<p>To the west of Eurasia lays Europe, a region predisposed to division. It is surrounded on nearly all sides by islands and peninsulas that make it difficult for Europe to cohere. The northern half of the continent, moreover, sits on a plain whose short, meandering rivers tend to empower countries without forcing them to work with others. The southern half is situated on more mountainous terrain that has historically impeded the creation of strong, unified economies. As a result, Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.</p>

Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.

Europe

Belize

Andorra

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Holy See

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

North Macedonia

San Marino

Sweden

United Kingdom

Bulgaria

Portugal

Serbia

Croatia

Poland

Romania

Cyprus

Norway

Austria

Slovakia

Albania

Slovenia

Netherlands

Switzerland

Spain

Montenegro

Monaco

Italy

Ireland

Iceland

Hungary

Kosovo

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The Ukraine Conflict

The Politics of Pipelines

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

The Fate of the Eurozone

Banking

Crossing Borders

Globalization

European Disintegration

Echoes of the Cold War

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Assessments

United States

Iran

A digital illustration shows a binary code overlaying the Iranian flag.

Cyber

Military & Security

In the second part of this series, we explore Iran's attempts to steal information, silence critics, and disrupt Western critical infrastructure and organizations via damaging cyberattacks and espionage campaigns.

Iran's Escalating Cyber Strategy Against the West, Part 2

U.S.-Iran Relations

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Politics

In the first of this two-part series, we explore Iran's attempts to sway the upcoming U.S. presidential election and heighten anti-Israel sentiments via online influence campaigns and cyberattacks.

Iran's Escalating Cyber Strategy Against the West, Part 1

Russia

A Russian warship transits the Neva River in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russia's risk tolerance for physical and cyber operations against Western targets appears to be increasing, raising the likelihood of more disruptive and/or violent attacks.

A More Brazen Russia Slowly Raises the Specter of a NATO Confrontation

Mexico

Algeria

The Mexican Senate building in December 2019 in Mexico City. The Mexican Senate will begin considering a controversial judicial reform Sept. 8 that it plans to vote on by Sept. 11.

Economics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Judicial Reform in Mexico, An EU Competitiveness Report

Snapshots

China

Environment, Science & Technology

The United States and the West are likely to continue tightening export controls on China's semiconductor and other high-tech industries to close loopholes exploited by Chinese companies.

Tightened Western Tech Export Controls on China Signal More to Come

U.S.-China Relations

Incoming Prime Minister Michel Barnier (R) delivers a speech next to outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Sept. 5 in Paris. Barnier will struggle to pass legislation in a highly fragmented National Assembly.

France's new prime minister will struggle to pass legislation in a highly fragmented National Assembly. While the government will still have options to reduce the country's fiscal deficit and avoid a financial crisis, these would come at the cost of severe social unrest and political volatility.

France's New Prime Minister Will Struggle to Pass Laws and Avoid Financial Woes

Sub-Saharan Africa

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Mongolia

Supporters attend a campaign event for the left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in Erfurt, eastern Germany, on Aug. 29, 2024, ahead of upcoming regional elections.

The Weekly Rundown: An Africa-China Summit, State Elections in Eastern Germany

Turkey

Cambodia

Japan

Uzbekistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Afghanistan

The Geopolitics of Water

Energy

The escalating impacts of climate change and water scarcity will inflame tensions between Central Asian countries, raising the risk of violent state conflict in the coming decades. 

The Looming Threat of Central Asian 'Water Wars'

Hungarian police officers check cars at the Nickelsdorf-Hegyeshalom border crossing on the Austrian-Hungarian border on March 18, 2020. 

Increasing levels of migration, terrorism activity and Russian aggression in Europe are driving Schengen countries to tighten their border controls, heralding a more spotty functioning of the passport-free travel zone.

Growing Border Controls Threaten Europe's Schengen Area

Cars drive past election campaign posters in the German city of Zwickau, located in the eastern state of Saxony, on Aug. 20, 2024, ahead of Saxony's Sept. 1 state election. 

A strong showing by far-right and -left parties could disrupt the implementation of federal migration and energy policies in Germany's east, while weakening mainstream parties ahead of the 2025 national election.

Previewing State Elections in Eastern Germany

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the European Green Deal's "ideological approach" and pledged to push to correct its most "self-destructive" policies, like a ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles in the European Union after 2035, according to a transcript of her speech the Italian government published on Sept. 18. 

Italy, EU: Italy's Meloni Pledges To Push for EU 2035 Combustion Engine Vehicle Ban Reversal

Canada

Australia

New Zealand

South Korea

Leaders of the AUKUS grouping (the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia) issued a joint statement on Sept. 18 revealing ongoing consultations with Canada, New Zealand and South Korea to collaborate on Pillar II of the agreement.

AUKUS: Joint Statement Hints at Expansion

The Dutch government unveiled its first budget since taking office in May 2024, introducing gradual cuts to development aid by about two-thirds through 2027 to reduce pressure on a growing deficit amid tax cuts and rising spending on defense, Reuters reported Sept. 17.

Netherlands: Right Wing Coalition Government Unveils First Budget, Prepares Tighter Migration Policies

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her team of Commissioners, a press release by the Commission shows Sept. 17. 

EU: Von der Leyen Unveils New European Commission

Venezuela

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that the government arrested three U.S. citizens, two Spaniards and a Czech national for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to destabilize the administration, El Pais reported on Sept. 14. 

Venezuela: Alleged Anti-Government Plot Portends Crackdown on Opposition

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz signed a series of agreements to increase bilateral cooperation with Uzbekistan across several areas, including critical raw materials and migration, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 15.

Germany, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan: Berlin Strengthens Central Asian Energy and Raw Material Ties

EU antitrust regulators are unlikely to order a breakup of Google over its anti-competitive tactics in the company's ad tech business as they had previously warned due to the complexity of such an order, Reuters reported Sept. 13.

Europe: EU Antitrust Regulators Unlikely To Order Google Ad Tech Break-Up

Argentina

Brazil

Paraguay

Uruguay

France's new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, reiterated Paris' opposition to a free trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc of Latin American countries, adding France will seek to form a 'blocking minority' in the EU Council, Euractiv reported Sept. 13.

France, EU, South America: Paris Reiterates Opposition to EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement

Europe

SITUATION REPORTS

Italy, EU: Italy's Meloni Pledges To Push for EU 2035 Combustion Engine Vehicle Ban Reversal

AUKUS: Joint Statement Hints at Expansion

Netherlands: Right Wing Coalition Government Unveils First Budget, Prepares Tighter Migration Policies

EU: Von der Leyen Unveils New European Commission

Venezuela: Alleged Anti-Government Plot Portends Crackdown on Opposition

Germany, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan: Berlin Strengthens Central Asian Energy and Raw Material Ties

Europe: EU Antitrust Regulators Unlikely To Order Google Ad Tech Break-Up

France, EU, South America: Paris Reiterates Opposition to EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement

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