Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly and threatens to transform politics, economics and societies. Experts weigh in on the opportunities and dangers around AI. Read the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse | bit.ly/4cHEn2G |

The erosion of Israel’s diplomatic and moral standing is increasingly visible in the United States, in almost every European capital —and even among members of the American right, once considered the last bastion of support. Israelis themselves are told to be careful about speaking Hebrew abroad or revealing where they are from. Given that context, it would make sense that Israel’s diplomatic isolation would be a big issue in the general election campaign in the run-up to the vote on 27 October. It is barely being discussed. Read @yaakovkatz's (@Jerusalem_Post) reporting from Israel for @ChathamHouse on Israel's upcoming general election. Article | bit.ly/4h7MfM9 |

As the Arab monarchies re-evaluate their defence models, the Gulf states must recognize that the security essential to their prosperity cannot be achieved by isolating Iran. Iran too must recognize as well that its security depends on a modus vivendi with its Arab neighbours. Above all, Tehran must abandon the illusion that it can expel the United States from the Persian Gulf. The region’s future will depend on whether Washington and Tehran can reach a strategic understanding on the emerging order. Only when Washington and Tehran are at peace in the Persian Gulf can that vital and tortured region be at peace with itself. Read @milanimohsen's (@USouthFlorida) analysis on the impact of the Iran war for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/472PTlP |

The projected increase in biofuel production will require an extra 36 million hectares of agricultural land by 2030 – an area similar to the size of Germany. The growth of biofuels has been slow until now, partly because they are not as sustainable as they may sound. Biofuel production also adds to increasing food insecurity. India is using surplus rice to make biofuel, which is problematic given the risk of global food shortages. This year, the super El Niño weather event causing worldwide droughts – and the fertilizer shortages due to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz – are creating a perfect storm for low crop yield. @patricks_CH (@CH_Environment) discusses the risks around the use of biofuels with @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/3VqhjQn |

In a televised address to the nation in July, Donald Trump reiterated claims about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election and accused China of interfering in America’s electoral system. Many Democrats see this as an attempt to undermine voter confidence in the run-up to the 2026 midterms. Current polling shows that only 58 per cent of Democrats expect a free and fair election in November, down from 81 per cent four years ago. Read the latest analysis by Bruce Stokes (@CH_Americas) on the challenges facing the 2026 US midterms for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday. Article | bit.ly/4A7ojS5 |

The erosion of Israel’s diplomatic and moral standing is increasingly visible in the United States, in almost every European capital —and even among members of the American right, once considered the last bastion of support. Israelis themselves are told to be careful about speaking Hebrew abroad or revealing where they are from. Given that context, it would make sense that Israel’s diplomatic isolation would be a big issue in the general election campaign in the run-up to the vote on 27 October. It is barely being discussed. Read @yaakovkatz's (@Jerusalem_Post) reporting from Israel for @ChathamHouse on Israel's upcoming general election. Article | bit.ly/4h7MfM9 |

Russia's business and financial elites are being squeezed between two sides. International sanctions have cut off the exit once available to the country’s wealthiest, while at home Vladimir Putin has grown more willing to nationalize what remains of the Russian economy. Russia’s business leaders now find themselves at the mercy of an increasingly interventionist Russian state, with few effective levers to influence the terms of the relationship with the Kremlin. Read Natalya Kovaleva's (@CHRussiaEurasia) analysis for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday on the internal tensions over Ukraine within Russia's political elite. Article | bit.ly/46rrp5M |

Xi Jinping’s stated plan is to return China to global preeminence. Xi Jinping believes such preeminence will emerge if China can pull off two major pivots in its global strategy: establish leadership over the Global South — and take control of Taiwan. The two goals are inextricably linked with his ultimate ambition of transforming the international order. Yet as important as it is to understand these goals, it is equally important to grasp Xi Jinping’s approach to foreign policy. Something the United States and other western powers often fail to do. Read the latest analysis by Steve Tsang (@SOAS_CI) on Xi Jinping's worldview and what it means for China's global ambitions for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/4r83SAa |

The erosion of Israel’s diplomatic and moral standing is increasingly visible in the United States, in almost every European capital —and even among members of the American right, once considered the last bastion of support. Israelis themselves are told to be careful about speaking Hebrew abroad or revealing where they are from. Given that context, it would make sense that Israel’s diplomatic isolation would be a big issue in the general election campaign in the run-up to the vote on 27 October. It is barely being discussed. Read @yaakovkatz's (@Jerusalem_Post) reporting from Israel for @ChathamHouse on Israel's upcoming general election. Article | bit.ly/4h7MfM9 |

In a televised address to the nation in July, Donald Trump reiterated claims about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election and accused China of interfering in America’s electoral system. Many Democrats see this as an attempt to undermine voter confidence in the run-up to the 2026 midterms. Current polling shows that only 58 per cent of Democrats expect a free and fair election in November, down from 81 per cent four years ago. Read the latest analysis by Bruce Stokes (@CH_Americas) on the challenges facing the 2026 US midterms for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday. Article | bit.ly/4A7ojS5 |

