Nick Graetz

Iran

The Islamic Republic’s Power Centers
Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and domestic calls for reform? A look at the government’s organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is.

by CFR Editors January 9, 2026

Climate Change

Paris to Kyoto: The History of UN Climate Agreements
International efforts, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But experts say countries aren’t doing enough to limit dangerous global warming.

by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong January 9, 2026 Renewing America

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Freedoms: What China Promised and How It’s Cracking Down
Beijing has tightened its grip on Hong Kong in recent years, dimming hopes that the financial center will ever become a full democracy.

by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong December 15, 2025

Top Stories on CFR

United States

Getting Might Right
CFR President Michael Froman analyzes the global implications of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and how Greenland could be the next major test of the viability of the postwar order.

by Michael Froman January 9, 2026

Venezuela

Increasing Venezuela’s Oil Output Will Take Several Years—and Billions of Dollars
President Trump has set his sights on Venezuelan oil, but there are many economic and political obstacles to significantly ramping up the country’s oil production.

by Brad W. Setser January 8, 2026 Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies

United States

Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Should Not Come as a Surprise
In the context of global threats to the United States, a long overdue defense modernization bill, and the ambitions of Trump’s signature defense priorities, perhaps the budget request should have been expected.

by Erin D. Dumbacher, Michael C. Horowitz and Lauren Kahn January 9, 2026