Europe

Italy

Economics

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Politics

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

Ecuador

cuador has started a series of scheduled overnight blackouts to save electricity and carry out maintenance work amid the most severe drought in 60 years, DW reported on Sept. 19. 

Ecuador: Power Rationing to Pose Operational and Security Challenges 

Canada

United States

Australia

China

Japan

New Zealand

South Korea

United Kingdom

Military & Security

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

United Arab Emirates

Cyber

BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners, Microsoft and Abu Dhabi's MGX announced the creation of the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership to meet the growing needs for computing power to fuel artificial intelligence innovation, including energy infrastructure and data centers, Reuters reported on Sept. 17.

U.S.: New $30B Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership Announced

Chad

Mali

Niger

Nigeria

Floods across Western and Central Africa caused by unusually high rainfall have displaced at least 4 million people since late August, including at least 2.9 million people in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Mali, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 17.

Nigeria, Sahel: Large-Scale Floods Threaten Harvest as Rains Persists

Australia and the United Arab Emirates reached a trade deal that will remove a wide range of tariffs and encourage Emirati investment in Australia's critical minerals and clean energy sectors, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on Sept. 17.

Australia, UAE: Countries Strike Free Trade Agreement

Japan and the United States are close to reaching a deal under which Tokyo will place more restrictions on the export of chipmaking technology to China, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 16.

U.S., Japan: Negotiators Near Deal on Restricting Chipmaking Technology to China

U.S.-China Relations

Japan's nine candidates for president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and prime minister of Japan debated policy issues on television, Nikkei Asia reported on Sept. 14.

Japan: Nine LDP Candidates Debate China, Nuclear Power, Defense, Industry Regulations

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant science and technology analyses. 

Technology

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Agriculture

COVID-19

Supply Chains

_Energy

Environmental Issues

Globalization

The 4th Industrial Revolution

Snapshots

Israel

Lebanon

Syria

Lebanese soldiers stand guard as an ambulance rushes wounded people to a hospital in Beirut on Sept. 17, 2024, after explosions hit locations in several Hezbollah strongholds around Lebanon amid ongoing cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah fighters.

A widespread pager attack against Hezbollah raises tensions between Israel and Lebanon as their border conflict expands.

All Eyes Turn to Israel Following Hezbollah Pager Explosions Across Lebanon and Syria

Netherlands

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

Assessments

Turkey

Cambodia

Germany

France

Uzbekistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

Russia

Kyrgyzstan

Afghanistan

The Geopolitics of Water

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'

Israel will continue using its advanced desalination technology to foster better relations with Arab neighbors, but the Gaza conflict currently limits the success of this water diplomacy and will ultimately hinge on Tel Aviv's future political and military actions in the region.

How Israel Will Leverage Desalination in Its Regional Normalization Efforts

Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Mauritania

Environmental conditions in the Sahel are likely to worsen due to desertification, rapid population growth and political instability. 

The Role of Desertification in Conflict in the Sahel

A Google sign is displayed outside the company's offices in New York City on Jan. 25, 2023.

Google's antitrust loss shows U.S. regulators can successfully challenge Big Tech, but without major reforms, such rulings are unlikely to weaken the tech sector's mega-corporations or prevent the creation of new ones.

 Washington's Antitrust Push Is Unlikely To Threaten U.S. Tech Firms' Global Dominance

China's water security plans could see it become a world leader in water management technologies, but they also risk impeding Beijing's efforts to defuse debt bombs and attract foreign investment. 

In China, Water Security Comes With High Costs

Media

Podcasts

RANE Insights: Beyond COVID: The Newest COVID-19 Data

What preventative steps should organizations take to protect themselves from cyberattacks? 

Essential Geopolitics: What We Can Learn from High-Profile Cyber Breaches

A stock photo shows the inside of a modern data center.

The proliferation of AI and cloud computing, and the energy-intensive data centers they rely on, will strain power supplies in certain U.S. areas, but are unlikely to pose systemic risks to the national grid.

In the U.S., the AI Revolution Could Create Localized Power Crunches

Guinea

A stock photo shows a large, open-pit iron ore mine with various layers of soil.

If the project's completion is not derailed by renewed political instability in Guinea, the giant Simandou mine's iron ore exports will help China diversify its supplies and decarbonize its steelmaking industry. 

What Africa's Largest Mining Project Means for Guinea, China and the World

Columns

On Geopolitics

Saudi Arabia

A man walks in front of the Maraya (Mirror), the world's largest mirrored building, in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley in Saudi Arabia's northwestern Al-Ula desert on Jan. 29, 2024.

Amid the rising costs of climate change, Saudi Arabia hopes an increasing reliance on market forces will keep its economy in the black.

Will Climate Change Singe Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030?

Environment, Science & Technology

SITUATION REPORTS

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

Ecuador: Power Rationing to Pose Operational and Security Challenges

AUKUS: Joint Statement Hints at Expansion

U.S.: New $30B Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership Announced

Nigeria, Sahel: Large-Scale Floods Threaten Harvest as Rains Persists

Australia, UAE: Countries Strike Free Trade Agreement

U.S., Japan: Negotiators Near Deal on Restricting Chipmaking Technology to China

Japan: Nine LDP Candidates Debate China, Nuclear Power, Defense, Industry Regulations

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