United States

Japan

Economics

Politics

Japan's finance ministry confirmed on Aug. 3 that the U.S. and Japanese governments had coordinated on July 31 for Washington to buy Japanese yen to bolster the currency, the first such intervention since 1998.

Japan, U.S.: Governments Coordinate To Buy Yen for First Time Since 1998

Iran

Oman

Military & Security

U.S.-Iran Relations

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson denied U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that the United States and Iran would begin talks on Aug. 3, but confirmed that Iran was involved in discussions with Oman over establishing a temporary shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on Aug. 3. 

U.S., Iran: Iran Refutes Trump's Claims of New U.S.-Iran Talks

Cuba

Cuba announced new plans to open up the private sector, including allowing businesses to import fuel and medication and allowing private tourist companies to more easily operate on the island, Reuters reported on July 30.

Cuba: Government Further Opens Economy to Private Industry

China

U.S.-China Relations

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a video call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, China's trade envoy to the United States, late on July 30, in which Bessent said he emphasized expectations that China uphold its "commitments on rare earths and U.S. agricultural products," according to Axios.

U.S., China: Trade Call Shows Limited Aims for September Xi-Trump Summit

North Korea

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said preliminary evidence indicated that Russia used a North Korean ballistic missile to strike a home in Radushne, near Kryvyi Rih, killing two parents and three of their children, Reuters reported on July 30.

Russia, Ukraine: Russia's Use of North Korean Missiles Deepens Ukraine's Air Defense Crisis

Europe

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The European Commission will gain powers to enforce the rules for providers of general-purpose artificial intelligence models under the bloc's AI Act on Aug. 2, empowering its AI Office to demand information, conduct evaluations, order corrective measures, withdraw models from the EU market and impose fines of up to 15 million euros ($17 million) or 3% of global turnover, Politico reported on July 31.

EU: Brussels To Gain Enforcement Powers Over Most Capable AI Models

Brazil

The Brazilian government will only formally approve Daniel Perez as the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil after the October general election, Poder360 reported on July 29.

Brazil, U.S.: Diplomatic Tensions Escalate as Brazilian General Election Approaches

Burundi

Ethiopia

Kenya

Somalia

Uganda

Egypt

Turkey

Uganda is convening a summit of officials from countries contributing troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM, on July 29-31, Garowe Online reported on July 29.

Somalia: AUSSOM Troop Contributors Hold Summit After U.S. Vows to Pull Funding 

Assessments

Bangladesh

Garment workers sew clothes at a textile factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Dec. 29, 2024. 

Energy

The government's efforts to secure U.S. tariff exemptions and external financial aid will have only a modest impact without addressing the ready-made garment sector's energy shortages and other structural challenges.

The Outlook for Bangladesh's Garment Sector Under U.S. Tariffs

Snapshots

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (center) chats with U.S. senators before heading to a closed-door meeting at the U.S. Capitol on July 28, 2026. 

If enacted, the proposed bill would give Trump broad new authority to impose tariffs on major Russian oil buyers, but selective enforcement means it would unlikely compel Russia to end its war in Ukraine.

New U.S. Sanctions Bill Unlikely To Impact Russia's Oil Exports or War Strategy

Colombia

Venezuela

Israel

Lebanon

Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella (R) delivers a speech during a military parade commemorating Colombia's Independence Day in Medellin, Colombia, on July 20, 2026. 

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Colombia's New President Takes Office, Brussels Gains AI Act Enforcement Powers

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

India

(From left to right) Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attend a plenary session at the BRICS summit in Kazan on Oct. 24, 2024.

The bloc's push to develop an independent payment system for trade will not immediately undermine the U.S. dollar's global dominance, though it could reduce the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions.

The Implications of an Independent BRICS Payment System

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: July 30, 2026

Damaged structures are seen at the site of a U.S.-Saudi strike against Iran-backed militias in Bartalla, northern Iraq, on July 29, 2026. 

As the conflict picks back up, Trump must decide whether to offer Iran major concessions, which would alienate hawkish Republicans at home, or escalate military operations at the risk of reigniting a broader regional war.

Trump Once Again Weighs His Options Against Iran

Iraq

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) speaks during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (2nd-L) in the Oval Office of the White House on July 14, 2026.

While the Iraqi prime minister's visit to the White House yielded some deals, implementation constraints will likely eventually lead to renewed U.S. economic pressure, further straining Baghdad's finances.

New U.S. Agreements Unlikely to Ease Iraq's Economic Woes

Columns

On Security

This photo illustration shows the ChatGPT logo at an office in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2023.

The autonomous targeting of Hugging Face by OpenAI's models highlights the urgent need for organizations to prepare for advanced cyberattacks orchestrated entirely by AI agents.

Beyond the Hype of Autonomous AI Breaches

Peru

United Kingdom

A couple rides past Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles displayed at Azadi Square in Tehran on July 24.

The Weekly Rundown: A Likely U.S. Escalation in Iran, Zelensky Travels to Washington

Middle East and North Africa

Yemen

Yemeni protesters take part in a demonstration held to send a message of defiance against the continued siege and any military escalation involving Saudi forces against Houthi-controlled northern Yemen on July 17. 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Forced to bypass the disrupted Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia's increased reliance on alternative routes leaves its critical oil shipments vulnerable to Houthi attacks.


Yemen's Houthis Threaten Saudi Oil Exports With Red Sea Blockade

U.S. Naval Update Map: July 23, 2026

Germany

France

Spain

Italy

A 20 euro note.

The European Union is likely to advance banking reforms in 2027 that reduce internal barriers to cross-border banking, boosting its financial competitiveness by freeing up funds tied up in savings, but will stop short of significantly greater fiscal and financial risk sharing.

Brussels Seeks To Boost the EU Banking Sector's Competitiveness

The United States encompasses territory spanning from the Arctic Circle and Central Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic.    The Greater Mississippi Basin is the United States' core and serves as the underpinning of its role as a global superpower.    The basin hosts an extensive network of navigable rivers that overlay the world's largest contiguous piece of arable land. This naturally interconnected river system facilitated integration among settlers and allowed for cheap transport of goods, providing the United States with the ability to feed itself efficiently and rapidly build up industry and capital to expand west. The Midwestern core gave early America strategic depth, while an expanding U.S. coastline, naturally indented with deep harbors, provided its opening to the world.    After reaching the Pacific coast in the mid-19th century, the United States found itself insulated by two oceans. On the continent itself, geography again has worked in the country's favor: lakes to the north and deserts to the south insulate the United States' population centers, with both Canada and Mexico facing too many natural constraints of their own to seriously rival it.    This unparalleled level of wealth and protection gives the United States options that few to no countries can claim. For one, the United States has used its wealth and security to build up the world's largest navy. Control of the world's major sea-lanes gives the United States the power to facilitate or deny trade to allies or rivals of the day. The onus therefore is on the United States to carefully manage its engagements abroad and build up strategic allies to protect its overseas interests and preserve its strength at home. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Japan, U.S.: Governments Coordinate To Buy Yen for First Time Since 1998

U.S., Iran: Iran Refutes Trump's Claims of New U.S.-Iran Talks

Cuba: Government Further Opens Economy to Private Industry

U.S., China: Trade Call Shows Limited Aims for September Xi-Trump Summit

Russia, Ukraine: Russia's Use of North Korean Missiles Deepens Ukraine's Air Defense Crisis

EU: Brussels To Gain Enforcement Powers Over Most Capable AI Models

Brazil, U.S.: Diplomatic Tensions Escalate as Brazilian General Election Approaches

Somalia: AUSSOM Troop Contributors Hold Summit After U.S. Vows to Pull Funding

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support