Will Republicans be able to unify behind Donald Trump? What does the nomination of such a divisive figure mean for the future of the party? Can Hilary Clinton defy the approval ratings and garner popular support? Join us as we debate the key issues facing both candidates.

Chaired by Michael Goldfarb, journalist author and broadcaster. He has reported for The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR and Global Post.

The panel:

Christopher Caldwell is a senior editor at The Weekly Standard. He is a columnist for the Financial Times and the author of Reflections on the Revolution In Europe: Immigration, Islam and the West.

Peter Trubowitz is professor of international relations and director of the US Centre at the London School of Economics and associate fellow at Chatham House. Before joining the LSE, he was professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin.

Ed Schultz is a broadcaster with over 30 years experience. He currently produces and hosts his own international show – News with Ed Schultz – which airs on RT America.

Leslie Vinjamuri is director of the Centre on Conflict, Rights & Justice and senior lecturer in international relations at SOAS, University of London. She is an associate fellow at the US & the Americas Programme, Chatham House.

It is election year in the US and one man has dominated the headlines. Six months ago, the prospect of Donald Trump as presidential candidate might have been something to joke about but it is now looking increasingly like a reality. What does this mean for the Republican Party?

With the Republican race dominating much of the spotlight, what about the Democrats? Are we set to see the first female president in the White House? With primaries about to begin, we will be looking at the battles going on in both parties and who we might see come out on top.

What does the rise of Trump mean for politics in the US? We will be looking at the political landscape in the lead up to the November presidential election.

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Chaired by Michael Goldfarb, journalist author and broadcaster. He has reported for The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR and Global Post.

The panel:

Xenia Wickett is the head of the US Programme at Chatham House and the dean of the Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, Chatham House’s new leadership training initiative. Prior to this she was the executive director of the PeaceNexus Foundation and from 2005 to 2009 she was at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center.

Adam Brookes is an independent journalist and author based in Washington, DC. For many years, he reported for BBC News on American politics and the economy, with a special focus on defence and security. He contributed to the BBC’s coverage of three presidential elections – in ’04, ’06, and ‘12.

Peter Trubowitz is professor of international relations and director of the US Centre at the London School of Economics and associate fellow at Chatham House. Before joining the LSE, he was professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. His most recent book is Politics and Strategy: Partisan Ambition and American Statecraft.

William Lowery is a New York qualified lawyer and works for an international law firm in London. He is the vice-chair of Republicans Overseas UK, an organisation that represents and promotes the interests of Americans living, working, and studying in the United Kingdom.

By Nicole Hunt

Here’s a special two-week roundup of big international events planned over the holiday period. While we can’t predict tsunamis, terrorist attacks, or sudden political change, we can give you a heads up on the big stories that are sure to go ahead.

Following last week’s Commonwealth of Independent States and Gorbachev resignation anniversaries, Boxing Day formally marks the 20^th anniversary of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Soviet parliament voted the USSR out of existence on 26 December, 1991.

Indian anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has pledged to begin a public fast on 27 December to coincide with an extended session of the Indian Parliament scheduled to debate a new anti-corruption bill. The Jan Lokpal Bill was drafted earlier this year after a five-day hunger strike by Hazare prompted nationwide protests.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s trial resumes on 28 December after a long hiatus to allow lawyers for the families of victims to challenge the trial judge and venue. The challenges were rejected on 7 December, so the trial starts back up today before Judge Ahmed Refaat.

The funeral for North Korean leader Kim Jong-il takes place on 28 December. If the usual military displays and the public mourning since Kim’s death are anything to go by, it’s sure to be a spectacular event.

North Korea’s mourning period officially ends on 29 December, and will be marked by a gun salute, three minutes of silence nationwide, and the simultaneous sounding of the horns of all trains and ships in the country.

31 December marks the deadline issued by the Tripoli Council for the city’s residents to hand in any weapons they may be holding on to. The move is part of a push to disarm the city, which has been plagued by gun battles between rival militias since the declaration of liberation.

The controversial ban on bullfighting in Catalonia, which was approved on 28 July, 2010, comes into effect on 1 January. Catalonia is the first region in mainland Spain to outlaw the sport, which it has done on the grounds of animal cruelty.

There are two big polls scheduled for 3 January. Iowa Republicans gather statewide to kick-off the selection process for the Republican presidential nominee. The race has been and remains unpredictable; recent polls have alternately shown Mitt Romney, Ron Paul or Newt Gingrich leading in the Hawkeye State. Voters seem unable to settle on any particular candidate and there are no signs of this changing in the next 10 days.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s nine remaining provinces take their turns at the ballot box following two earlier rounds in the country’s other 18 regions. Preliminary results from the earlier rounds indicated strong support for the Muslim Brotherhood, but the full make-up of the People’s Assembly won’t be known until later this month.

The African National Congress kicks off three days of celebrations on 6 January to celebrate the party’s 100^th anniversary. The ANC was founded in 1912 to help further the rights of South Africa’s black population, and first came to power under Nelson Mandela in 1994. President Jacob Zuma delivers the Centennial address on 8 January.