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How the Kem Ley Assassination Changed Cambodian Politics
A decade on from one of the country’s highest-profile political killings, democracy remains a dream rather than reality.
Burkina Faso cuts diplomatic ties with former colonial ruler France
The military government, in power since 2022 coup, accused France of having 'neo-colonial ambitions'.
Rubio’s spin on the Iran MOU sounds different from Trump and Vance
For more than a week, America’s top diplomat was conspicuously quiet about something that would have seemed very much in his wheelhouse: a nascent agreement with Iran. But now Secretary of State Marco Rubio is speaking.
Jon Stewart blames JD Vance's Iran negotiations failure on a nose-picking incident: 'Classic diplomatic faux pas'
'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart blames the failure of Vice President JD Vance's Iran negotiations on a nose-picking incident seen in viral video: 'Classic diplomatic faux pas.'
Trump and Italy's Giorgia Meloni used to be buds. But a rift is widening
"Italy and I do not beg," Meloni said in a video rebuke posted on social media Friday. Italy's top diplomat, meanwhile, said he was cancelling a visit to the U.S because of the alleged remarks.
Italy's Meloni pushes back on Trump's 'fabricated' claim as top diplomat cancels U.S. trip
ROME (AP) — The Italian government closed ranks on Friday to slam U.S. President Donald Trump over his claim that Premier Giorgia Meloni had “begged” for a photo with him during the recent G7 summit, a pushback that suggested the longtime U.S. ally had had enough of Trump’s boasting. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly cancelled a planned trip to the United States this weekend, calling Trump’s claims “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and all
Italian foreign minister cancels trip to US over Trump’s comments about Meloni
US President Donald Trump’s comments to an Italian media outlet about the country’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have sparked a fresh diplomatic incident.
Does the G7 still matter?
Top-nation summit has ‘lost much of its relevance’ in Donald Trump’s world, say diplomats ahead of annual gathering in Évian-les-Bains
Scientists Can Now Measure Climate Change’s Role in Coastal Flooding
This article was originally published on The Science Diplomat. For decades, scientists have warned that rising seas would increase the risk of coastal flooding. What has been harder to determine [...]
How Sergio Gor Is Transforming the Role of U.S. Ambassador in the Trump Era
From his post in New Delhi, Mr. Gor has become a force in U.S. foreign policy, chasing business deals and stunning diplomats by reversing a long-planned embassy building project.
Gabbard rescinds Biden-era intel assessments that were skeptical about ‘Havana Syndrome’
In what is expected to be among her final acts as the nation’s top spymaster, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has rescinded a pair of Biden-era intelligence assessments that took a skeptical position on the existence of a mysterious ailment known as “Havana Syndrome” that has sickened spies, diplomats and other officials overseas.
Loyal Liberals
Loyal Liberals have broadly progressive political values across many issue areas and a strong allegiance to the Democratic Party. Highly educated and relatively secure economically, they are strong supporters of the United States’ traditional diplomatic alliances. Loyal Liberals are one of nine groups in Pew Research Center’s 2026 Political Typology. To learn more about the […]
The 2026 World Cup: Sports and Conflict
As the United States prepares to co-host the largest World Cup ever played, the link between sports and politics is no less relevant than it was during the Cold War. But can it create diplomatic opportunities or even peace breakthroughs?
U.S. warns Europe to step up Ebola screening ahead of World Cup
A State Department cable this week instructed U.S. diplomats to warn European countries of possible consequences if they fail to adopt the Trump administration’s Ebola precautions.
World Ocean Assessment highlights urgent need for science and global action
In the wood-panelled rooms of New York’s storied Explorers Club, where portraits of pioneering adventurers line the walls, diplomats, scientists and ocean advocates gathered on Tuesday evening with a shared sense of urgency – and anticipation.
Oil prices rise as new Middle East hostilities flare and talks stall
Oil prices climbed more than 1% in early trade on Wednesday as hostilities in the Middle East erupted anew with Iran firing missiles at Kuwait and Bahrain, while diplomatic talks between Iran and the United States showed little progress.
