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Four stories to watch out for in 2026

In 2026, the United States will deepen its military competition by deploying the "Golden Dome" defense shield and relying on SpaceX's Starship to maintain orbital dominance amid rising tensions with Russia and China. Domestically, President Trump will challenge central bank independence by nominating a successor to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell who supports lower interest rates, echoing global political pressures on monetary policy. Simultaneously, the nation will grapple with ideological division over its semi-quincentennial as rival commissions organize conflicting celebrations that juxtapose official historical archives with a politicized "America First" agenda, while Las Vegas hosts the controversial Enhanced Games to normalize human performance enhancement.

How will Japan's prime minister change her country?

Noah Sneider, Rosie Blau, Rosie Bloor

Sanae Takaichi has become Japan's first female Prime Minister, marking a strategic rightward pivot for the Liberal Democratic Party that has already fractured its long-standing coalition with Komeito. Her agenda combines aggressive defense spending, a revival of "Abenomics," and strict social conservatism, while navigating delicate tensions with the United States and historical disputes with Asian neighbors. Although her administration aims to address domestic inflation, the survival of her government faces significant uncertainty due to internal party fractures and public skepticism regarding her right-wing populist appeal.

Ground assault: Israeli forces invade Lebanon

Rosie Bloor, Greg Karlstrom, Noah Snyder, Andrew Palmer

Israel has initiated a targeted ground incursion into southern Lebanon to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and facilitate the return of displaced residents, a move supported by the Biden administration only under strict conditions of limited scope. Simultaneously, Japan's political landscape has shifted as Ishiba Shigeru secured the prime ministership through an unprecedented nine-way contest, signaling a pivot toward conservative liberal policies despite facing an unstable coalition. While these geopolitical maneuvers reshape regional stability, separate corporate commentary highlights the detrimental impact of mandatory "sandwich lunches" on workplace efficiency and employee well-being.

Who is Elon Musk and what drives him?

Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson, Jack Ma, Tom Standage

Elon Musk transformed his $180 million PayPal exit into dominant market positions for Tesla, which accelerated the global electric vehicle transition, and SpaceX, which now supplies the majority of global launch capacity. His 2022 $44 billion acquisition of X involved mass layoffs and controversial moderation policies that have sparked geopolitical conflict-of-interest debates regarding his influence on international relations. While critics question the risks posed by his unpredictable leadership style, Musk remains the sole operator of X and the driving force behind his companies' ambitious goals to address existential threats.

The biggest bank heist in history (and why you've never heard of it)

Nicolas Pelham, Hussein Kanbar Agha, Jonathan Beckman, Mustafa Kadhimi, Mohammad Soudani, Thea Jahar-Lafda

In August 2022, a systematic theft of $2.5 billion from the Iraqi General Commission for Taxes was exposed, with the central plotter Noor Zahair bypassing official controls to distribute funds to five shell companies. Although Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi's administration initially arrested Zahair as part of a political maneuver against the pro-Iranian Fatah Alliance, the subsequent government collapse led to Zahair's release and the issuance of arrest warrants for the investigators. The operation exemplifies a broader pattern of grand corruption where the majority of the stolen cash remains missing and is allegedly reinvested into Baghdad's construction boom while key figures evade lasting legal consequences.

The future of war

Tom Standage, Jennifer McArdle

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has established a new warfare paradigm where 20th-century trench dynamics merge with 21st-century drone consumption and Starlink-enabled kill chains to prioritize sensor-to-shooter speed over traditional force concentration. Concurrently, global powers like China and the United States are accelerating artificial intelligence integration and autonomous system deployment, though significant ethical debates persist regarding lethal decision-making authority amidst a projected future of unmanned overhuman dominance. While these technological shifts promise to revolutionize tactical efficiency through cyber warfare and data analytics, experts warn that the fundamental human costs of war remain severe, with complex machinery requiring human operators to sustain logistics and mitigate the psychological trauma of high casualty rates.

Energy crisis: what can 1973 teach us?

Christian Onda, Vijay Vaitheeswaran

The event analyzes the parallels between Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the 1973 oil crisis, highlighting how Western dependence on single suppliers has triggered a severe global energy shortage and humanitarian disparities. It details how current strategies, such as aggressive LNG procurement and coal expansion, are pricing out developing nations and risking long-term climate goals while failing to replicate the US model of self-sufficiency. Experts conclude that without diversifying suppliers and accelerating decarbonization, Europe faces imminent threats of mass casualties and economic instability during the upcoming winter.

Iran protests: can they topple the regime?

