South Africa

Politics

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa extended the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry's deadline to submit its final report from Aug. 31 to Nov. 16, the South African Presidency said in a July 9 statement.

South Africa: Ramaphosa Delays Madlanga Report Deadline to November

Bangladesh

India

Military & Security

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has remained exiled in India since her August 2024 popular ouster, plans to return to Bangladesh in December alongside colleagues from her Awami League party to surrender, Reuters reported on July 10.

Bangladesh: Hasina To Return Home Alongside Party Colleagues in December

United Kingdom

Economics

Andy Burnham secured nominations from 322 of the U.K. Labour party's 403 members of Parliament on July 9, roughly 80% of the parliamentary party and four times the 81 required to stand, within hours of nominations opening to replace Keir Starmer as party leader and UK prime minister, the BBC reported the same day. 



U.K.: Burnham Set To Become Prime Minister As Soon As Next Week 

United States

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the United States was mistaken to believe that Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure could pressure Moscow to resume peace talks, warning that escalation could prolong the war and force Russia to create a larger "security zone," Reuters reported on July 9.

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says Ukrainian Strikes Could Prolong War, Not End It

Burkina Faso

Mali

Niger

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Russia's commitment to strengthening the defense capabilities of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso following a meeting with his counterparts from all three countries in Niger's capital, Niamey, Le Monde reported on July 9.

West Africa: Lavrov Reiterates Commitment To Deepening Defense Cooperation With Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso

Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Bundestag that Berlin agreed to buy U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles and station them on German soil, with the deal sealed on the sidelines of the July 7-8 NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Reuters reported on July 9. 

U.S., Germany: Berlin Strikes Deal To Buy Tomahawk Missiles After Canceled U.S. Deployment

Syria

U.S. President Donald Trump notified Congress of his decision to rescind Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, Reuters reported on July 8, citing an unnamed senior U.S. official.

U.S., Syria: Trump Moves To Rescind Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, aged 83, signed into law a controversial constitutional amendment that extends his current presidential term by two years to 2030, Bloomberg reported on July 7.

Zimbabwe: President Signs Law Extending His Presidency to 2030

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

Below are our latest and most relevant politics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Post-Apartheid Era Ends

Venezuela's Unraveling

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Israel's Survival Strategy

Turkey's Resurgence

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

Old Leaders in a New Africa

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Pulse of Political Islam

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

India's Own Worst Enemy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Snapshots

Spain

EU flags are displayed in the EU Council headquarters on July 9, 2026, in Brussels, Belgium.

While the European Union is unlikely to adopt the Spanish plan, it could drive an incremental expansion of common borrowing for strategic priorities like defense and industrial competitiveness.


Spain Broaches EU Taboo With Common Debt Proposal

Assessments

A German flag flutters in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany. 

Global Trade

The package of reforms aims to revive productivity and lift Europe's largest economy out of its multi-year slump, though the package's limited nature and global trade headwinds will limit the impact in the medium term.


Germany's Labor-Market Reforms Could Lead to Modest Economic Improvements

France

Journalists surround French far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen (center) as she arrives with National Rally president Jordan Bardella (third from right) for a campaign rally in La Fleche, France, on July 8, 2026.

With the launch of Le Pen's campaign, the National Rally appears set to win France's 2027 presidential election, signaling a coming policy shift toward EU confrontation and weaker NATO integration, though various constraints would temper implementation.

As Le Pen Returns to the Race, What Would a Far-Right Presidency Look Like in France?

North Macedonia

Serbia

Croatia

Albania

Slovenia

Kosovo

Protestors hold national flags as they gather outside Albania's prime minister's office to oppose the construction of luxury resorts, in Tirana on June 25.

Social Issues

Driven by grievances like corruption and declining public trust, protests in the Western Balkans have evolved into deep challenges to ruling elites.


The Implications of Serbia and Albania's Massive Protest Waves

Philippines

The NATO headquarters is seen in Brussels, Belgium.

Environment, Science & Technology

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

The Weekly Rundown: Turkey Hosts NATO Summit, Iran Buries Slain Supreme Leader

U.S.-Iran Relations

Kenya

Protesters march outside Parliament to honor victims of the June 25, 2024, protest on June 25, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Despite declining public approval, President William Ruto remains well-positioned to leverage state resources and exploit opposition divisions to secure his standing ahead of next year's general election.


Kenyan Opposition Struggles To Unite Against Ruto Ahead of 2027 Elections

Columns

On Geopolitics

China

Chinese President Xi Jinping (center) and Premier Li Qiang attend a plenary session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People on March 9, 2026, in Beijing, China.

Beijing will prioritize employment and social stability over rapid economic growth in the coming years, pressuring businesses to boost hiring and expand benefits amid demographic pressures, rising youth unemployment and AI-related job disruptions.

China Plans To Stabilize Employment in an Age of Change

Sudan

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Sudan's de facto leader and army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, waves to spectators after attending a soccer match at Kober Stadium in Khartoum on May 15, 2026.

The outbreak of the Iran war has redirected Western and Arab diplomatic attention away from Sudan, worsening the country's long-running civil war.

Humanitarian Disaster Looms in Sudan as RSF Prepares New Offensive

Computer chips are seen on top of the U.S. and Chinese flags.

The Trump administration's recent shift to a more restrictive, ad-hoc licensing regime for frontier AI models risks slowing U.S. innovation and giving Chinese rivals a competitive advantage.

From Laissez-Faire to Licensing: Understanding Trump's Evolving AI Strategy

U.S.-China Relations

Cyber

Energy

A fragile truce in the Middle East, persistent energy-driven inflation, shifting U.S. trade policy and escalating regional pressures from Europe to Africa will collectively shape geopolitical risk in the third quarter.

2026 Third-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Canada

Mexico

Iran

Japan

Cargo ships June 19 off the coast of the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal in Sharjah emirate, along the Gulf of Oman.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan's Takaichi Goes to India, an Unsteady U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Israel

Lebanon

Oman

Maps4media-processed Sentinel-2 satellite imagery shows a broad overview of the Strait of Hormuz on June 16, 2026.

U.S.-Iran talks will face increasingly large obstacles as negotiators approach more contentious topics, namely Iran's nuclear program.

For the U.S. and Iran, the Hardest Negotiations Lie Ahead

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

South Africa: Ramaphosa Delays Madlanga Report Deadline to November

Bangladesh: Hasina To Return Home Alongside Party Colleagues in December

U.K.: Burnham Set To Become Prime Minister As Soon As Next Week

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says Ukrainian Strikes Could Prolong War, Not End It

West Africa: Lavrov Reiterates Commitment To Deepening Defense Cooperation With Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso

U.S., Germany: Berlin Strikes Deal To Buy Tomahawk Missiles After Canceled U.S. Deployment

U.S., Syria: Trump Moves To Rescind Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation

Zimbabwe: President Signs Law Extending His Presidency to 2030

Forecasts

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