Welcome to the Policy Pulse - a breakdown summary of some of the most compelling recent reports to come out of think tanks from around the world. This edition of the Policy Pulse will be recorded as an episode of the Policy People Podcast. You can find all the links to the reports mentioned here in the show notes or in the newsletter. Thank you to Sasanka Kanuparthi for curating this edition of Policy Pulse. Can the Biden administration keep US-Turkey tensions in check?        What should the Biden administration do to maintain influence over Turkey without triggering a new crisis? Following tensions with Western powers, Turkey is now keen to stabilize relations while retaining controversial policies. Biden's rhetoric thus far has centered on the deterioration of human rights and democracy under Erdogan, his anti-LGBTQI+ stance, and crackdowns on demonstrations. However, the bilateral meeting in June reflected the optics of dialogue and was devoid of timelines on outcomes. Nicholas Danforth argues the U.S. approach must be conditional upon Turkey’s corrective actions in the future. Read more about the changing bilateral dynamics in this Brookings report. Can US assistance encourage countries to transition away from fossil fuel subsidies? Many countries are subsidizing fossil fuels to keep their local economies ticking, resulting in financial constraints and overconsumption. The Biden administration’s efforts to disincentivize domestic fuel subsidies is seen as a step towards decarbonization and meeting Paris Climate Agreement goals. Researchers believe that it could be replicated at the international level through US leadership on the issue. They analyze the impact of consumption subsidies on global fuel prices, the environment, the fiscal spending of developing economies etc. The Brookings report urges the U.S. to push for international cooperation with G20 countries, price transparency, and direct cash transfers to low-income countries. Learn more about the recommendations by reading the report.  Can Australia’s economy withstand the fallout of a war over Taiwan? China’s aggressive posturing in its neighborhood continues to raise tensions across the world, and forced annexation of Taiwan could lead to counteractions by Western allies. There are widespread fears over the impact on international trade from a potential conflict, and how a war might affect navigation in the Indo-Pacific. ASPI’s David Uren details Australia’s vulnerabilities, while suggesting risk mitigation measures. He critiques the Productivity Commission’s recommendations and provides insights about Australian industry’s adaptability in finding new markets for its goods and services. Discover more on Australia’s strategic and economic preparedness in this fascinating report. Are cyber capabilities the next sphere of national power? Geostrategic competition has moved into new realms, as great powers struggle to dominate cyberspace. A dearth of academic insight into cyber power, strategic intentions, and capacities of global powers has led researchers to decipher variance in cyber governance between countries. This comprehensive two-year study from IISS compares the command-and-control structures, cyber-intel capabilities, global leadership capacities, and cybersecurity doctrines of fifteen countries and establishes robust literature on the issue. The qualitative assessment hopes to guide national governments in decision-making and strategic investments for the future. Delve deeper into the current state of cyber affairs with this report.  Can the Lebanese State ever escape the influence of Hezbollah? Signaling intentions to reform while quietly manipulating Lebanon’s state functions is a classic Hezbollah strategy. This Chatham House report studies the outfit’s hybrid tactics, such as the use of state institution