The Politics Behind Taiwan’s Soft Power
“Taiwan Travelogue” and its Booker Prize win highlight the nuances – and controversies – of contemporary culture in Taiwan.
The Latest: Rubio testifies before Congress for the first time since the start of the Iran war
Secretary of State Marco Rubio faces a litany of questions Tuesday about the Trump administration’s fragile or stalling diplomatic efforts around the world
Netflix's 'The Diplomat' creator on character she couldn't kill off
In an essay for The Envelope, Debora Cahn explains why a 'baller move' she planned for 'The Diplomat' turned out to be the wrong one — and how she changed course.
Three Big Political Story Lines to Watch This Week
Plus, President Trump widened his diplomatic sights, seeking an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the broader Middle East, in addition to an Iran deal.
Silicon Valley takes its AI pitch to Pope Leo
As Leo XIV prepares his first encyclical, tech firms and Western diplomats have worked to make their case for AI inside the Vatican.
China Politics
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, center, looks on as diplomats and staff members gather for an official group photo following the presentation ceremony for the ministry's Outstanding Diplomat Medal in
China Politics
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives alongside foreign diplomats for the presentation ceremony of the ministry's Outstanding Diplomat Medal in Beijing, China, Monday, May 18, 2026. (Maxim Shemetov/Pool Photo via
As global crises multiply, scores of US diplomats say they have been forced out
Amid ongoing foreign policy crises around the globe and as the Trump administration struggles to reach a deal to end the war with Iran, the State Department last week finalized the firings of nearly 250 foreign service officers in a brief, impersonal email.
Trump returns from China with no Iran breakthrough — and a decision to make
As Donald Trump grew increasingly frustrated with diplomatic efforts to end the war with Iran, administration officials were closely watching whether the president’s trip to China — a nation with close ties to Tehran — would yield a significant breakthrough.
Prosecutors aim to strip U.S. citizenship from diplomat-turned-spy
The Trump administration moved this week to denaturalize 11 other people accused of crimes, including child sexual abuse and providing material support to terrorists.
Science diplomacy lessons from a North Korean volcano
Mount Paektu, a mythic, active volcano on the border between North Korea and China, is almost the epitome of a scientific challenge that crosses political lines. In 946 CE, it erupted in one of the five biggest volcanic events of the past 10,000 years, kicking up huge quantities of ash and sending destructive mud flows down river channels for hundreds of kilometres. Should this happen again, the entire region, including easternmost Russia, South Korea and even Japan could be hit. “It’s definitely got the potential to be big,” said James Hammond, a professor of geophysics at Birkbeck, University of London. An eruption on the scale of 946 would have “huge regional impact.” For the past 15 years, Hammond has helped lead a groundbreaking collaboration with North Korean scientists to study the volcano, navigating scientific sanctions, tough export controls on scientific equipment and a long, pandemic-enforced exodus from the country. Although he seems more at home on far-flung research expeditions – before speaking to Science|Business, Hammond was camping out on a Greenland ice sheet – he has also advised the European Commission on its changing science diplomacy strategy. His long experience with North Korea has made Hammond sceptical of blanket bans on science collaboration, no matter the country.This is a live question in Europe, where in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, institutional ties with Russian universities were almost entirely severed, although some scientists fear this could undermine our understanding of climate change’s impact on the Arctic. Here, Hammond tells the story of the Mount Paektu mission and the policy lessons he takes from it. Ominous rumblingsThe genesis of Hammond’s collaboration came in 2002, when Mount Paektu began to rumble ominously. Earthquake activity picked up and the volcano began to emit unusual gases. North Korean scientists took notice. “People felt we need to know more about this volcano,” said Hammond. In 2011, North Korean vulcanologists put out a request for international expertise to help them learn more. At the time, Hammond and his collaborator, Clive Oppenheimer, were working on a vulcanology project in another sanctioned country, Eritrea, and so decided to answer the call. Within a month, they had flown into Pyongyang. “It was pretty incredible,” recalls Hammond (left). “We were made to feel like honoured guests, and invited to official celebrations.” The scientific opportunity was huge. Paektu is unusually positioned, a thousand kilometres from where tectonic plates rub against each other in the Pacific. “It was an incredibly interesting volcano, but not much research had been done, at least not in the international community,” he said. “There was so much we felt we could do. And we had these partners that were super keen to engage.”The mission received an unusual visitor in the form of volcano-obsessed filmmaker Werner Herzog, who accompanied