The hottest World Politics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Peace Through Profit: The Problem with Steve Witkoff’s Ukraine Strategy

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 222 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Diplomacy Foreign Policy Geopolitics Security Sanctions Peace talks Energy security
  1. A prominent U.S. dealmaker is promoting a "peace through profit" plan that aims to end the war by turning Russia and Ukraine into business partners.
  2. He argues that shared economic gains and interdependence would create incentives for lasting peace because everyone would benefit.
  3. Critics warn this approach may be naive since Putin’s inner circle could have different motives and secretive ties with Russian elites might undermine or corrupt any deal.

Who Does Europe Call If It Wants to Talk to the United States?

Drezner’s World • 943 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Relations Diplomacy International Aid Global Alliances
  1. Europe faced challenges in making foreign policy decisions due to internal disagreements, but eventually reached an agreement by employing strong tactics.
  2. The European Union managed to secure financial support for Ukraine despite obstacles from Hungary by applying pressure and using negotiation strategies effectively.
  3. The United States encountered difficulties in passing aid packages for Ukraine as negotiations were linked to immigration policies, ultimately leading to a stalled process and uncertain outcomes.

Matti Friedman: After the Bombs

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1131 implied HN points • 22 Jun 25
🌍 World Politics International relations Middle East Military Affairs Nuclear policy Geopolitics
  1. Recent U.S. Air Force attacks have created a sense of significant change in the Middle East. People feel hopeful that these actions might help stabilize the region.
  2. There's a belief that successfully damaging Iran's nuclear program could bring freedom to its people and potentially impact the wider Middle East.
  3. Many see this moment as a potential turning point for millions in the region and for those watching globally.

Global 1% own 43% of financial assets, 5 richest billionaires doubled wealth while 5 billion workers got poorer

Geopolitical Economy Report • 1076 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Inequality Wealth Distribution Colonialism Economic System
  1. The top 1% own a significant portion of global wealth, while billions of workers have seen a decline in their financial well-being.
  2. The wealth of the five richest billionaires doubled since 2020, while a large percentage of humanity experienced a decrease in wealth according to Oxfam.
  3. Inequality is stark between the Global North and South, with the economic system perpetuating disparities, reminiscent of a new form of colonialism.
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This is why we can’t have nice laws

Open Philanthropy farm animal welfare research newsletter • 799 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Animal Rights Legislation Advocacy Policy Influence
  1. Many people support farm animal welfare laws, but politicians often fail to pass them due to strong opposition from factory farmers and their powerful lobbying efforts.
  2. Advocates have been successful in passing farm animal welfare laws through citizens' initiatives, cross-party support, compromise, and engaging with political candidates and parties.
  3. The farm lobby, with its wealth, government subsidies, and strong influence on politicians, poses a significant challenge to the progress of farm animal welfare laws.

Putin, Ukraine, and the World

Diane Francis • 959 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics International relations Conflict Studies Geopolitics Security Issues
  1. Putin is seen as a major force behind many global conflicts and issues today. His actions are not just limited to Ukraine but impacting many regions worldwide.
  2. There is a strong belief that Russia's corrupt government, or kleptocracy, needs to be dismantled to achieve peace. Tackling this is viewed as essential for global stability.
  3. The message emphasizes the importance of acknowledging Ukraine’s resilient people and their talent in the face of adversity. Supporting them is crucial for a healthier world.

We all make mistakes

Letters of Note • 1886 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Judicial system
  1. A Scottish judge wrote a letter to children explaining a custody decision
  2. The letter stressed the importance of learning from mistakes
  3. The judge highlighted the positive aspects of the father while addressing the areas of improvement

From War Of The Worlds To Laurence Rockefeller’s Disclosure Project Part 1: A Century Of UFO Psyops Exposed

Matt Ehret's Insights • 1041 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics UFOs Disclosure Propaganda Global Governance
  1. Major governmental and space agencies are now openly discussing alien disclosure.
  2. There is a history of using psychological operations (PsyOps) to manipulate beliefs and perceptions.
  3. Past events like the War of the Worlds broadcast show how media can influence public perceptions.

CIA director calls China biggest 'threat', says Ukraine war benefits US geopolitically and economically

Geopolitical Economy Report • 916 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics US-China Relations US-Russia relations Military Strategy Economic Impacts
  1. CIA Director William J. Burns has labeled China as the biggest long-term threat and emphasized focusing resources on countering China.
  2. The CIA has significantly increased its attention on China, creating a dedicated mission center and doubling its budget for operations related to China.
  3. US CIA Director acknowledged that the war in Ukraine has been beneficial for the US, both geopolitically and economically, and used it as a strategy to send a message to China regarding Taiwan.

