The Americas stretch from the Arctic Circle in Canada to the southern tip of Chile. This geographically, culturally and politically diverse region is home to the United States, a nation whose geography helped it become the foremost economic and military power in the world &mdash; an ascendance aided in part by bringing Mexico and Canada into its sphere of influence. Farther south, the nations of South America are like islands, separated by vast spaces of impenetrable mountains, rivers and jungles. Try though these countries may to integrate more closely, deeper ties such as those that characterize North America will prove elusive.

This geographically, culturally and politically diverse region is home to the United States, a nation whose geography helped it become the foremost economic and military power in the world

Americas

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Barbados

Belize

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Grenada

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Suriname

Bahamas

Trinidad and Tobago

United States

Uruguay

Venezuela

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Greenland

Jamaica

Venezuela's Unraveling

Colombian Peace Process

Security Challenges in Latin America

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Importance of Mexico

North America Unrivaled

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Crossing Borders

Assessments

Nigeria

Zambia

Iran

Morocco

Oman

China

Europe

Spain

Migrants wait to receive water on a beach in the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Aug. 2, 2026.

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

Politics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Extreme Weather in China and Europe, More Migrant Crossings Into Spain

Media

Australia

Fiji

Solomon Islands

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Podcasts

Who are the main players, and what are the primary frameworks holding it all together?

The Decision Advantage: The Security Architecture of the Pacific Islands

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh holds a press conference in Washington, D.C., on July 29, 2026. 

Economics

Changes to the central bank's inflation, balance sheet and communication strategies could increase financial market volatility, though the Fed's commitment to price stability will remain intact.

Previewing Potential U.S. Fed Policy Changes Under Warsh 

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: Aug. 6, 2026

Denmark

Russia

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Energy

Greenland's large deposits of critical minerals make the island one of the few potential alternatives to Chinese supply chains, but material constraints and diplomatic disputes will obstruct large-scale production.

The West's Quest To Exploit Greenland's Critical Minerals

Bangladesh

Garment workers sew clothes at a textile factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Dec. 29, 2024. 

The government's efforts to secure U.S. tariff exemptions and external financial aid will have only a modest impact without addressing the ready-made garment sector's energy shortages and other structural challenges.

The Outlook for Bangladesh's Garment Sector Under U.S. Tariffs

Snapshots

Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (center) chats with U.S. senators before heading to a closed-door meeting at the U.S. Capitol on July 28, 2026. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

If enacted, the proposed bill would give Trump broad new authority to impose tariffs on major Russian oil buyers, but selective enforcement means it would unlikely compel Russia to end its war in Ukraine.

New U.S. Sanctions Bill Unlikely To Impact Russia's Oil Exports or War Strategy

Israel

Lebanon

Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella (R) delivers a speech during a military parade commemorating Colombia's Independence Day in Medellin, Colombia, on July 20, 2026. 

Cyber

The Weekly Rundown: Colombia's New President Takes Office, Brussels Gains AI Act Enforcement Powers

U.S.-Iran Relations

Ethiopia

South Africa

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

India

(From left to right) Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attend a plenary session at the BRICS summit in Kazan on Oct. 24, 2024.

The bloc's push to develop an independent payment system for trade will not immediately undermine the U.S. dollar's global dominance, though it could reduce the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions.

The Implications of an Independent BRICS Payment System

U.S. Naval Update Map: July 30, 2026

New U.S. intelligence assessments concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO between fall 2026 and 2029 through actions ranging from cyberattacks and covert operations to a limited land incursion, The Wall Street Journal reported on Aug. 6.

Russia, NATO: U.S. Intel Warns Putin Could Test NATO's Resolve

North Korea

South Korea

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told reporters to discount Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's Aug. 5 proposal for four-party talks between South Korea, North Korea, China and the United States, Reuters reported on Aug. 7.

South Korea: Officials Disagree Over North Korea Policy

An Iranian parliamentary committee helmed by hard-liners is pushing for a bill that would seek to formalize the prohibition of U.S. and Israeli vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as well as require some form of compensation from hostile countries -- likely Gulf countries -- that have supported U.S. operations against Iran before allowing their vessels to transit, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 6.

U.S., Iran: Iranian Parliamentary Committee Pushes Maximalist Demands for Strait of Hormuz

Sub-Saharan Africa

Middle East and North Africa

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

South Asia

Researchers at Stanford and the Arc Institute used artificial intelligence to create 16 novel viral genomes, Science reported on Aug. 6.

Global: Scientists Use AI To Create 16 Novel Viruses

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast unveiled his security legislative agenda, which seeks to expand the government's capacity to combat organized crime, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 5.

Chile: President Unveils Agenda To Combat Organized Crime

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced on Aug. 6 that it would launch a formal cybersecurity review of products sold by U.S. cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks in China.

China: Cyber Regulator Opens Investigation Into Palo Alto Networks' Products

U.S.-China Relations

China's Ministry of Commerce on Aug. 5 placed seven U.S. due diligence companies on the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law Countermeasures List and prohibited entities in China from doing business with them. 

U.S., China: China Levies New Restrictions on U.S. Due Diligence Companies

The U.S. government revoked the visa of Brazil's ambassador to the United States on Aug. 4 after an alleged delay in Brasilia's confirmation of Daniel Perez as the U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Reuters reported Aug. 4.

Americas: U.S. Revokes Brazilian Ambassador's Visa, Brazil Downgrades Ties With Argentina

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Russia, NATO: U.S. Intel Warns Putin Could Test NATO's Resolve

South Korea: Officials Disagree Over North Korea Policy

U.S., Iran: Iranian Parliamentary Committee Pushes Maximalist Demands for Strait of Hormuz

Global: Scientists Use AI To Create 16 Novel Viruses

Chile: President Unveils Agenda To Combat Organized Crime

China: Cyber Regulator Opens Investigation Into Palo Alto Networks' Products

U.S., China: China Levies New Restrictions on U.S. Due Diligence Companies

Americas: U.S. Revokes Brazilian Ambassador's Visa, Brazil Downgrades Ties With Argentina

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support