United States

China

South Korea

Military & Security

Politics

When asked whether U.S. Forces Korea could be used in a Taiwan or South China Sea contingency, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Nov. 4 that "There's no doubt flexibility for regional contingencies is something we would take a look at," Bloomberg reported on Nov. 4.

South Korea, U.S.: Security Meeting Addresses Shifting Mission of USFK, Construction of Nuclear Sub

North Korea

Economics

South Korea's National Intelligence Service said during a closed-door parliamentary briefing on Nov. 4 that it had detected signs that North Korea was preparing for a summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Yonhap News Agency reported the same day.

North Korea, U.S.: Trump-Kim Summit a Near-Miss, Meeting Expected After March

Kazakhstan

Energy

KazMunayGas chief Askhat Khassenov met TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to discuss the next phase of the North Caspian (Kashagan) project and review ongoing cooperation on the 1 gigawatt Mirny wind project, KazMunayGas' press service announced on Nov. 3.

Kazakhstan: Government Deepens Western Energy Ties Ahead of Tokayev's Washington Visit

Nigeria

An advisor to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu welcomed assistance from the United States against armed groups targeting Christian communities and hinted at a potential meeting between Tinubu and U.S. President Donald Trump, but stressed that such U.S. support needed to respect Nigeria's sovereignty, Reuters reported on Nov. 3. 

Nigeria: Government Signals Readiness for Cooperation With U.S. After Trump's Threats

Russia

A Russian foreign ministry source said Moscow "has not deviated" from the understandings reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump at their Aug. 15 Alaska meeting, rejecting Western reports that a "maximalist" Russian memo on Ukraine caused Washington to cancel the planned Budapest summit, Kommersant reported on Nov. 2.

Russia, U.S.: Moscow Reframes Alaska 'Understandings' as Diplomatic Path With U.S. Narrows

Syria

Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa will visit Washington on Nov. 10, where he is expected to meet President Donald Trump and sign an agreement to join the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State coalition, Axios reported on Nov. 1.

Syria, U.S.: Syrian President al-Sharaa To Visit Washington

Europe

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a taped interview airing Nov. 2 that the United States "will not let anybody have" Nvidia's most advanced Blackwell architecture chips "other than the United States," Reuters reported.

U.S.: Trump Says No Other Countries Can Have Nvidia's Top Chips

Netherlands

U.S.-China Relations

A Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said on Nov. 1 that China would "consider" authorizing the export of chips from Dutch-headquartered semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia's China unit to individual companies, the Financial Times reported.

U.S., China, Netherlands: Nexperia China Chip Shipments To Resume, But Uncertainty Remains

Assessments

A Nigerian soldier stands guard at a checkpoint at the entrance to Monguno, Borno state, Nigeria, on July 4, 2025. 

Trump wants Nigeria to take action against the armed groups targeting Christians in the country, but Abuja will face challenges in sustaining such operations, which could lead to unilateral U.S. military action if there are fresh instances of intercommunal violence.

Will the United States Take Military Action in Nigeria?

Venezuela

Spain

Uzbekistan

Ukraine

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Kyrgyzstan

Tanks on Sept. 23 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Trump administration has reportedly decided to attack military sites in Venezuela in strikes that could occur at any moment.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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

The Weekly Rundown: Potential U.S. Strikes in Venezuela, U.S. Outreach in Central Asia

Iran

Iraq

A girl walks past posters and banners depicting political candidates from rival blocs competing for a seat in the Iraqi Council of Representatives in old Mosul, northern Iraq, on Oct. 28, 2025, days before the Nov. 11, 2025, parliamentary elections.

Global Elections

Backed by a coalition that reaches across ethnic and sectarian divides, Iraq's current prime minister will likely maintain his position after the country's upcoming parliamentary elections, portending relative foreign policy continuity.

Assessing Iraq's Political Landscape Ahead of Legislative Elections

Belize

Colombia

Cuba

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Bahamas

Trinidad and Tobago

Jamaica

A U.S. Marine V-22 Osprey takes off from Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, on Sept. 13, 2025, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. 

The Trump administration will likely expand its attacks against alleged drug traffickers in the region over the next year, potentially extending to land-based targets, which will create safety, operational and compliance challenges for organizations.

The Outlook for U.S. Strikes on Drug Traffickers in Latin America and the Caribbean

A flag displaying the logo for Russia's Lukoil oil giant flies near a Russian flag in Moscow on Oct. 23, 2025.

The sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil aim to financially coerce Russia into negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine, but patchy enforcement and continued Asian demand for Russian crude will limit the impact.

New U.S. Sanctions Strike at the Heart of Russia's War Economy

Snapshots

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping leave after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025. 

Global Trade

The framework deal favors China by boosting its export competitiveness, but future escalations with the U.S. are likely over the coming year due to differing interpretations of the new measures and ongoing trade tensions.

China Secures Favorable U.S. Trade Deal, New Escalations Still Likely

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: Oct. 30, 2025

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Timor-Leste

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

U.S. President Donald Trump (center) poses for a group photo with the leaders of (L-R) Singapore, East Timor, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia and Laos during the ASEAN leaders summit on Oct. 26, 2025. 

The summit highlighted the Southeast Asian bloc's attempts to boost internal unity and economic integration amid the U.S.-China rivalry, but it also exposed structural divides and external pressures that hinder unified action and leave ASEAN states vulnerable to coercion.

The Takeaways From the 2025 ASEAN Summit

Cameroon

Cote d'Ivoire

Tanzania

Argentina

Japan

Supporters of Argentine President Javier Milei's Liberty Advances (LLA) party wave flags during a campaign rally in Rosario, Argentina, on Oct. 23, 2025.

The Weekly Rundown: Argentina Holds Midterm Elections, Trump Travels to Asia

Israel

Turkey

Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa (right) meets with U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, at the presidential palace in Damascus on July 9, 2025. 

The U.S. will leverage permanent sanctions relief to pressure Syria to finalize a security pact with Israel, but the Kurds will resist integrating with President Ahmad al-Sharaa's government. 

U.S. Engagement With Syria Will Promote Stability, but Kurdish Integration Will Continue To Lag

U.S. Naval Update Map: Oct. 23, 2025

Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump speak to reporters during a bilateral meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Oct. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Trump and Albanese agreed to tighten defense and supply chain integration as a way to reduce their countries' reliance on China, but industrial bottlenecks mean implementation will be slow.

U.S.-Australia Leadership Summit Yields Critical Minerals Pact, AUKUS Reaffirmation

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

South Korea, U.S.: Security Meeting Addresses Shifting Mission of USFK, Construction of Nuclear Sub

North Korea, U.S.: Trump-Kim Summit a Near-Miss, Meeting Expected After March

Kazakhstan: Government Deepens Western Energy Ties Ahead of Tokayev's Washington Visit

Nigeria: Government Signals Readiness for Cooperation With U.S. After Trump's Threats

Russia, U.S.: Moscow Reframes Alaska 'Understandings' as Diplomatic Path With U.S. Narrows

Syria, U.S.: Syrian President al-Sharaa To Visit Washington

U.S.: Trump Says No Other Countries Can Have Nvidia's Top Chips

U.S., China, Netherlands: Nexperia China Chip Shipments To Resume, But Uncertainty Remains

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