Hammond and Oppenheimer while directing his 2016 film Into the Inferno about volcanos across the world. Four days into the trip, the German director delivered a long speech about reunification to his North Korean hosts, recalls Hammond. “He got to the heart of the Koreans and how they felt, and how they thought, in a way that I'm not sure I ever will,” he said. UN sanctionsHowever, Hammond realised he’d been “naïve” about how difficult it would be to collaborate with North Korea, which was sanctioned far more heavily than Eritrea. “We didn’t fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature of restrictions,” he said. In 2016, as tensions escalated over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests, a United Nations resolution banned all joint scientific work with North Korea. However, the UN sanctions did allow countries to request carve outs, and the UK successfully requested an exemption for Hammond’s work. Related articlesEU pushes for joint science diplomacy, but care needed to avoid gridlock, experts sayRussia severs its last ties with German scienceAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateExport controls have also delayed Hammond’s work. In one case, it took 18 months to get approval from the UK government to take seismometers, which measure earthquakes, to North Korea. “It was frustrating,” he said. “But they didn’t just say no.” However, one instrument, called an induction coil, used to measure how the earth conducts electricity, was blocked entirely because it can in theory be used to detect submarines. Karaoke bondingSince the collaboration started in 2011, Hammond has visited the country around 15 times, although the pandemic closed off North Korea for more than five years. A trip last November was Hammond’s first since the outbreak. Despite this lengthy interlude, Hammond has deep bonds in the country. The North Korean scientists Hammond works with are somewhat isolated, as they struggle to access the latest research papers and travel to international conferences. That said, they are “excellent geophysicists” and are “very well trained in the field,” he said. Over karaoke and chats about their families, “we’ve made friendships, for sure,” he said. The authorities have to sign-off things like the placement of seismometers, for example, but Hammond said these requests have been approved. “Everything that we've asked for within a scientific context has been delivered.”Scientific backchannels? These kind of personal links between scientists across political lines are one purported benefit of science diplomacy. During the Cold War, some historians argue, scientific contact between the US and Soviet Union laid a groundwork of trust for other cooperation, such as on arms control. Hammond agrees that backchannel contacts to North Korean geophysicists are hardly likely to defuse a military crisis on the Korean peninsula, but the simple fact of the scientific collaboration makes contacts between diplomats that little bit easier. “It creates opportunities to understand each other a little bit better,” he said. “When maybe you have those more difficult discussions as diplomats, it's coming from a slightly better place.” Cutting tiesDrawing lessons from the Mount Paektu mission for today’s links with Russian science isn’t simple. The analogy is far from exact, Hammond said, “because one is essentially a Cold War, versus a pretty hot war in the case of Russia.” But Hammond’s broader argument is that the challenges we face, such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, pollution and so on, have globalised in an unprecedented way, making blanket shutdowns in collaboration with any country unwise.He’s somewhat critical of the UN scientific sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2016, even though they did allow for exceptions. “I think a blanket halt to some of these things, when we face big global challenges [. . .] that’s quite a risky thing to do,” he said.Institutional endorsement?European academics are still by and large free to work individually with Russian counterparts. However, official, institutional partnerships have largely ended. Shortly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian university rectors wrote a public letter endorsing the war, meaning European universities fear official collaboration could also be seen as a kind of endorsement. Hammond acknowledges there is a risk of legitimising regimes, and state-controlled universities, through scientific cooperation. “That’s the trade off you have to make,” he said. Strategic projectsWith Russia, instead of giving a green light to restart all Arctic science, a middle ground might be firing up a few carefully selected “strategic” projects, said Hammond. After all, European countries are still collaborating with Russia on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, an experimental nuclear fusion plant in the south of France. However, even if Europe did try to revive Arctic science with Russia, there’s no guarantee Russian scientists would play ball. A series of high-profile arrests of physicists in Russia accused of sharing their findings with the outside world has made collaboration fraught. Even before the invasion of 2022, “the Russian regime made it increasingly difficult, and this sort of discouraged people,” Dag Rune Olsen, rector of the Arctic University of Norway, told Science|Business last year.
