Turkey’s presidential candidates officially kick-off their campaigns ahead of May elections; Russia begins its term as president of the UN Security Council; and Walt Disney World wraps up its fiftieth anniversary celebration amid legal disputes with the Florida state government.    Mentioned on the Podcast   Will Freeman and Ariana Rios, “How Peru’s Crisis Could Send Shockwaves Through the Region,” CFR.org   Rone Tempest, “Protesters Block Euro Disneyland : France: Irked by U.S. Trade Policies, Farmers Use Tractors to Keep Cars and Buses Out of the Park,” Los Angeles Times   “​​U.S. Immigration Policy, With Edward Alden,” The President’s Inbox   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/turkish-presidential-campaigning-begins-russias-cloudy-security-council-presidency-disney

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China to discuss Brazil-China economic ties; millions of people around the world switch off their lights for 60 minutes to celebrate Earth Hour; and the United States, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Zambia co-host the second Summit for Democracy.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report    Michelle Gavin, “Zimbabwe Limps Toward Elections,” CFR.org   Joshua Kurlantzick, “Thailand’s Parliament Has Been Dissolved: Elections Loom, But Will They Be Free?,” CFR.org   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/brazils-lula-visits-china-earth-hour-second-summit-democracy-and-more

The UN Security Council decides whether to renew the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan; on its twentieth anniversary, Americans and Iraqis take stock of the U.S. invasion of Iraq; and the future of the Ukraine-Russia Black Sea Grain Initiative, a vital food export agreement, is decided.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Max Boot, “What the Neocons Got Wrong,” Foreign Affairs   Peter Feaver, Christopher Gelpi, and Jason Reifler, “The Strange Case of Iraq Syndrome,” Foreign Affairs   Sebastian Mallaby, “What the Silicon Valley Bank Bailout Teaches Us,” Washington Post   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/un-afghanistan-twenty-years-us-invasion-iraq-black-sea-grain-initiative-and-more

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss migration, trade, security, and other issues; the world enters the fourth year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic; and Academy Award-nominated films spotlight international issues.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Colm Bairéad, The Quiet Girl   Edward Berger, All Quiet on the Western Front   Lukas Dhont, Close   Sara Dosa, Fire of Love   Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory   Lewis Milestone, All Quiet on the Western Front   Santiago Mitre, Argentina, 1985   Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front   Daniel Roher, Navalny   Jerzy Skolimowski, EO   Simon Lereng Wilmont, A House Made of Splinters   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/uk-france-summit-3-years-covid-19-pandemic-foreign-films-oscars-and-more

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss U.S.-German security cooperation in NATO and in the Indo-Pacific; China’s National People’s Congress begins its legislative session; Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha awaits the verdict of his treason trial as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s authoritarian grip tightens; and political tensions rise in Nigeria as the country reacts to Bola Tinubu’s presidential win.   Mentioned on the Podcast "Satellite Photos Show Expansion of Chinese-funded Naval Base in Cambodia," Radio Free Asia   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/german-chancellor-scholz-visits-washington-chinas-congress-convenes-cambodian-opposition

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, holds its presidential election; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reaches the one-year mark; U.S. President Joe Biden’s new restrictions on migrants seeking asylum spurs fury from immigration activists.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Michelle Gavin, “The Continental Implications of Nigeria’s Elections,” CFR.org   Ebenezer Obadare, “What’s at Stake in Nigeria’s General Elections?,” CFR.org   “The Invasion That Shook the World,” Council of Councils   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/nigerias-election-one-year-russia-invaded-ukraine-us-asylum-restrictions-and-more

World leaders attend the Munich Security Conference, a high-level event focusing on global challenges; U.S. President Joe Biden visits Poland to reinforce NATO’s resolve for supporting Ukraine; and tens of thousands protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed changes to powers of the judiciary branch.   Mentioned on the Podcast   “Biden’s SOTU, Blinken Visits China, EU Bans Russian Petroleum Products, and More,” The World Next Week   Joshua Kurlantzick, Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China’s Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World   Olaf Scholz, “The Global Zeitenwende: How to Avoid a New Cold War in a Multipolar Era,” Foreign Affairs   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/munich-security-conference-biden-visits-poland-israels-judiciary-overhaul-and-more

Turkey and Syria struggle to respond to devastating earthquakes; Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, puts forward possible pardons for thousands of protesters; and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meets with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, DC.    Mentioned on the Podcast   Relief organizations among those involved in the massive response to Turkey and Syria: Ahbap Akut CARE Doctors Without Borders The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement The International Rescue Committee The Karam Foundation Save the Children The White Helmets   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/turkey-syria-earthquake-aftermath-khameneis-pardon-lula-visits-washington-and-more

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address; U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Beijing to try to stabilize U.S.-China relations; and the European Union’s embargo on Russian refined oil  products is scheduled to go into effect.    Mentioned on the Podcast   Richard Haass, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens   Ana Swanson, “Netherlands and Japan Said to Join U.S. in Curbing Chip Technology Sent to China,” New York Times     Recommended Reading James M. Lindsay, “Ten Facts About the State of the Union Address,” The Water’s Edge   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/bidens-sotu-blinken-visits-china-eu-bans-russian-petroleum-products-and-more

Pope Francis visits the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan during his fourth visit to Africa; Russia reacts to Western pledges to send tanks to Ukraine; and the United Nations works to counter the Taliban’s discrimination against women amid an escalating humanitarian crisis.   Mentioned on the Podcast   “The Power of the Pope,” Why It Matters   Qin Gang, “The Planet’s Future Depends on a Stable China-U.S. Relationship,” Washington Post   “The World Next Year: What to Watch in 2023,” The World Next Week   This is Jim’s last episode as a regular co-host of The World Next Week. Revisit a live taping that marked the tenth anniversary of the show, in which Jim and Bob were joined by NPR journalist Deborah S. Amos: “2019 Back to School and Live Taping of The World Next Week Podcast.” For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/pope-visits-democratic-republic-congo-russia-responds-western-tank-offers-un-presses