Taiwan's Horrible Friday

Taipology • 132 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Taiwan Constitutional crisis Political violence Polarization Elections Executive Power
  1. A random knife-and-arson rampage in Taipei killed people and caused widespread fear, with a security guard sacrificing himself to stop the attacker; authorities worry about copycat violence and social panic.
  2. The opposition mounted a mass impeachment push against President Lai, claiming executive overreach after the executive refused to promulgate fiscal laws, and collected over six million online signatures despite impeachment being unlikely.
  3. Five Constitutional Court justices formed an ad-hoc emergency panel to rule fiscal legislation unconstitutional, creating a dangerous precedent that deepens political polarization and raises concerns about erosion of separation of powers until major elections in 2028.

The Meaning of Kfir Bibas

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2179 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🌍 World Politics Conflict Middle East Terrorism Human Rights International relations
  1. Kfir Bibas, a baby taken by Hamas, represents the core of the conflict and highlights its tragic consequences.
  2. Yarden Bibas was released after a long time in captivity, but his family has faced immense loss and grief.
  3. Hamas claims to be returning the bodies of Kfir and his family, marking a painful end to their ordeal.

Fright Night

The Free Mind • 1867 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Government Pandemic
  1. It has been three years since Boris Johnson's stay-at-home speech.
  2. The post is an extract from Laura Dodsworth's book on the UK government's fear tactics during COVID-19.
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial subscription.

At the Symbol of Israeli Science, a Cost Too Vast to Calculate

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1043 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🌍 World Politics International relations Conflict Studies Middle East Geopolitics Military Affairs
  1. A recent war with Iran caused a lot of destruction in Israel, with missiles hitting cities and research facilities. Many people were injured, and some were killed, highlighting the human cost of conflict.
  2. The Weizmann Institute, a key research center in Israel, suffered significant damage. This loss not only destroyed physical buildings but also years of valuable research that could have helped treat diseases like cancer.
  3. The devastation from the conflict shows how hard it is to measure the true cost of war. While some numbers can be counted, many personal stories and long-term impacts are much deeper and harder to assess.

Join Me In Supporting the Palestine Action Hunger Strike!

The Chris Hedges Report • 195 implied HN points • 06 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Human Rights Civil Liberties Protests Middle East Political Repression Activism
  1. Demand the Palestine Action hunger strikers be released from jail on bail. Supporters are calling for immediate bail and freedom for those on hunger strike.
  2. Push to repeal laws and acts that criminalize dissent. The campaign argues these laws are used to punish peaceful political protest.
  3. Mobilize public support by sharing information, joining actions, and backing grassroots pressure. Collective public pressure is presented as the way to free the prisoners and defend the right to protest.

Civil War in Sudan

An Africanist Perspective • 1009 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Civil War Conflict resolution Economic Development Identity politics
  1. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are gaining momentum in Sudan's civil war, indicating a shift in power from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). This may lead to increased violence and further fragmentation within the country.
  2. Sudan's long history of identity politics and development policies centered around the riverain core have contributed to the current civil war. The failure to incorporate marginalized groups has led to years of instability and conflict.
  3. The internationalization of the conflict in Sudan involves foreign actors supporting different factions, which complicates efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution. A negotiated settlement that involves power-sharing between military factions and civilian leadership could be the best way forward.

Whether you are a Monarchist or a Republican, you should be concerned about the Coronation crackdown on peaceful protest.

The Free Mind • 1847 implied HN points • 09 May 23
🌍 World Politics Protest Monarchy Freedom
  1. It's important to be concerned about the Coronation crackdown on peaceful protest, regardless of being a Monarchist or a Republican.
  2. Six Republican protestors were arrested and detained without charge for sixteen hours on the day of the Coronation.
  3. Consider subscribing to The Free Mind for more insights and a 7-day free trial of full post archives.

Iran is not Iraq

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 1035 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
🌍 World Politics Iran Geopolitics Middle East International relations Demographics
  1. Iran has a much larger population than Iraq, with almost 90 million people, making it a significant nation in terms of demographic power.
  2. The historical roots of Iran as a nation-state are much deeper than those of Iraq, linking back to ancient civilizations and diverse ethnic groups that continue to shape its culture today.
  3. The future of Iran could see major changes, especially if the current regime collapses, but the nation itself is likely to endure due to its strong historical foundations.

Factory Asia & Trustability Bankruptcy: A Table Suggesting the Race to Be "The Furnace Where the Future is Forged" for the World in the 2000s Is Nearly Over

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 146 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics Trade Supply Chains Economics Industrial Policy Alliances
  1. Global supply chains are tightly agglomerated: big clusters and specialized intermediates lock in advantages so that countries can look self‑sufficient overall while still being vulnerable to single choke points, and China sits at the hub of many of those inputs.
  2. Unpredictable, weaponized tariffs erode trust and allied coordination, pushing partners toward precautionary stockpiles or alternative suppliers instead of collective solutions, which deepens fragmentation and weakens coalitions.
  3. Agglomeration economics and China’s dominant supplier role mean the outcome of the race to be the world’s manufacturing “furnace” is likely set by where clusters already exist, not by slogans about decoupling, and self‑inflicted frictions like Brexit make regions less resilient.

