China

Politics

Beijing is investigating Ma Xingrui, a Politburo member and former Party secretary of Xinjiang province, for "serious violations of discipline and law," a euphemism for corruption or political disloyalty, Chinese state news outlet Xinhua announced on April 3.

China: Ma Xingrui Investigated, Most Politburo Members Purged Since 1977

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

United States

Economics

Military & Security

Rwandan President Paul Kagame accused the Congolese military of maintaining an "intense" collaboration with the extremist Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, in a March 26 interview published by Jeune Afrique on April 3.

Rwanda: Kagame Lambasts Congo Over Collaboration With FDLR, Pouring Cold Water on 2025 Peace Deal

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Palestinian militant group Hamas continues to insist on a guarantee that Israeli troops will withdraw from Gaza before disarmament talks proceed, reinforcing the group's long-standing demand that Israel eventually abandon Gaza in order to end the nearly three-year-old war, Reuters reported on April 2.

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Wants Israeli Troops To Withdraw Before Disarmament

Iran

United Arab Emirates

The U.S. military attacked Iran's B1 bridge, which connects Tehran with a suburb and was allegedly used to transport missiles, resulting in its partial collapse and reportedly killing eight people, Axios reported on April 2.

U.S., Iran: U.S. Attacks Iranian Bridge, Iran Hits Oracle Data Center in Dubai

U.S.-Iran Relations

Armenia

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Moscow that Armenia cannot simultaneously be part of the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union due to incompatible customs regimes, AP reported April 1.

Russia, Armenia: Putin Warns of Economic Consequences if Yerevan Deepens EU Ties

Venezuela

Energy

The United States lifted sanctions on interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, the U.S. Treasury Department announced on its website on April 1.

U.S., Venezuela: Washington Removes Sanctions on Interim President Rodriguez

Bolivia

Bolivia's Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances Ernesto Justiniano said during an interview that Bolivia and the United States have resumed joint anti-drug trafficking investigations for the first time since 2008, when a diplomatic spat halted cooperation, AFP reported on April 1.

Bolivia, U.S.: Countries Resume Joint Anti-Drug Investigations

New Zealand

New Zealand and the Cook Islands signed a defense and security declaration, reaffirming New Zealand as the Cook Islands' primary security partner, Bloomberg reported April 2.

New Zealand, Cook Islands: Countries Sign Defense and Security Declaration

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

Myanmar

Myanmar's then-military chief Min Aung Hlaing prepares to deliver a speech during a memorial event at the Myanmar International Convention Center in Naypyidaw on March 28, 2026, to mark the first anniversary since a 7.7-magnitude tremor killed more than 3,800 people in Myanmar.

Myanmar's transition from military to civilian governance will not lead to a meaningful transfer of power, nor will it impact the country's civil war.

Myanmar's Government Transitions to Civilian Rule in Name Only

Nepal

Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Balendra Shah is sworn in as Nepal's new prime minister in Kathmandu on March 27, 2026.

Global Trade

Prolonged global supply chain disruptions and threats to foreign remittances linked to the war will constrain the new administration's ability to deliver on its economic promises.


New Nepalese Government's Agenda Threatened by Iran War Fallout

Assessments

Japan

South Korea

Taiwan

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) answers questions during a plenary session of the House of Representatives at Parliament on March 26 in Tokyo. Poor ties with China under Japan's new premier portend industrial disruptions in Japan, and supply chain and defense cooperation with regional partners like South Korea and the United States.

Poor ties with China under Japan's new premier portend industrial disruptions in Japan, and supply chain and defense cooperation with regional partners like South Korea and the United States.

A New Leader in Japan and an Old Feud With China

Newly elected opposition Kuomintang (KMT) leader Cheng Li-wun delivers a speech in Taipei on Nov. 1, 2025. 

The KMT's diplomatic outreach to Beijing may yield modest economic gains, but it will also hurt the party's electoral prospects, which could paradoxically raise the risk of military conflict in the coming years.

The Taiwanese Opposition's Plan To Revive Talks With China Will Likely Backfire

Hungary

 A campaign billboard featuring a portrait of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seen in Budapest's 3rd district on March 27, 2026.

Social Issues

Hungary's April 12 parliamentary elections are primed to be the country's most competitive national vote since 2010 and may remove Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party from power.

Hungary's Upcoming Elections May Unseat Orban After 16 Years

This photo, taken in Lima in November 2024, shows Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte attending the inauguration ceremony for the Chinese-built and operated "megaport" in the small Peruvian town of Chancay.

Environment, Science & Technology

As Washington formalizes a new hemispheric doctrine centered on security and supply chain dominance, regional governments face mounting pressure to align their defense and economic policies with U.S. geopolitical interests.

How the U.S.'s Anti-China Strategy for Latin America Could Unfold

U.S.-China Relations

Columns

On Geopolitics

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

As competition for natural resources and critical raw materials intensifies, companies -- not just countries -- must be more mindful of risks in their physical supply chains.

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources: An Introduction

Cyber

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The second quarter will test global resilience as lingering conflicts and energy shocks converge to heighten economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility.

2026 Second-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Cuba

People on March 15 in Tehran, Iran, clean up rubble from a missile attack. The Iran war will almost certainly continue through the next week amid Israeli threats to escalate and expand strikes due to Iranian attacks targeting Israeli civilians and the U.S. deployment of additional military assets to the region.

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

The Weekly Rundown: The Iran War Continues, a European Parliament Delegation Visits China

Media

Podcasts

How will the trajectory of China-U.S. trade conversations change in light of conflict in the Middle East?

The Decision Advantage: The Impact of the Iran War on the Asia-Pacific Region

South Africa

A general view of power lines near the Lethabo power station between Vereeniging and Sasolburg, South Africa, on April 17, 2024.

Although South Africa's power sector reforms remain years from completion, their gradual advancement will still attract investment in energy projects that support the country's long-term energy security and decarbonization goals.

The Outlook for South Africa's Power Sector Reforms and Energy Security

Cars drive past a gas station in Ponte Leccia on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on March 26, 2026. 

To address Iran-related energy disruptions, the European Union will likely opt for a patchwork of national relief measures, rather than a more comprehensive market intervention.

How the EU Is Responding to Its Latest Energy Crisis

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

China: Ma Xingrui Investigated, Most Politburo Members Purged Since 1977

Rwanda: Kagame Lambasts Congo Over Collaboration With FDLR, Pouring Cold Water on 2025 Peace Deal

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Wants Israeli Troops To Withdraw Before Disarmament

U.S., Iran: U.S. Attacks Iranian Bridge, Iran Hits Oracle Data Center in Dubai

Russia, Armenia: Putin Warns of Economic Consequences if Yerevan Deepens EU Ties

U.S., Venezuela: Washington Removes Sanctions on Interim President Rodriguez

Bolivia, U.S.: Countries Resume Joint Anti-Drug Investigations

New Zealand, Cook Islands: Countries Sign Defense and Security Declaration

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support