United States

Iran

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

U.S.-Iran Relations

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States plans to unveil more extensive economic measures against Iran during the week of Aug. 17, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 14.

U.S., Iran: U.S. To Unveil Additional Economic Measures Against Iran 

Israel

Lebanon

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the Israeli Defense Forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, Reuters reported on Aug. 13. 

Lebanon, Israel: Israel Ties Withdrawal to Hezbollah Disarmament, Eyes New Military Operation

China

U.S.-China Relations

President of the U.S.-China Business Council Sean Stein told the South China Morning Post in an interview published on Aug. 13 that he had seen little evidence there would be a "sizable deliverable" pertaining to the U.S.-China Board of Investment at a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Sept. 24.

U.S., China: Board of Investment Stagnating Ahead of Unambitious Summit

Australia

United Kingdom

U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said AUKUS was moving "full steam ahead" but declined to guarantee the transfer of three secondhand Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia by 2032 per the agreed timeline, the Australian Financial Review reported on Aug. 13.

Australia, U.S.: Submarine Production Shortfall Will Continue To Threaten AUKUS Timeline

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Israel deployed extra forces to the town of Qusra outside of Nablus in the West Bank in an attempt to protect a Palestinian-American-owned home from Israeli settlers who were besieging it after pressure from the United States, NPR reported on Aug. 13. 

Palestinian Territories, Israel: U.S. Intervenes in Settler Attack, Hamas To Run in PLC Elections

Cyber

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a national security memo on Aug. 12 directing federal law enforcement agencies to create a program enabling them to carry out offensive cyber operations targeting transnational organized crime syndicates, with assistance from private sector companies.

U.S.: Trump Signs Directive Opening Door to Private Sector Cyber Help in Targeting Transnational Crime

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had conveyed new proposals for ending the Russia-Ukraine war to the United States, adding that Russia planned to mobilize several hundred thousand additional troops after its September parliamentary election, Reuters reported on Aug. 11.

Ukraine, Russia: Any Renewed U.S. Talks Are Unlikely To Produce a Near-Term Ceasefire 

Colombia

Colombia's new government carried out at least seven security and military operations against guerrilla groups across the country during its first 48 hours in office, Semana reported on Aug. 10.

Colombia: New President Tilts Colombia Toward Military Operations and U.S. Cooperation

Assessments

South Africa

Brazil

Iranian flags flutter along the corniche seafront of the port city of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Aug. 10, 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: U.S.-Iran MoU Set To Expire, SADC Summit

Snapshots

Indonesia

Japan

Philippines

Taiwan

Crew members on a Chinese navy ship wave as they prepare to dock at Indonesia's Tanjung Perak Port on Aug. 2, 2026. 

China's recent naval drill with Indonesia appears aimed at asserting de facto jurisdiction around Taiwan, raising the risk of at-sea clashes and increased tensions with the U.S., Japan and the Philippines.

China's Latest Drills Near Taiwan Aim To Assert De Facto Jurisdiction

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: Aug. 13, 2026

Syria

A Russian aircraft takes off from an airport in northeastern Syria's Hasakah province on Jan. 27, 2026. 

Syria's cooperation with the U.S. to remove nuclear materials and reduce Russian military influence will support its reconstruction efforts, but security challenges will continue to hinder major infrastructure projects.

Syria's Pro-U.S. Policy Shift May Secure Sanctions Relief, but Challenges Persist

Nigeria

Zambia

Morocco

Oman

Europe

Spain

Migrants wait to receive water on a beach in the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Aug. 2, 2026.

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The Weekly Rundown: Extreme Weather in China and Europe, More Migrant Crossings Into Spain

Media

Fiji

Solomon Islands

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Podcasts

Who are the main players, and what are the primary frameworks holding it all together?

The Decision Advantage: The Security Architecture of the Pacific Islands

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh holds a press conference in Washington, D.C., on July 29, 2026. 

Changes to the central bank's inflation, balance sheet and communication strategies could increase financial market volatility, though the Fed's commitment to price stability will remain intact.

Previewing Potential U.S. Fed Policy Changes Under Warsh 

Greenland

Denmark

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Energy

Greenland's large deposits of critical minerals make the island one of the few potential alternatives to Chinese supply chains, but material constraints and diplomatic disputes will obstruct large-scale production.

The West's Quest To Exploit Greenland's Critical Minerals

U.S. Naval Update Map: Aug. 6, 2026

Bangladesh

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

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

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

Venezuela

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. 

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

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

U.S., Iran: U.S. To Unveil Additional Economic Measures Against Iran

Lebanon, Israel: Israel Ties Withdrawal to Hezbollah Disarmament, Eyes New Military Operation

U.S., China: Board of Investment Stagnating Ahead of Unambitious Summit

Australia, U.S.: Submarine Production Shortfall Will Continue To Threaten AUKUS Timeline

Palestinian Territories, Israel: U.S. Intervenes in Settler Attack, Hamas To Run in PLC Elections

U.S.: Trump Signs Directive Opening Door to Private Sector Cyber Help in Targeting Transnational Crime

Ukraine, Russia: Any Renewed U.S. Talks Are Unlikely To Produce a Near-Term Ceasefire

Colombia: New President Tilts Colombia Toward Military Operations and U.S. Cooperation

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support