World – Views & Research – The Conversation

A Paris street full of protesters carryng banners

French student protests: comparisons with 1968 will only serve the political extremes

David Lees, University of Warwick

Friedrich Merz and Andy Burnham observe a military ceremony in Berlin.

When Burnham went to Berlin: Germany the key to future UK-EU relationship

Ed Turner, Aston University; Carolyn Rowe, Aston University, and Tobias Hofelich, Aston University

Protesters hold up signs as they are confronted by police.

School protests focus attention on the chequered history of public order policing in France

Oliver Davis, University College Cork

A woman stands at the side of the road and covers her moouth with her hand as she cries. There are soldiers in the background.

One in three Ukrainian civilians estimated to meet the criteria for PTSD or complex PTSD – new study

Gwendolyn Sasse, Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS); University of Oxford and Deirdre MacManus, King's College London

Prosecution of Kosovan leader Hashim Thaçi illustrates the challenges of bringing war criminals to justice

Birte Julia Gippert, University of Liverpool and Theresa Squatrito, London School of Economics and Political Science

Protesers wave Kosovan flags in front of a billboard protesting the innocence of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi

Israel’s political rivals play the blame game as country marks years since October 7

Leonie Fleischmann, City St George's, University of London

A young man in military uniform in a field surrounded by memorials to other young people.

How military exercises help the UK and its allies prepare for a future war

Steven Paget, Anglia Ruskin University

A large group of North Korean supporters cheer on their side from the stands during a football match.

How geopolitical tensions tainted the 2026 Asian Games

Jung Woo Lee, University of Edinburgh

Russia is using Ukraine’s children to win its occupation – and the wider war

Vladyslav Havrylov, King's College London

A child wrapped in a Ukrainian flag in a damaged building.

Why Europe wants to boost its Arctic presence

Klaus Dodds, RAND Europe; Middlesex University

A German soldier points a machine gun out to sea from a boat off the coast of Norway.

Smoke and flames after a Ukrainian drone strike on a Moscow oil refinery, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.

US attempts to control Ukraine’s attacks on Russia reflect a fundamental strategic disconnect

David J. Galbreath, University of Bath

Aleksandar Vučić addresses a crowd of supporters in Belgrade.

Serbia’s president has resigned – but intends to remain in control

Eric Gordy, UCL

A container ship at a Red Sea port in Sudan.

Yemen’s Houthis move to control crucial waterway – our research maps the countries most at risk

Johannes Lumma, University of Oxford and Jasper Verschuur, Delft University of Technology

Friedrich Merz looks dejected as he addresses the media following regional election defeats.

Two more election defeats pile pressure on German chancellor Friedrich Merz

Ed Turner, Aston University

UN secretary-general, António Guterres, at the speakers' podium in the UN general assembly meeting, September 22 2026.

UN chief says world’s biggest problem is the changing way power is used – Donald Trump’s speech confirms his diagnosis

Martin Waehlisch, University of Birmingham and Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham

How the emojis and fashion choices of Germany’s far-right supporters get around the ban on Nazi symbolism

Tom Birkett, University College Cork; Felix Lummer, University College Cork, and Timothy Liam Waters, University College Cork

A Russian soldier watches as people cast their votes in a Russian-controlled part of the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.

No surprise as Putin’s party wins election billed as ‘referendum’ on war in Ukraine

Jennifer Mathers, Aberystwyth University

A French soldier operating a howitzer in Lithiuania, September 16 2026.

Nato is concerned about the threat from Russia. But it isn’t panicking – yet

Simon J Smith, Royal Danish Defence College and David J. Galbreath, University of Bath

What might Canada’s EU ‘associate membership’ look like, and is it even a possibility?

Kenneth Armstrong, University of Cambridge

Mark Carney delivers a speech in front an EU flag.

Iran’s threat to cut undersea cables in Strait of Hormuz poses a serious threat to Gulf states

John Aitken, RAND Europe

A magnifying glass over a real-time digital read-out of traffic in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

Canadian PM, Mark Carney, speaks at a podium with his audience in the background.

Mark Carney: a master of statecraft in an era short of great orators

Mark Shanahan, University of Surrey

A Houthi rebel fighter with a machine gun on a pick-up truck. Another walks past the truck, Sana'a September 12 2026.

Houthi rebels’ control of Red Sea oil chokepoint exposes deep divisions in Brics

Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham

Why Yemen has returned to conflict

Vincent Durac, University College Dublin

A Houthi fighter carries a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

Houthi offensive in Yemen adds to fear that Iran war could escalate into a wider global conflict

Simon Mabon, Lancaster University

Armed Houthi fighters sit and stand on a jeep.

Houthi rebel offensive fuels fears of escalation in the Middle East and Europe

Jonathan Este, The Conversation

A line of Houthi fighters in combat uniforms march down a street with their right arms raised in clench fist salute. A young boy walks beside them.