Rubio’s Rome mission balances diplomacy and Republican politics
As global affairs expert Ian Lesser argues, Marco Rubio’s visit to Rome is unlikely to fully repair recent tensions between Washington, Italy and the Vatican, but it could still help ease the political climate. According to Lesser, Rubio embodies a more diplomatic and moderate Republican voice, yet remains constrained by the broader posture of the [...]
China says ties with US remain stable ahead of Trump visit despite ‘disruptions’
China's top diplomat says ties with the U.S. remain generally stable despite many challenges | Talk Radio 1210 WPHT
China says ties with US remain stable ahead of Trump visit despite ‘disruptions’
China's top diplomat says ties with the U.S. remain generally stable despite many challenges | News-Talk 1380 WAOK
Rubio to meet with Pope Leo in Vatican City amid tensions with Trump
The State Department said Monday that Rubio, a Catholic who with this trip will have visited Italy or the Vatican at least three times as the Republican president's top diplomat, would be in Italy on Thursday and Friday.
Zambia blasts the US over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zambia is accusing the United States of tying a $2 billion deal for critical health assistance to access to the southern African nation's rich mineral assets, and calling the outgoing U.S. ambassador's allegations of corruption “mischievous” and “undiplomatic."
Trump Says Israel and Lebanon Agree to Extend Cease-Fire by Three Weeks
The president made the announcement after he hosted a meeting at the White House of Israeli and Lebanese diplomats.
Fired former official says he felt political pressure to approve Mandelson as U.S. ambassador
The testimony by former Foreign Office head Olly Robbins turns up the heat on Starmer, who is facing calls to resign over the appointment of a scandal-tainted former politician and friend of Jeffrey Epstein to one of the U.K.’s most important diplomatic posts.
Trump envoy faces 'sweeping' investigation over business ties, diplomatic role
Democratic U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin launched what he described as a "sweeping" investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, over a potential conflict of interest, according to an April 17 press release. The inquiry focuses on Kushner's dual role as a diplomatic intermediary and head of a private equity firm, raising questions about whether his financial ties could influence U.S. foreign policy decisions. Kushner has played a central role in Trum
US and Cuban officials met recently in Havana amid new diplomatic push
An American delegation has met recently with Cuban government officials in the island nation | WWJ Newsradio 950
What does Israel want in Lebanon?
Despite diplomatic talks in Washington, ‘significant hurdles remain’ in dealing with the ‘distorted reality’ of Israel’s leaders
Slovenia Plans Referendum on NATO Membership
Slovenia hopes to scale down involvement in international conflicts and avoid interference in foreign and diplomatic disputes.
GW Hosts U.S. and Finnish Leaders for Energy Innovation Seminar | GW Today | The George Washington University
Diplomats, researchers and policymakers convened at the Elliott School to explore resilient energy systems, Arctic research and transatlantic collaboration.
Pakistan’s Last-Minute Diplomacy Secures Iran War Ceasefire
Pakistan warned U.S. officials that ongoing Israeli operations risked collapsing the entire diplomatic process.