A youth-led Iranian protest movement, driven by demonstrators as young as fifteen, has escalated to include acts like public headscarf burning and has endured longer than any previous unrest in the Islamic Republic's history. While the absence of a single leader has prevented the regime from decapitating the movement, analysts argue that establishing a unified coalition and coherent message remains critical for long-term success. The trajectory of the uprising now hinges on whether the loyal security apparatus will eventually defect, as external powers currently prioritize nuclear deals over strategic planning for a potential post-regime transition.

Brazil elections: the enduring threat of Bolsonaro

Bolsonaro, Sarah Maslin

Jair Bolsonaro defied pre-election expectations in Brazil by securing a decisive lead in the presidential race, driven by a mobilized base of evangelical Christians, gun owners, and agribusiness farmers. His administration has significantly relaxed environmental and gun control regulations, consolidating legislative power through a coalition that holds half the lower house while systematically delegitimizing judicial and media institutions. Future stability remains precarious as analysts warn that a potential loss of the election could trigger political violence among armed supporters, mirroring tactics previously seen in the United States.

Why America’s murder rate has spiked

Daniel Knowles

Between 2020 and 2022, the United States experienced a historic surge in homicides that erased decades of progress, driven by record firearm availability, pandemic-induced isolation, and eroded community trust following high-profile police killings. This spike disproportionately impacted Black communities and major cities like Philadelphia and New York, where violence rates climbed significantly despite the broader national trend diverging from global patterns. While violence interruption programs and calls for restored police relations offer potential mitigation strategies, experts warn that without targeted intervention, these elevated murder rates risk becoming a permanent national baseline.

Could Putin really start a nuclear war?

Shashank Joshi

Vladimir Putin has placed Russia's strategic nuclear forces on high alert to deter Western military intervention, a move that Western allies have condemned as reckless yet have chosen not to mirror with reciprocal escalations. While this action signals Russian vulnerability regarding the slower-than-anticipated progress of the Ukrainian campaign, experts assess the risk of deliberate nuclear war as low due to mutual assured destruction, leaving accidental escalation as the primary danger. Consequently, the current geopolitical climate represents the most severe security crisis in a generation, characterized by intense conventional warfare and a critical need to maintain communication channels to prevent unintended conflict.

How economic policy can help the world recover

The panel assesses that while hyperinflation remains improbable, sustained high inflation and supply chain bottlenecks driven by post-stimulus goods demand are reshaping the global economy. Key risks include a potential Chinese slowdown from compounded shocks and persistent labor shortages fueled by shifting worker priorities, whereas recovery inequalities persist due to disparate vaccine access and stimulus timing. Economic stability ultimately hinges on high vaccination rates decoupling health risks from production, alongside strategic policy shifts toward green infrastructure and carbon pricing to address climate goals.

How to keep cool while the world gets hotter

Sarah El-Batouti, Eleni Miravili, Vijay Vaideswaran

Record-breaking heat waves and a growing reliance on fossil-fuel-powered cooling systems are accelerating a dangerous feedback loop, with global air conditioning usage projected to drive emissions up by 90% by 2050 if left unaddressed. To mitigate this crisis, innovators and policymakers are deploying a mix of passive building designs, natural cooling strategies, and urban greening initiatives in cities like Athens and Cairo to reduce temperatures without exacerbating the problem. Successful long-term outcomes depend on scaling affordable, low-energy technologies globally to ensure developing nations can meet cooling demands while avoiding high-end exclusivity and further environmental degradation.

The hidden cost of black hair

The event examines the $4 billion to $9 billion U.S. ethnic hair care market, highlighting severe health risks from unregulated chemicals and historical biases that have long marginalized natural Black hairstyles. It details how Black entrepreneurs, exemplified by Rachel Tumasi-Cawson and Joycelyn Maté, are disrupting this landscape by launching health-focused brands that address specific needs like traction alopecia while navigating a regulatory environment with minimal federal oversight. Furthermore, the discussion tracks the cultural and legislative shifts driving the natural hair movement, including the declining sales of relaxers and the recent passage of "Crown Act" legislation to ban hair discrimination in professional settings.

From 9/11 to covid-19: can New York recover?

Jon Fasman, Mike, Dan Doktoroff, Wellington Chen, Eric Adams

New York City compares its $14 billion pandemic relief to the $20 billion allocated for post-9/11 reconstruction, highlighting severe fiscal gaps that contributed to the permanent closure of over 3,000 small businesses and a $933 million annual tax revenue loss from high-income departures. The crisis disproportionately affected communities like Chinatown through delayed aid and a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes, while housing policies failed to produce affordable units for new workers, exacerbating pre-existing inequality. Incoming mayoral candidate Eric Adams faces the challenge of funding recovery initiatives without massive federal support, aiming to replicate the ambition of the post-9/11 era while rectifying past exclusions of vulnerable populations.