A curated selection of FP’s must-read stories.
Editors' Picks
List of Editors' Picks articles
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U.S. President Donald Trump, right, gestures to Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Washington Might Be Ready to Bargain With Beijing
The United States may be accepting the reality of Chinese power.
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Iranian women watch the Si-o-Se Pol bridge on the Zayandeh River in Isfahan, Iran, on July 13, 2002. The World Keeps Asking Iran the Wrong Question
Even before the Islamic Republic, the country has always wanted the same thing.
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President Trump frowning slightly against a clear blue sky with an American flag out of focus behind him. Iran Could Be Trump’s Greatest Failure
A lot of things have gone horribly wrong—and it’s not over yet.
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Flags of Israel and Somaliland fly alongside each other at the entrance to a fruit farm between the capital city of Hargeisa and Port city of Berbera in Somaliland on February 19. The Gulf’s African Aftershocks
How the Iran war is deepening proxy conflicts around the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.
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Two men in dark suits stand side-by-side in a large, paved outdoor courtyard. The man on the left wears a bright red tie and looks off to the side with a serious expression. The man on the right wears a burgundy tie and has a slight smile. In the background, a large, multi-tiered circular traditional building with a blue roof and ornate details stands under a pale sky. A person in a dark uniform is visible in the far distance to the right. The Trump-Xi Summit Was Remarkably Banal
A more confident China is happy to downplay presidential visits.
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Rubio, Hamadeh, and Issa stand behind Trump's desk in the Oval Office while Trump speaks with his hands clasped on the desk's surface. All three of the standing officials wear smiles of various sizes, and Issa brandishes a hat toward Trump. Trump’s Lebanon Negotiations Are Breaking the Country
Rather than acting as a good-faith mediator, Trump is humiliating the Lebanese government.
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A person on a waterfront promenade holds a long, vibrant red dragon streamer with yellow characters painted on it. In the background, the sun sets behind a dense skyline of modern skyscrapers. There’s No Need to Fear China’s Economy
Beijing can’t easily afford to escalate any economic struggle with Washington.
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Muslim devotees conduct a national flag ceremony at a mosque in Beijing on March 21. Beijing’s Quest for Uniformity May Be Its Achilles’s Heel
Forced assimilation is costing China dearly.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, attend a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. What Happened to Trump the China Hawk?
The U.S. president heads to Beijing in detente and dealmaking mode.
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Two men walk on a sidewalk as they pass by a mostly-completed midrise building with shiny windows. Large posters and signage with writing in Chinese stand in front of the complex, describing the project. A man heading toward the building pulls a wheelbarrow behind him. China’s Rare-Earth Card Looms Over Trump-Xi Summit
For all of the U.S. leader’s efforts, Washington remains deeply vulnerable.
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Members of the public make their way past trucks and tractors as fuel protesters block O’Connell Street in Dublin on April 11. Iran War Chokes ‘Major Driver’ of Global Economy
The Hormuz crisis is hitting diesel even harder than crude.
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An oil tanker unloads imported crude oil in Qingdao, China. China’s Malacca Dilemma, After Hormuz
Western-dominated insurance premiums can choke off Beijing’s oil supplies more effectively than warships can.
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Trump, in a black overcoat and red tie, is seen from above as he speaks into a boom mic, while Mullin stands behind him with hands clasped. At the top of the image one can see the feet of spectators standing in a line, letting in beams of sunlight through the gaps between their legs. Trump’s Tariffs Just Got Struck Down in Court—Again
Courts keep taking a skeptical view of the executive branch’s overreach.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Cai Qi applaud at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Who Is Xi’s Real No. 2?
The Chinese leader isn’t willing to give anybody else power.
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Putin attends a conference in Moscow Vladimir Putin Is Much Weaker Than You Think
Used to outwitting his enemies, the Russian leader is running out of room for maneuver.
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