Were the Trump administration to allege fraud in the 2026 US midterms, compliant local officials could try to seize ballots or voting machines — as was attempted in the 2020 presidential election. Disputing the integrity of the voting process could result in a situation where the outcome of the 2026 midterms is not declared for weeks, leading to lengthy state recounts and appeals. All of which would significantly undermine the ability of the US government to function, particularly if these delays drag into January 2027, when the new US Congress is supposed to take office Read the latest analysis by Bruce Stokes (@CH_Americas) on the challenges facing the 2026 US midterms for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday. Article | bit.ly/4A7ojS5 |

The erosion of Israel’s diplomatic and moral standing is increasingly visible in the United States, in almost every European capital —and even among members of the American right, once considered the last bastion of support. Israelis themselves are told to be careful about speaking Hebrew abroad or revealing where they are from. Given that context, it would make sense that Israel’s diplomatic isolation would be a big issue in the general election campaign in the run-up to the vote on 27 October. It is barely being discussed. Read @yaakovkatz's (@Jerusalem_Post) reporting from Israel for @ChathamHouse on Israel's upcoming general election. Article | bit.ly/4h7MfM9 |

The projected increase in biofuel production will require an extra 36 million hectares of agricultural land by 2030 – an area similar to the size of Germany. The growth of biofuels has been slow until now, partly because they are not as sustainable as they may sound. Biofuel production also adds to increasing food insecurity. India is using surplus rice to make biofuel, which is problematic given the risk of global food shortages. This year, the super El Niño weather event causing worldwide droughts – and the fertilizer shortages due to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz – are creating a perfect storm for low crop yield. @patricks_CH (@CH_Environment) discusses the risks around the use of biofuels with @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/3VqhjQn |

Having turned the Strait of Hormuz into a symbol of resistance against the United States, Iran is unlikely to restore Hormuz to the pre-war status quo that existed on 28 February. Tehran's greatest challenge now will be to avoid overreach when negotiating an arrangement over Hormuz acceptable to the Gulf states and the international community. Such a balancing act is essential, as Gulf monarchies are investing in pipelines to the Red Sea to reduce their dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. Read @milanimohsen's (@USouthFlorida) analysis on the impact of the Iran war for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/472PTlP |

Russia's business and financial elites are being squeezed between two sides. International sanctions have cut off the exit once available to the country’s wealthiest, while at home Vladimir Putin has grown more willing to nationalize what remains of the Russian economy. Russia’s business leaders now find themselves at the mercy of an increasingly interventionist Russian state, with few effective levers to influence the terms of the relationship with the Kremlin. Read Natalya Kovaleva's (@CHRussiaEurasia) analysis for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday on the internal tensions over Ukraine within Russia's political elite. Article | bit.ly/46rrp5M |

The stakes of the 2026 US midterm elections are made higher by Donald Trump's repeated signalling that he may not accept the outcome if Republicans are defeated. Equally troubling are the Trump administration's efforts over recent months to disenfranchise voters in areas of traditional Democratic strength. All of this raises the prospect of a major political crisis erupting in November, which the system of checks and balances in the United States are ill-equipped to manage. Read the latest analysis by Bruce Stokes (@CH_Americas) on the challenges facing the 2026 US midterms for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday. Article | bit.ly/4A7ojS5 |

The erosion of Israel’s standing is increasingly visible in the United States, in almost every European capital and even among parts of the American right, once considered the last bastion of support. Israelis themselves are told to be careful about speaking Hebrew abroad or revealing where they are from. Given that, it would make sense that Israel’s diplomatic isolation would be a big issue in the general election campaign in the run-up to the vote on 27 October. It is barely being discussed. Read @yaakovkatz's (@Jerusalem_Post) latest analysis for @ChathamHouse on Israel's upcoming election. Article | bit.ly/4h7MfM9 |

António Guterres’s restrained approach to the invasion of Ukraine has disappointed many and fuelled debate about how a future UN Secretary General can bring the United Nations back to the centre of the world’s most intractable peace negotiations. Part of that means confronting the UN’s structural problems, above all the gridlock of the Security Council where the five permanent members can veto action, including in Ukraine, where Russia holds a veto over the council’s response to the invasion. @Fillionsteph10 (@EnvoyUNEMAG) writes for the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday on the challenges facing the United Nations and the next UN Secretary General. Article | bit.ly/4hfO61K |

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the scale and character of the ‘shadow fleet’ has changed dramatically. Before the invasion in 2022, around 200 dark ships were believed to be operating. Today estimates put the fleet at more than 1,300 vessels and account for one in every five oil tankers worldwide. Though the majority are linked to Russia, they cannot be easily attributed to any one country because they operate under shell companies with opaque ownership. Policymakers in the West tend to treat the rise in shadow fleet activity as a temporary response from sanctioned countries to get round international embargoes. But as time goes on, the shadow fleet is becoming a formal feature of global trade — supported by its own sources of finance, insurance and military protection. Read Nitya Labh's (@CH_IntSecurity) analysis on the shadow fleet for the latest issue of @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/3ULqZVf |

"Yemen remains one of the least understood countries in the region. When the war broke out in 2015, there were only a handful of international journalists in Sana'a. Between 2001 and 2008, the international conversation was about what Yemen meant to Al-Qaeda. Then it became about Yemen and Iran, and then Yemen and Saudi Arabia – but never a conversation about Yemen itself." @almuslimi (@CH_MENAP) discusses his experience covering Yemen and the Houthis as an analyst during the Arab Spring. Read the full interview in the autumn issue of @TheWorldToday, the international affairs magazine of @ChathamHouse. Article | bit.ly/4hx0Kus |