Trump holds fast to Tuesday deadline, threatening Iran's bridges and power plants
Trump said he was optimistic about the prospects of working with a newly installed Iranian government. But Tehran dismissed the diplomatic overtures as “unrealistic."
America’s Diplomat Shortage Is a Self-Inflicted Wound
The White House’s struggles to negotiate an off-ramp in Iran are a reminder of how crucial skilled diplomacy can be. Yet the State Department appears intent on purging and politicizing the ranks of the nation’s top envoys. Congress has a duty to push back.
Casual Is Out: State Department Adds First-Ever Business Formal Dress Code
The State Department added business formal dress code guidance to its policy manual for the first time, setting attire standards for diplomats and staff in official settings.
The war in Iran: is Trump ‘on the run’?
Despite giving the impression of diplomatic talks, the US president could be ‘playing for time’
Russia Is Helping Iran ‘Kill Americans,’ EU’s Top Diplomat Says
Russian intelligence is helping Iran target Americans and US allies, according to the European Union’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas.
In visit to Vermont Statehouse, Japanese diplomats talk business and baseball
Also in Final Reading: A vaccine bill becomes law and new health tech.
American Airports Are Latest Washington Battlefield | WSJ Politics Newsletter for March 24
Plus, the diplomatic back channel that led to Trump’s U-turn on the war
Making the Most of America’s Mega-Decade of Sports
Considering the diplomatic opportunities and risks of hosting the world’s biggest sporting events.
Trump’s global agenda flies into domestic headwinds
Even as US President Donald Trump calls for international support for the war in Iran, within the US there are dissenting voices, as not everyone is convinced that war is the answer. What is clear is that domestic factors will increasingly limit Trump’s foreign policy and diplomatic engagement. Academic Derek Grossman discusses the issue.
Cuban Regime Wants Diaspora to Own Businesses on the Island
In a diplomatic overture, the Communist regime is aiming to open up its moribund economy to the affluent Cuban-American diaspora.
Trump calls on allies to help guard the Strait of Hormuz. Most have refused
The diplomatic friction reflects the limits of Trump’s influence at a moment when the global economy is absorbing one of the worst oil supply shocks in modern history.
China Eyes ‘Landmark’ Year for US Ties, Urges End to Iran War
China’s top diplomat called for an immediate end to hostilities in the Middle East, criticizing US actions while signaling that the turmoil won’t derail steadying ties with Washington.
Cuba hit by widespread blackout; Ecuador expels Havana’s ambassador, staff
Cuba's Ambassador to Ecuador Basilio Gutierrez and his diplomatic staff were given 48 hours to leave Quito.
Starmer faces greater quandary over ‘special relationship’ after Iran attack
PM is in diplomatically precarious position of declining to endorse US strikes while also refusing to condemn them
Cricket in the Crossfire of Politics
As the 2026 World Cricket Cup unfolds under diplomatic strain, rising tensions between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh show that the sport is no longer just a game but a stage where politics, nationalism, and media capital collide.
Pacific leaders gather in Hawaii for business summit
Leaders from Pacific Island nations and territories gathered this week at the East-West Center in Manoa for an inaugural diplomatic and business summit aimed at promoting private sector investments and contracts across island communities in Oceania.
MAGA Meets Europe: Trump’s Envoys Rip Up Diplomatic Playbook
At least Bill White, Donald Trump’s ambassador to Brussels, showed up when summoned by the foreign ministry over some undiplomatic interventions into Belgian politics.
Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
President Donald Trump has warned that limited strikes against Iran are possible even as the country’s top diplomat says Tehran expects to have a proposed deal ready in the next few days following nuclear talks with the U.S. Trump’s remarks Friday came a few hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said on MSNOW’s “Morning Joe” show that his country was planning to finalize a draft deal in “the next two to three days” to then send to Washington
Iran says US military build-up ‘unnecessary and unhelpful’, deal achievable
Top Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi says US 'has not asked' for zero uranium enrichment in nuclear talks.
