use Kharg Island as a Pressure Point Against Iran

The National Interest  |  Brian Chow

The United States faces a critical juncture in the Iran war, which began on February 28, having incurred $29 billion in munitions and a $25 billion spike in gas prices, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed. Iran believes time is on its side, leveraging high oil prices and President Trump's floundering approval ratings ahead of November midterms to extort concessions like frozen assets and unchecked control over Hormuz, while continuing nuclear development.

Iran Is Now More Dangerous Than Ever

Foreign Policy | Rob Geist Pinfold

Iran’s June 8 missile attacks on northern Israel, followed by a U.S. military helicopter collision with an Iranian drone near the Strait of Hormuz, mark significant escalations in the region's “no war, no peace” paradigm. These incidents, alongside subsequent U.S. retaliatory strikes and Iranian missile attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, demonstrate Tehran's fundamental recalibration.