Asia

Israel's election: What will it mean for Israeli democracy and society?

Israel's election: What will it mean for Israeli democracy and society? 20 October 2026 — 14:00 TO 15:00 BST Anonymous (not verified) 12 October 2026 Online Ahead of a key election in Israel on the 27th October, experts assess the forces shaping the campaign and the domestic implications for both Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Ahead of a key election in Israel on the 27th October, experts assess the forces shaping the campaign and the domestic implications for both Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Since the formation of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, Israel’s politics, society and economy have undergone significant change. The question of national security has dominated the political agenda since the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas and Israel’s military offensive on Gaza. However, key domestic issues including accountability, the future of democratic institutions and the role of religion in the state are also on the ballot. The result could have lasting implications for Israel’s political system and broader social cohesion. This event discusses: What issues are shaping Israel’s election campaign? To what extent is the future of Israeli democracy on the ballot? What political scenarios could emerge after the vote? How could the result affect Israel’s economy and social cohesion? To what extent is the question of the conflict with Palestine being addressed by political candidates?

Outside Powers Respond to Instability in the Red Sea

A September advance by the Iran-backed Houthi movement (Ansarallah) down the Red Sea coast has expanded the Yemen conflict, drawing several outside actors into the fighting. The Houthi seizure of territory astride the key Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which nearly 10 percent of global trade passes, elevated the global significance of the Yemen conflict. The […] The post Outside Powers Respond to Instability in the Red Sea appeared first on The Soufan Center .

What’s the Renminbi Got to Do With it?

A closer look at the impact of China’s currency on China’s export growth.

Trump rages over Nobel Peace Prize loss

President Trump lashed out late Friday night after he once again did not win the Nobel Peace Prize he has openly coveted . Why it matters: The award is Trump's white whale, an honor he talks about frequently and believes he deserves. This year's prize went instead to a former judge of a court Trump has sanctioned and called "rogue" and "evil." Navi Pillay, the winner, reacted to the award by saying world leaders have a "legal obligation to protect human rights and refrain from war," according to the AP . What he's saying: " I know nothing about this woman, and neither does anyone else! In fact, to the best of my knowledge, no one ever heard of her other than the fact that she, very obviously, hates Israel. I don't know what the woman has done," Trump said in a Truth Social post of nearly 600 words that went up just before midnight on Friday. "I settled 8 Wars, with letters being sent from every President and Prime Minister from the countries that I helped to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and I'm about to settle, or win, two more, Iran and, Russia/Ukraine," Trump wrote. "They're both happening at breakneck speed but, forget them, it's the 8 that I've already settled, any one of which, in particular, Pakistan and India, would be far more than necessary to win the Nobel Prize. In actuality, I should have won 8 Nobel Peace Prizes, not just 1." Between the lines: Pillay, this year's winner, is a former judge of the International Criminal Court and also the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Nobel officials said she received the honor "for her efforts to promote peace

Rethinking the purpose of education systems transformation

Trading Places: The U.S. and Europe on China and Russia

CFR President Michael Froman analyzes Europe’s changing posture toward China and Russia, and how that mirrors what the U.S. approach used to be.

Tracking Trump’s tariffs and other trade actions

Navi Pillay, advocate for international law, wins Nobel Peace Prize

Navi Pillay, an outspoken supporter of international law who has served as a judge on multiple global courts and as the UN's top human rights official, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Why it matters: President Trump once again did not win the prize he has openly coveted . Pillay, among other posts, previously served on the International Criminal Court — a body Trump sanctioned and last month called " rogue " and "evil." What they're saying: " The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 goes to a person who with exceptional courage and integrity has led the way towards a more comprehensive global legal order," the prize committee said in a social media post. "This year's laureate has been instrumental in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted." Background: Besides the ICC and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Pillay also served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and as chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Pillay , 85 and a native of South Africa, began practicing law in the late 1960s and served on her country's high court before her international appointments. Zoom out: Pillay stands for many of the ideas and institutions Trump has condemned. Besides sanctioning the ICC, he withdrew the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council last year. He's also made a target of South Africa and its Black government, promising asylum to white South African farmers. The AP reported that Pillay, reacting to the news, said world leaders have a "legal obligation to protect hum

Filling the Void as Syria’s Transitional Justice Stalls

Reconciliation councils are emerging throughout the country to mediate in intracommunal disputes, many from the war years.

