The North America Section of IR Insider publishes breaking news reports and analysis from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Topics covered in the North America section may range from trade negotiations between the United States, Canada, and Mexico to U.S relations with Russia and beyond. Our section editor is Christina Qiao.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is tasked with prosecuting world leaders for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, striving to uphold accountability on a global scale. However, the ICC’s rulings have often sparked geopolitical controversies, highlighting the Court’s ongoing challenge of balancing its judicial mandate with the political agendas of states.
As Haiti’s situation deteriorates, the Federal Aviation Administration has introduced new restrictions on US flights to the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
As the United States prepares for another Trump administration to assume power in 2024, the nation faces significant political shifts.
On Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, reached an agreement to fund developing nations’ efforts to adopt clean energy and combat climate change through 2035.
As President-elect Donald Trump announces his picks for Cabinet members and leaders of various federal agencies, many people are alarmed.
Numerous protests have erupted in Jamaica’s tourism sector over complaints of underpayment, long hours, withheld tips, and a lack of job security.
In a time of uncertainty, the Biden administration is working to reassure allies across the globe that their relationships have the potential to remain strong.
As the United States’ 2024 election cycle ends, the international community braces for its potential outcomes. The implications extend beyond domestic policy, potentially shaping the resolution of conflicts involving Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and Taiwan and China.
Just weeks before the 2024 election, the Justice Department’s National Security Division warned that the US may face a “multi-pronged” threat from Russia, Iran, and China.
European security has long depended on the United States, including its role in NATO, commitment to defense spending, and conflict involvement. In recent U.S. presidential elections, the prospect of a new administration has raised questions about potential shifts in defense strategies and budget priorities. This election features former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, each representing contrasting approaches to defense and NATO contributions.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, the UN General Assembly called on the US to end its economic embargo on Cuba for the 32nd year. The 193-member General Assembly voted 187-2 in favor of ending the embargo, with only Israel and the US opposing the resolution and one nation abstaining. Former President John F. Kennedy initially implemented the embargo in February 1962 in response to actions by the Cuban government.
At a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Oct. 27, a speaker's racially insensitive joke about Puerto Rico made national headlines and sparked backlash. The twist? The speaker was not Trump.
Donald Trump’s return to power in the 2024 elections signals a dramatic turning point, not just for the U.S., but for the Post-Cold War global order. As disillusionment with Western liberalism and the status quo grows, both domestically and internationally, authoritarian movements are gaining momentum worldwide. If the West doesn’t adapt and deliver real progress, it risks being overtaken by a new era of populism and autocracy.
In October 2024, North Korea sent troops to Russia to aid its war efforts against Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the conflict has attracted substantial international attention, with the US emerging as one of Ukraine’s primary supporters. The involvement of North Korean troops could signal a major shift in Moscow’s strategy in the war.
Research your ballot before you vote. If you are registered with a specific party, you should have received a sample ballot listing all candidates and measures that will appear on your official ballot. If you did not receive one, Ballotpedia offers a digital sample ballot for your area. Take the time to research candidates and measures thoroughly so you can make informed choices. Millions of military service members, abolitionists, suffragists, activists, and devoted citizens have fought — and often sacrificed their lives — to secure your right to vote. Do not squander it. Fill out your entire ballot.
On the evening of Oct. 18, the island of Cuba experienced a blackout, leaving 10 million residents without power.
On Oct. 16, 2024, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), was killed by the Israeli military.
Vikash Yadav, a self-identified “senior field officer” in the Indian government, was indicted by the US Attorney's Office on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, implicating him in the foiled murder plot of US citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an attorney and vocal Sikh advocate, earlier this year.
On Oct. 11, the government of Nicaragua announced it would sever all diplomatic ties with Israel.
Conflict in the Middle East has thrust the United States into a diplomatic and strategic high-wire act that is becoming increasingly central to the 2024 presidential election.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended the biannual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from Oct. 6 to 11, 2024, to discuss US foreign policy.
Last weekend, US President Joe Biden met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders from Japan and Australia to discuss the future of one of his key foreign policy platforms: the Quad Partnership.
Biden’s choice not to run for re-election has cast uncertainty over US involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Due to the uncertainty, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has decided to meet with both candidates for the US presidency: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
As of early October 2024, the United States had approximately 40,000 US military troops stationed throughout the Middle East, with thousands more set to be deployed. This increased US military presence in the region showcases the seriousness of rising tensions from the Israel-Palestine conflict and signals US intentions to become more involve
The death toll in Mexico from Hurricane John continues to rise. Initially labeled a Category Three storm, John made landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast on Monday, Sept. 23 at approximately 9:15 pm CST.
With less than two months until the 2024 presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the Arizona border near Nogales on Sept. 27, 2024.
Protests in Jordan against the Israeli war on Gaza have escalated in recent weeks, particularly around the Israeli embassy in the Middle Eastern country’s capital of Amman. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists have been arrested, despite the largely peaceful nature of the ongoing demonstrations.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” during his trip to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. Following a brief discussion about what differentiates Canada from the United States, host Stephen Colbert questioned Trudeau about growing dissent over his leadership.
In the final months of his presidency and his decades of public service, President Joe Biden gathered the leaders of Japan, Australia, and India for a Quad summit in Delaware on Sept. 20, 2024.