Israeli soldiers guard property taken over by Israeli settlers, August 2026.

‘Blood olives’: the hurdles in enforcing UK’s ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements

Sarah Schiffling, Hanken School of Economics; Claire Hannibal, Robert Gordon University, and Rosanna Cole, University of Surrey

The UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband speaks in the House of COmmons, September 8 2026. Prime minister Andy Burnham is in the background.

UK plan to sanction Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements is a historic shift in tone and policy

Mohamed Ibrahim Hafez, Nottingham Trent University

Claudia Wittig speaks in a television interview alongside Alice Weidel.

Why a small leftist party may help the radical right to power in Germany

Sarah Wagner, Queen's University Belfast

Germany: why the AfD won in Saxony-Anhalt – and what happens next

Ed Turner, Aston University

People react to exit polls during the far-right Alternative for Germany election party.

Is Germany’s far right AfD about to take over a state government for the first time?

Ed Turner, Aston University

Ulrich Siegmund waves to a crowd from a stage while holding a microphone to his mouth.

Nepal floods: Khalte residents knew the river could take their camp – and then it did

Heaven Crawley, Coventry University

A woman looks into a valley in Nepal that has been severely damaged by flooding.

Nepal floods: China’s strict control of Tibet makes it harder to prepare for Himalayan disasters

Dibyesh Anand, University of Westminster

Extensive flooding damage in the village Devighat in Nepal.

Nepal’s devastating floods reveal the danger of ‘cascading hazards’ in Himalayas

Daniel Parsons, Loughborough University

Nepal-Tibet disaster linked to climate change – a glaciologist explains

Jonathan Bamber, University of Bristol

Aerial view over the Trishuli River following a massive flash flood triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock.

A man walks pas an anti-American billboard in Tehran, depicting US president Donald Trump drowning.

Latest sanctions on Iran risk strengthening Tehran and undermining US credibility

Bamo Nouri, City St George's, University of London and Inderjeet Parmar, City St George's, University of London

Displaced Palestinians walk among destroyed buildings in a neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Why Gaza peace deals keep unravelling

Adam Farquhar, University of Edinburgh

Banning the opposition, going on a listening tour: Putin’s worried about the coming election

Jennifer Mathers, Aberystwyth University

Vladimiar Putin with his left hand against his brow.

UK-Ukraine drone partnership risks Putin’s wrath but will boost long-term security

Arun Dawson, King's College London

UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, and Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, with Ukrainian military personnel at a UK naval base inspecting a drone.

We investigated Russia’s military indoctrination of Ukrainian children in occupied territories – what we found was more shocking than we could have imagined

Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham; Elīna Šteinerte, University of Bristol, and Hervé Ascensio, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

A crowd of Palestinian people stanbd in the street in the aftermath of an airstrike.

How Israeli conduct in the West Bank could derail Donald Trump’s latest peace plan for Gaza

Julie M. Norman, UCL

India and Pakistan’s 79-year rivalry has made the dangerous move into space

M Waqas Haider, Lancaster University

Pakistani and Indian soldiers wearing ceremonial uniforms kick their legs high.

Donald Trump has made US$2.2 billion in his second term. How does that stack up against other US presidents?

Benjamin Quail, Queen's University Belfast

Donald Trump on a big screen at the New York Stock Exchange next to the stock exchange bell.

Dash for Ceuta adds heat to Europe’s migration debate

Jonathan Este, The Conversation

Editor's newsletter

A large crowd of people at the border between Spain and Morocco at the enclave of Ceuta.

Ukrainians protest against the dismissal of the country's defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, in Kyiv.

Ukraine’s defence shake-up exposes rift in Zelensky’s inner circle

Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham

Ukraine war: inside the longstanding conflict between politicians and military commanders

Sarah Whitmore, Oxford Brookes University and Bettina Renz, University of Nottingham

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,shakes hands with the new Commander in Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi

Putin under pressure but history tells us most Russian leaders die with their boots on

Bo Petersson, Malmö University

Head and shoulders shot of Vladimir Putin sitting at a desk with imperial Russian flag in the background.

Ukraine: bad week on the home front for Volodymyr Zelensky

Jonathan Este, The Conversation

Editor's newsletter

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, places his hand on his heart during a press conference, July 23 2026.

Ukraine war: Belarus’s highwire act teeters under Russian pressure

Paul Hansbury, University of Warwick

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko talking on a sofa.

A pro-regime demonstration on May 6 in Tehran.

Iran war has become a lesson in how power really works

Bamo Nouri, City St George's, University of London and Inderjeet Parmar, City St George's, University of London

China has played a key role in the Iran war – and will continue to do so

Tom Harper, University of East London

Wang Yi holds talks with Abbas Araghchi in Beijing.