Why South Korea and Ukraine are fighting over two prisoners of war

Immigration split screen: Microsoft gets a crackdown and a medal

The Trump administration said Thursday that it was suspending Microsoft from a key program used to sponsor employees for green cards. Later that day , the administration honored the tech giant's CEO with a medal for innovation. Why it matters: The split-screen day highlights the tension between the administration's championing of Big Tech and its immigration policies, which constrain an industry that has long relied on hiring foreign-born workers. Tech leaders have said that restrictions on hiring hamper the country's ability to compete — especially at a moment when the U.S. is in a race with China on AI. Driving the news: The administration's move Thursday also targeted Adobe and six IT services firms over the Permanent Employment Program, or Perm. It's typically the first major government approval step in employers sponsoring workers, often H-1B holders, for employment-based green cards . The administration accused these companies of hiring foreign workers and paying them less, at U.S. workers' expense. State of play: President Trump awarded Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation at the White House's New Golden Age Summit Thursday night. Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and CEO of AMD Lisa Su — like Nadella, all immigrants to the U.S. — were awarded the National Medal of Science. At the event, Trump called the honorees " national treasure s." What they're saying: Vice President Vance addressed the apparent contradiction at a press conference earlier Thursday, saying: "Our message to Microsoft is no

Toward a Thaw in the Cambodia-Thailand Border Conflict

Hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand ceased in late 2025, after two rounds of combat along the frontier. But the truce is under growing strain. To avoid more war, the two countries should restore normal diplomatic ties and resume work on demarcating their shared border.

Understanding the Chinese-Language Media Landscape in Southeast Asia

Russia’s Turn to China Under Sanctions: Sanctions Decay, Substitution Elasticity, and the Challenge of Sustaining Pressure

The Trump Administration’s Shift on Myanmar Is a Disastrous Decision

Washington’s sudden decision to open talks with Myanmar’s government grants further legitimacy to an authoritarian regime and is unlikely to deliver access to rare earths.

Another Hormuz? What to Know About the Houthi Threat to the Red Sea

The Yemen-based Houthis’ naval blockade against Saudi shipping and their battle with Saudi-backed Yemeni forces for control of the Red Sea’s critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait add a new dimension to the Iran war, with potentially major consequences for the region and the global economy.

Trump: U.S. won't attack Iran before midterms

President Trump said Thursday the U.S. will not attack Iran ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Why it matters: Trump had been considering for several days resuming major combat operations before the midterms. However, his past statements about his intentions in Iran haven't always matched what he ultimately did. If major combat operations resume, they're expected to include large-scale strikes on Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear targets, sources say. Resuming the war in the next three to four weeks could influence the midterms, in part because oil prices might rise in response. It could also influence Israel's elections, which are scheduled for Oct. 27. What he's saying: "I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, with Oil flowing in Record Numbers of Barrels through the Hormuz Strait ... we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Flashback: In June 2025, before Operation Midnight Hammer, the White House said Trump would decide "within two weeks" whether the U.S. would join Israel's war against Iran. When he made that statement, he had already decided to attack Iran's nuclear sites. On Feb. 27, less than 24 hours before Israel and the U.S. launched the war against Iran, Trump claimed he hadn't made a decision on going to war. In reality, Trump had already decided to authorize the attacks. Driving the news: The Pentagon instructed U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)

The Fed's going to take its time with rate hikes

A couple more interest rate hikes are probably on the way. But the Federal Reserve is in no great hurry to deliver them. That's the takeaway from the latest round of communications out of the central bank. Why it matters: It implies that the Fed is not in a full-scale effort to tighten the screws on the economy, but rather a cautious recalibration in light of inflationary pressures and robust growth. With Fed chairman Kevin Warsh declining to offer much in the way of guidance, traders and Fed watchers must look to other communications for clues — and the message has been strikingly consistent across the latest crumbs of information. Driving the news: Speaking Thursday morning in Istanbul , Fed governor Christopher Waller explained, with distinctly non-Warshian detail, what kind of interest rate path he anticipates. "If the economic data continue to come in as expected, I anticipate additional hikes to support a timelier return of inflation to our 2 percent goal," he said. "But there is some flexibility about when those hikes will occur. The hikes do not need to come at consecutive meetings, but they should be in place in an acceptable period of time." That aligns with the language in the minutes of the September policy meeting released Wednesday afternoon, stating that "most participants assessed that another increase in the target range for the federal funds rate would likely be appropriate by year-end," but that they "approached each meeting with an open mind." Of note: The minutes and Waller comments come after fairly explicit comments last week from vice chair Philip Je