The Evolving Politics of Climate Change in China
Drawing on official data, policy signals, and diplomatic developments, Neil Thomas and Guoguang Wu write about how economic pressures, industrial policy, and geopolitical competition are reshaping China’s climate priorities.
With Witkoff and Kushner, Trump Bets on Diplomacy Without Diplomats
President Trump’s most trusted envoys are at the center of the Iran and Ukraine negotiations, an approach that has sidelined the State Department and the National Security Council.
A major question in Iran talks: How long will Trump keep the diplomatic window open?
Iranian and American negotiators departed their indirect talks in Geneva with an agreement to keep talking, doing little to ease fears of an impending regional war.
Trump administration planning ‘Board of Peace’ meeting in DC on February 19
The Trump administration is planning a meeting of the “Board of Peace” on February 19 in Washington, DC, per a US official and a diplomat from a country that was invited.
Trump says nuclear talks in Oman were 'very good,' claims Iran wants a deal 'very badly'
President Donald Trump says Iran "wants to make a deal very badly" after indirect nuclear talks mediated by Oman reportedly show diplomatic progress.
From PopMart to JD.com: Britain and China rush to forge business deals as diplomatic thaw takes hold
Chinese firms moved to pledge hundreds of millions of investment in the U.K. as Starmer's visit to China spurred a flurry of business deals and money flows.
South Africa orders expulsion of Israeli envoy, declared persona non grata
South Africa accuses Israeli representative of 'gross abuse of diplomatic privilege' as Israel orders reciprocal move.
Alarm as US mulls prioritising citizens in research funding
A senior White House official said the Trump administration is considering ways to prioritise research funding to American citizens, triggering alarm in the research community that the country could destroy its century-long status as a magnet for overseas talent.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), said last week that it is “important for us to continue to emphasise the use of federal R&D dollars towards American scientists and technologists that are staffed by Americans in their labs.” Asked about support for Chinese students during a Congressional hearing, Kratsios went on to say that in future funding announcements, the OSTP would “emphasise” that “we're funding American students.”The precise meaning of his impromptu comments, and what they could mean in policy terms, isn’t yet clear. The OSTP did not respond to multiple requests for clarification from Science|Business.But given that US science and technology has relied on overseas talent for the past century, Kratsios’s words have alarmed former US science officials.Immigrants have made up around 30-40% of US Nobel Prize winners since the 1940s, for example. Except for some sensitive projects, countries typically grant research funding on a nationality-blind basis, lest they deter foreign scientists from immigrating. “If director Kratsios’s statements are taken literally and become official policy of the White House, [research-intensive] universities will likely have to close labs if not entire research divisions,” said David Biggs, a former science and technology official in the US State Department. In their most extreme interpretation, Kratsios’s comments would imply that foreign scientists established in the US would see access to funding curtailed. This would “result in many world-leading professors who work in the United States in fields that this administration considers a priority (like fusion energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing) leaving the country,” said Cole Donovan, a former US science diplomat, and now associate director at the Federation of American Scientists.CripplingHowever, given the context of the conversation, Kratsios may have been referring more narrowly to funding for doctoral or postdoctoral students. At the hearing, he said he wanted to see labs staffed by US citizens. But even this would have devastating consequences for the US science system, say former officials, because the country is so dependent on early-career foreign researchers. Recent statistics show that nearly half of those in the US with a PhD in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are considered short-term visitors, or non-residents in the official terminology. If this included residents who are not yet citizens, the proportion would likely be even higher. “Foreign PhD students are really a significant and core part of the university STEM workforce, and postdocs is similarly large,” said Donovan. Preventing US-based academics from hiring them from overseas would be a serious blow, he said. “If it's the case that this administration intends to limit funding to labs staffed only with US citizens, the effect will be to cripple the American scientific enterprise,” said Chris Marcum, a former OSTP official. “To think that these researchers can simply be replaced is a pipe dream. The labs will close,” said Marcum. Go elsewhereAround half of US-trained postdocs are foreign-born, said Biggs. “If these top international students cannot get funding to do their research, or even if they hear that funding for foreign students has been greatly restricted and will be super competitive, they will no longer choose to study in the US and will go elsewhere.” It’s unclear for now if Kratsios’s comments will translate into a real policy shift. But they could add to turmoil in the US science system since Donald Trump took over as president one year ago. Related articlesNIH turmoil risks reciprocal EU-US access to health research fundingUS set to close office responsible for global science and technology dealsTrump halts new NIH grants to international health-research partnersSince then, nearly 8,000 grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation have been frozen or terminated, Naturereports. Courts have overturned most of these cancellations, but the disruption caused remains significant. Both those agencies have also dished out around a quarter fewer grants this year than normal, the journal reported. International student enrolment is also down by 17%. The Trump administration also proposes to cut research budgets by around a third, although Congress may mollify the cuts.