How Pakistan became the primary mediator between the US and Iran

Natasha Lindstaedt, University of Essex

A man walks next to a billboard reading 'Islamabad talks'.

Iran war has shown the limits of US power

Jonathan Este, The Conversation

Editor's newsletter

Donald Trump in the Mar a Lago situation room overseeing the launch of Operation Epic Fury, February 28.

Get our weekly roundup of the big stories affecting international relations and global stability.

Subscribe to World Affairs Briefing

World – Views & Research – The Conversation

Top stories

French student protests: comparisons with 1968 will only serve the political extremes

When Burnham went to Berlin: Germany the key to future UK-EU relationship

School protests focus attention on the chequered history of public order policing in France

One in three Ukrainian civilians estimated to meet the criteria for PTSD or complex PTSD – new study

Prosecution of Kosovan leader Hashim Thaçi illustrates the challenges of bringing war criminals to justice

Israel’s political rivals play the blame game as country marks years since October 7

How military exercises help the UK and its allies prepare for a future war

How geopolitical tensions tainted the 2026 Asian Games

Russia is using Ukraine’s children to win its occupation – and the wider war

Why Europe wants to boost its Arctic presence

US attempts to control Ukraine’s attacks on Russia reflect a fundamental strategic disconnect

Serbia’s president has resigned – but intends to remain in control

Yemen’s Houthis move to control crucial waterway – our research maps the countries most at risk

Two more election defeats pile pressure on German chancellor Friedrich Merz

UN chief says world’s biggest problem is the changing way power is used – Donald Trump’s speech confirms his diagnosis

How the emojis and fashion choices of Germany’s far-right supporters get around the ban on Nazi symbolism

No surprise as Putin’s party wins election billed as ‘referendum’ on war in Ukraine

Nato is concerned about the threat from Russia. But it isn’t panicking – yet

What might Canada’s EU ‘associate membership’ look like, and is it even a possibility?

Iran’s threat to cut undersea cables in Strait of Hormuz poses a serious threat to Gulf states

Mark Carney: a master of statecraft in an era short of great orators

Houthi rebels’ control of Red Sea oil chokepoint exposes deep divisions in Brics

Why Yemen has returned to conflict

Houthi offensive in Yemen adds to fear that Iran war could escalate into a wider global conflict

Houthi rebel offensive fuels fears of escalation in the Middle East and Europe

‘Blood olives’: the hurdles in enforcing UK’s ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements

UK plan to sanction Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements is a historic shift in tone and policy

Why a small leftist party may help the radical right to power in Germany

Germany: why the AfD won in Saxony-Anhalt – and what happens next

Is Germany’s far right AfD about to take over a state government for the first time?

Nepal floods: Khalte residents knew the river could take their camp – and then it did

Nepal floods: China’s strict control of Tibet makes it harder to prepare for Himalayan disasters

Nepal’s devastating floods reveal the danger of ‘cascading hazards’ in Himalayas

Nepal-Tibet disaster linked to climate change – a glaciologist explains

Latest sanctions on Iran risk strengthening Tehran and undermining US credibility

Why Gaza peace deals keep unravelling

Banning the opposition, going on a listening tour: Putin’s worried about the coming election

UK-Ukraine drone partnership risks Putin’s wrath but will boost long-term security

We investigated Russia’s military indoctrination of Ukrainian children in occupied territories – what we found was more shocking than we could have imagined

How Israeli conduct in the West Bank could derail Donald Trump’s latest peace plan for Gaza

India and Pakistan’s 79-year rivalry has made the dangerous move into space

Donald Trump has made US$2.2 billion in his second term. How does that stack up against other US presidents?

Dash for Ceuta adds heat to Europe’s migration debate

Ukraine’s defence shake-up exposes rift in Zelensky’s inner circle

Ukraine war: inside the longstanding conflict between politicians and military commanders

Putin under pressure but history tells us most Russian leaders die with their boots on

Ukraine: bad week on the home front for Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukraine war: Belarus’s highwire act teeters under Russian pressure

Iran war has become a lesson in how power really works

China has played a key role in the Iran war – and will continue to do so

How Pakistan became the primary mediator between the US and Iran

Iran war has shown the limits of US power

Get our weekly roundup of the big stories affecting international relations and global stability.

Most read this week

Russia is using Ukraine’s children to win its occupation – and the wider war

Russia’s new jet-powered drones mark latest evolution in air war above Ukraine

French student protests: comparisons with 1968 will only serve the political extremes

One in three Ukrainian civilians estimated to meet the criteria for PTSD or complex PTSD – new study

Prosecution of Kosovan leader Hashim Thaçi illustrates the challenges of bringing war criminals to justice

Daily doses of ‘digital ibuprofen’: how burnt-out Chinese youth soothe their anxieties