In our final episode of 2024, we’ll dig into the stories that are not only dominating the headlines this week but also will command attention well into 2025. First, how is the Syrian revolution already reshaping the Middle East and how will it affect the balance of power in the region? Then, European leaders, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte, gathered in Brussels this week ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration to discuss support for Ukraine. What do Trump, Europe, and Zelensky want? Finally, we’ll wrap up by addressing President Trump's renewed hostility toward the press and examine what it might mean for press freedom during his second term. Steven Erlanger, Bobby Ghosh, and Carla Anne Robbins join Ivo Daalder to discuss the week's top news stories on World Review.

This week we saw the end of one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships with the swift and unexpected fall of the Assad Regime in Syria. The Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former Al Qaeda affiliate that broke with the group years ago, has formed a transitional government that is pledging inclusivity while emphasizing accountability for former regime abuses. Meanwhile, Israel launched extensive airstrikes targeting military assets, while Turkey clashed with US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. And in the midst of a presidential transition, the US seems solely focused on combating an ISIS resurgence. Matt Kaminski, Catherine Philp, and Gideon Rachman join Ivo Daalder to discuss what may happen in Syria, what it means for the region, and the impact on the US, Russia, Iran, and other outside powers. They’ll also dig into what’s happening in Romania. After first-round elections were annulled last week amid alleged Russian interference, Romanian pro-European parties have now agreed to form coalition government and could run a single candidate next year.

Political chaos reigned this week as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared and then lifted martial law within hours amid public outrage, parliamentary backlash, and mounting calls for his impeachment. Meanwhile, France’s political upheaval came with the passing of a no-confidence measure against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet on Wednesday, leaving the government in caretaker mode without an approved budget. And in a swift offensive that exploited regional instability and the weakened state of Assad’s allies, Syrian rebels captured Aleppo and then advanced on Hama. David Luhnow, Anna Sauerbrey, and Peter Spiegel join Ivo Daalder to unpack these stories and more on this week’s World Review.

This week marked the 1,000 day of the Ukraine War. We'll unpack recent developments, including Ukraine's use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory for the first time, intensified Russian attacks near Kurakhove, the pause in operations at the US embassy in Kyiv, and Russia's updated nuclear deterrence doctrine. Then world leaders met this week in Azerbaijan for the UN Climate Summit, Peru for the APEC Summit, and in Brazil for the G20. How did Trump's victory affect the dynamics of these meetings, with Biden already fading into the background and Xi being front and center? We'll also talk about Trump's pick of RFK for US health secretary and the possible impact on global health and pandemic prevention. Stefanie Bolzen, Prashant Rao, and Andrew Roth join Ivo Daalder to discuss these topics and more on this week's World Review.

This week, we’ll analyze what Donald Trump’s early picks for key positions reveal about his approaches to foreign policy, national security, and international economic policy. We’ll explore who may benefit from his return to office—including potential gains for Russia, Israel, Gulf states, and the Global South—as well as those who may face setbacks, such as Ukraine and US allies in Europe and Asia. Will China suffer economic upheaval or take advantage of political opportunities? Finally, we’ll examine how Trump’s top issue of immigration and his promises of a closed border and mass deportations might undercut his other policy goals, especially related to the economy. Bobby Ghosh, Nahal Toosi, and Giles Whittell join Ivo Daalder for timely analysis of the strategic shifts that may be taking shape with Trump’s picks for top roles.

This week, Americans overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump to become the 47th president of the United States. While the polls predicted a tight race, they underestimated Trump's support, and he soared back to the White House along with large Republican gains in the House and Senate. Susan Glasser, James Harding, and Peter Speigel join World Review with Ivo Daalder to discuss the implications of Trump’s victory for the US and the world. How did Trump break the 'blue wall' and defeat Kamala Harris by such a large difference? Then, a look at the impact of Trump’s victory on the world, what to expect from his foreign and economic policies, and how the rest of the world is reacting and adaptin

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party faced a major setback in Sunday's snap elections after failing to obtain a majority of seats in the Lower House for the first time in 15 years. How will this shocking parliamentary loss affect the long-standing party, and what will it mean for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s future? Then, aid entering Gaza is at its lowest since the start of the war, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. Plus, North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to the Kursk region of Russia. As they prepare to fight against Ukraine, what does this deployment mean for geopolitics? And what does North Korea get out of joining Russia in the war? Yasmeen Abutaleb, Ken Moriyasu, and Anton La Guardia join World Review with Ivo Daalder to dive into these issues.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, architect of the October 7 attack, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza earlier this week. How will Hamas respond, and how will this affect the war and its eventual end? Then, President Joe Biden is expected to visit Germany this week and Angola later this year (his first visit to Africa as president). In what are seen as farewell trips, President Biden will discuss conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and alliances and partnerships with President João Lourenço. Plus, what are Canada and India feuding over? Ravi Agrawal, Steven Erlanger, and Carla Anne Robbins join World Review with Ivo Daalder to analyze these issues.