Alarm over US plan to prioritise citizens in research funding
The US’s leading science official has said the country will focus its research spending on scientists with US citizenship, triggering alarm that the country could destroy its century-long status as a magnet for overseas talent.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), said last week that it is “important for us to continue to emphasise the use of federal R&D dollars towards American scientists and technologists that are staffed by Americans in their labs.” Asked about support for Chinese students during a Congressional hearing, Kratsios went on to say that in future funding announcements, the OSTP would “emphasise” that “we're funding American students.”Kratsios’s precise meaning, and what it could mean in policy terms, isn’t yet clear. The OSTP did not respond to multiple requests for clarification from Science|Business.But given that US science and technology has relied on overseas talent for the past century, Kratsios’s words have stunned former US science officials.Immigrants have made up around 30-40% of US Nobel Prize winners since the 1940s, for example. Except for some sensitive projects, countries typically grant research funding on a nationality-blind basis, lest they deter foreign scientists from immigrating. “If director Kratsios’s statements are taken literally and become official policy of the White House, [research-intensive] universities will likely have to close labs if not entire research divisions,” said David Biggs, a former science and technology official in the US State Department. In their most extreme interpretation, Kratsios’s comments would imply that foreign scientists established in the US would see access to funding curtailed. This would “result in many world-leading professors who work in the United States in fields that this administration considers a priority (like fusion energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing) leaving the country,” said Cole Donovan, a former US science diplomat, and now associate director at the Federation of American Scientists.CripplingHowever, given the context of the conversation, Kratsios may have been referring more narrowly to funding for doctoral or postdoctoral students. At the hearing, he said he wanted to see labs staffed by US citizens. But even this would have devastating consequences for the US science system, say former officials, because the country is so dependent on early-career foreign researchers. Recent statistics show that nearly half of those in the US with a PhD in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are considered short-term visitors, or non-residents in the official terminology. If this included residents who are not yet citizens, the proportion would likely be even higher. “Foreign PhD students are really a significant and core part of the university STEM workforce, and postdocs is similarly large,” said Donovan. Preventing US-based academics from hiring them from overseas would be a serious blow, he said. “If it's the case that this administration intends to limit funding to labs staffed only with US citizens, the effect will be to cripple the American scientific enterprise,” said Chris Marcum, a former OSTP official. “To think that these researchers can simply be replaced is a pipe dream. The labs will close,” said Marcum. Go elsewhereAround half of US-trained postdocs are foreign-born, said Biggs. “If these top international students cannot get funding to do their research, or even if they hear that funding for foreign students has been greatly restricted and will be super competitive, they will no longer choose to study in the US and will go elsewhere.” It’s unclear for now if Kratsios’s comments will translate into a real policy shift. But they could add to turmoil in the US science system since Donald Trump took over as president one year ago. Since then, nearly 8,000 grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation have been frozen or terminated, Naturereports. Courts have overturned most of these cancellations, but the disruption caused remains significant. Both those agencies have also dished out around a quarter fewer grants this year than normal, the journal reported. International student enrolment is also down by 17%. The Trump administration also proposes to cut research budgets by around a third, although Congress may mollify the cuts.
