Iran

Saudi Arabia

Ukraine

Russia

Military & Security

Politics

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a military cooperation agreement to develop defense ties and potential contracts, Bloomberg reported on March 27.

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia: Kyiv Expands Defense Ties in the Gulf

United States

China

Economics

China's commerce ministry on March 27 initiated two probes, one into U.S. actions affecting global trade and another into U.S. actions impacting trade in "green products," including curbs on imports and technology cooperation.

China, U.S.: Beijing Prepares Retaliation for U.S. Section 301 Investigations

U.S.-China Relations

Panama

China has intensified inspections on Panamanian ships and detained at least 70 vessels from the country as of March 8, according to a U.S. Federal Maritime Commission estimate, Reuters reported on March 26.

Panama, China: Beijing Detains Panamanian Ships Amid Port Dispute

Energy

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a delay until April 6 of the deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or risk U.S. attacks against power plants after claiming that U.S.-Iran discussions were going "very well," AP reported on March 26. 

U.S., Iran: Trump Delays Power Plant Attacks Deadline Until April 6

U.S.-Iran Relations

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group has withdrawn from several localities in the Lubero and Walikale territories of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's North Kivu province since the night of March 23-24, Jeune Afrique reported on March 27. 

Congo: Rwandan-Backed Rebels Withdraw From Parts of North Kivu

Philippines

France

On March 26, the Philippines and France signed a status of visiting forces agreement, allowing their militaries to deploy personnel in each other's territories for joint training, exercises and operations, The Philippine Star reported the next day.

Philippines, France: Paris Latest To Sign Visiting Forces Agreement With Manila

Environment, Science & Technology

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking the Department of Defense from labeling Anthropic, the artificial intelligence lab behind the Claude family of AI models, a supply chain risk, NPR reported on March 26.

U.S.: Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration's Punitive Actions Against Anthropic

Europe

The European Parliament will send a delegation to Beijing and Shanghai on March 31-April 2, including members of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and the head of its China delegation, the parliament confirmed in a March 26 press release.

EU, China: European Parliament To Send First Delegation to China in Eight Years

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

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

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

Assessments

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

Bahrain

Israel

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

The Burj Khalifa skyscraper (L) and the Burj al-Arab hotel (R) on March 11 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With further Iranian provocation, several Gulf Cooperation Council states would be willing to join the war against Iran, but doing so would likely deepen Iran's targeting of their critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and potentially pull the GCC into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Joining in could deepen Iran's targeting of GCC critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and pull the bloc into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Will the Gulf States Join the Iran War, and What Would Happen if They Did?

Yemen

India

A medicine distributor stores Mounjaro (tirzepatide) self-injecting GLP-1 prefilled pens and vials in a fridge at his office in Thane, India, on March 20, 2026. 

India's pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors are set to grow significantly over the next several years amid manufacturing incentives, regulatory reforms and trade deals.

The Growth Outlook for India's Pharmaceutical Sector Remains Strong, Despite Global Uncertainties

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Social Issues

While far from deterministic, demographics plays a key role in influencing a country's domestic and international politics, as well as its economic and financial development.

The Geopolitics of Demographics: Politics and Economics

Snapshots

Italy

Opposition supporters celebrate the defeat of a referendum on justice reform March 23 in Rome. The defeat exposes limits to the Italian government's dominance, and may embolden the fragmented opposition and strain coalition unity.

The defeat of a highly politicized judicial reform referendum exposes limits to the Italian government's dominance, and may embolden the fragmented opposition and strain coalition unity.

What a Failed Italian Referendum Means for the Meloni Government

Columns

On Geopolitics

Lebanon

Syria

Photos of prominent Hezbollah leaders are seen at the site of a reported Israeli airstrike which killed 6 members of the same family, on March 19, 2026 in Baalbek, Lebanon.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The trajectory of the war will be increasingly defined by a clash of strategic objectives that makes a quick resolution of the conflict unlikely.


The Impact the Israel-Hezbollah War Will Have on Lebanon

Denmark

The European Parliament building in 2019 in Strasbourg, France. Parliament is set to hold a plenary vote March 26 on implementing the 2025 EU‑U.S. trade framework agreement.

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: A Vote on the EU‑U.S. Trade Framework, the Iran Conflict Continues

People walk along the corniche area on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026.

Global Trade

Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will compel Gulf Cooperation Council states to invest in alternative trade routes and more resilient physical infrastructure.

Gulf Arab States, Shaken by Iran War, Plan Economic Pivot

Greenland

Danish Defense Minister and top candidate of Denmark's Venstre party, Troels Lund Poulsen (left), and Danish Prime Minister and top candidate of the Social Democrat Party, Mette Frederiksen (right), attend a debate in Copenhagen on March 15, 2026.

The upcoming parliamentary elections could result in three distinct coalitions that would offer varying continuity in domestic economic policy and Copenhagen's approach to U.S. pressure over Greenland.

Denmark's General Elections: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Global Elections

Malaysia

A man fills up his truck at a Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) station in Kuching, Malaysia, on June 20, 2025.

While fuel subsidies have so far cushioned the impact, if the Iran-related energy disruptions persist, the government may have to sacrifice economic reforms to preserve political support before the next election.

Malaysia's Ballooning Fuel Subsidy Costs Will Test the Government's Reform Agenda

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia: Kyiv Expands Defense Ties in the Gulf

China, U.S.: Beijing Prepares Retaliation for U.S. Section 301 Investigations

Panama, China: Beijing Detains Panamanian Ships Amid Port Dispute

U.S., Iran: Trump Delays Power Plant Attacks Deadline Until April 6

Congo: Rwandan-Backed Rebels Withdraw From Parts of North Kivu

Philippines, France: Paris Latest To Sign Visiting Forces Agreement With Manila

U.S.: Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration's Punitive Actions Against Anthropic

EU, China: European Parliament To Send First Delegation to China in Eight Years

Forecasts

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