WMD, Part II: CIA "Cooked The Intelligence" To Hide That Russia Favored Clinton, Not Trump In 2016

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 6976 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Intelligence Russia Trump Scandal
  1. The CIA allegedly manipulated intelligence to hide that Russia favored Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
  2. Some CIA analysts believed that Russia had a comfortable relationship with Hillary Clinton, contrary to what was publicly declared.
  3. The intelligence report claiming Russian interference to benefit Trump and harm Clinton was deemed inaccurate and misled the public.

The American Assault on Yemen is Not New

Pen>Sword • 1038 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Yemen Saudi Arabia Humanitarian Crisis War Crimes
  1. The American assault on Yemen is not a recent development, but has roots in a humanitarian crisis preceding the current events in the Red Sea and Yemen.
  2. Yemen gained global attention when it affected commerce, specifically impacting Israeli revenue in the Red Sea, leading to swift American action against the region.
  3. The United States has played a significant role in sustaining the Yemen war through arms sales, military support, and bombings, contributing to a devastating humanitarian crisis with millions at risk of starvation.

Niall Ferguson and Yoav Gallant: Israel Has Done Most of the Job. Only Trump Can Finish It.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1099 implied HN points • 19 Jun 25
🌍 World Politics International relations Military Strategy Foreign Policy Geopolitics Conflict resolution
  1. The authors argue that Israel has made significant progress against Iran's nuclear program, but they believe that U.S. intervention is necessary to finish the job.
  2. The decision to use American air power in foreign conflicts is complicated and comes with strong opinions both for and against it.
  3. Historical examples show that U.S. intervention can lead to positive outcomes, and the authors suggest that not acting could have serious consequences.

Political Genocide

Diane Francis • 1019 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics International relations Human Rights Conflict Studies Geopolitics War Crimes
  1. South Africa accuses Israel of genocide but ignores serious actions by Russia, Iran, and China that also fit the definition of genocide. This suggests a selective focus in addressing global human rights issues.
  2. Israel was attacked by Hamas and retaliated against them, which does not mean they committed genocide. They took steps to protect civilians, which shows they were acting in self-defense.
  3. Labeling a country that is defending itself from genocide as guilty of genocide is legally confusing and not just, according to legal experts. It's important to differentiate between acts of war and acts of genocide.

Africa’s 2023 Year in Review

An Africanist Perspective • 1167 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Africa Climate Economy State Capacity Foreign Investment
  1. Reforms in Nigeria's petroleum sector can have a significant impact on the regional economy.
  2. African countries face challenges in navigating the political economy of energy and climate change, impacting their energy future.
  3. Increased Gulf cash and influence in Africa poses both investment opportunities and risks for African economies.

King Netanyahu

Diane Francis • 819 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Middle East Conflict International relations Governance Human Rights
  1. Tensions are rising in Israel because of its actions in Gaza. Many worry about the impact on civilians and refugee situations.
  2. There is a significant disagreement between Israelis and global opinion on the future peace solution. Most Israelis oppose a two-state solution.
  3. Many Israelis feel disillusioned with Netanyahu's leadership and are leaving the country. Some feel unsafe or unrepresented due to his government’s actions and policies.

Capitol Hillsong

The Pillar • 943 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Religion Germany United States Crime
  1. Advancements in AI technology, like deepfake videos, have the potential to manipulate information and create chaos.
  2. Concerns about the rise of far-right movements in German politics are being raised by the German bishops.
  3. The unauthorized celebration of traditional Latin Masses, marked by transgressive elements, reveals underlying tensions within the Catholic Church.

My latest #ThoughtoftheDayonChina: Taiwan's election matters but not in the way the global media has written; Sadly, Taiwan’s future is not decided by people in Taiwan, but by China and US.

Wang Xiangwei's Thought of the Day on China • 1022 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Taiwan China United States International relations
  1. Taiwan's election outcome may not affect its future as much as China and the US's decisions do.
  2. Taiwan's pro-sovereignty ruling party's victory could escalate tensions between Taiwan, China, and the United States.
  3. Despite the election results, maintaining peace in cross-strait relations depends heavily on Washington and Beijing.

Putting the recent coups in the Sahel in broader perspective

An Africanist Perspective • 1761 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🌍 World Politics Democracy Geopolitics Sovereignty
  1. The recent coups in the Sahel are not just about democratic backsliding, but also reflect state-building failures and shaky sovereignty, with conflicting incentives among various actors
  2. Public support for military intervention in politics in some of these countries indicates frustration with the failures of democracy to deliver, highlighting the need for meaningful change and democratic consolidation
  3. The discourse on self-determination arising from the current crisis presents an opportunity to rethink governance, repair social contracts, and foster local solutions to regional challenges in the Sahel