Analysis: Trump’s Davos hosts might abhor him — but he’s worth listening to
Dean Acheson, the revered US diplomat, described his role as an architect of the post-World War II world in a blockbuster memoir called “Present at the Creation.”
Trump set to face a diplomatic intervention on Greenland in Davos
An urgent diplomatic intervention is awaiting President Donald Trump in Davos after days spent hurling threats at US allies over Greenland.
Iran on the Brink: Trump's Pressure Politics
As mass protests in Iran enter a decisive phase and are met with escalating violence from a regime fighting for survival, the country is approaching a tipping point. With US President Donald Trump publicly floating options ranging from diplomatic pressure and sanctions to the use of military force, we examine the stakes for Iran, the choices facing US policymakers, and the wider regional and global ramifications.
The State Department’s secret playbook for using sports to advance Trump’s agenda
American diplomats are hoping the World Cup and Olympics can restore their influence shaping U.S. foreign policy.
India-Bangladesh tensions rock cricket, as sport turns diplomatic weapon
Indian league dumps Bangladeshi bowler amid bilateral tensions, prompting cricket's latest political crisis.
Top diplomats from Greenland and Denmark met with White House officials as Trump pushes for ownership
The top Washington-based diplomats for Greenland and Denmark met with White House officials at the National Security Council on Thursday as Greenland continues to publicly and privately insist it is not for sale.
‘The Diplomat’ Shares Exciting Update on Season 4
Get the latest details on the Netflix drama's return.
How the Increasingly Wide World of Sports Became the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of International Relations
More than 80 percent of sports diplomacy today is undertaken by non-government-credentialed “diplomats.” Ahead of the Olympics, SPS’s Lindsay Krasnoff explains what that means.
Russia files diplomatic request asking US to stop pursuing oil tanker
Russia filed a formal diplomatic request that the United States stop pursuing an oil tanker originally bound for Venezuela that has evaded US custody for almost two weeks, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
How Pakistan’s Asim Munir became Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’
The army chief, analysts say, has driven Pakistan's geopolitical reemergence over the past year as a soldier-diplomat.
Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland
Breakaway region achieves diplomatic breakthrough after more than 30 years without international recognition.
Trump administration removes dozens of career diplomats from overseas posts
The Trump administration is removing numerous career ambassadors from their posts abroad, marking the latest shake-up of the US State Department and diplomatic corps.
America's new top health diplomat has strong opinions on abortion and gender
Bethany Kozma leads a key global health office at the Department of Health and Human Services. In past experience in the public eye, she's campaigned against abortion and gender-affirming care.
Japan’s retreat from global health funding hands China diplomatic opening
Tokyo’s over 52 per cent funding cut to a global body fighting Aids and malaria risks damaging its hard-won reputation as a ‘peace nation’.
Trump Has Stomped Out the Holiday Spirit in European Embassies
At a series of Christmas parties this week, diplomats were still struggling to come to grips with the uncertain future of the transatlantic relationship.
How the United States can harness its sports diplomacy moment, as the FIFA World Cup nears
Foreign diplomats, US officials, and figures from the world of soccer gathered at our studios to talk about the power of sports diplomacy.
One month after Melissa, Jamaica scrambles to get back to business
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Antony Anderson had been on the job for exactly five months as Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States when his country suffered its worst natural disaster in history.
Trump turns to unconventional negotiating team heading to Russia in push for Ukraine peace deal
As the Trump administration rushes to secure a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump is dispatching two of his highest profile diplomats to Moscow.
Despite diplomatic rift, Spanish business group inks cooperation agreement with Israe
CONPYMES, representing 2.1 million Spanish small businesses, signed an agreement with the Israel Export Institute during a trade mission, signaling confidence in Israeli innovation despite political strains between Madrid and Jerusalem