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

Israel

Palestinian Territories

U.S. President Donald Trump (center) holds up his signature on the founding charter among world leaders during a ceremony for the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2026.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Military & Security

The U.S.-led endeavor's immediate priority will be expanding aid in Gaza, but internal divisions, international skepticism and Israeli interference will likely undermine its effectiveness, especially if the Israel-Hamas ceasefire collapses.

What To Make of Trump's 'Board of Peace'

The Federal Reserve's headquarters is seen in Washington, D.C.

Economics

Politics

Trump will soon be able to nominate a new Fed chair and governor. But unless the Supreme Court vastly increases the president's power to dismiss Fed governors, the bank will retain its independence, limiting the risk of market instability.

U.S. Fed Independence: Assessing Threats From Trump Nominations, Court Rulings

India

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at a hotel in New York City on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting on Sept. 22, 2025. 

Global Trade

A trade deal could gradually reduce barriers in the tech, industrial and energy sectors, but progress will likely remain constrained by U.S. tariff uncertainty and India's reluctance to make concessions in sensitive sectors like agriculture.

Where Things Stand in U.S.-India Trade Talks

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

U.S. Naval Update Map: Jan. 22, 2026

Sub-Saharan Africa

Benin

Burkina Faso

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mali

Mozambique

Niger

Nigeria

Sudan

Togo

Structures destroyed in U.S. strikes on jihadist targets in Offa, Nigeria, are seen on Dec. 27, 2025.

New U.S. military action would most likely target jihadist groups, especially in West Africa, but limited strikes in Sudan or the Democratic Republic of the Congo to force belligerents there to de-escalate also cannot be ruled out.

The Outlook for New U.S. Strikes in Africa

Europe

Germany

Finland

Denmark

France

Sweden

United Kingdom

Norway

Netherlands

The HDMS Knud Rasmussen ship of the Danish Navy patrols the waters off of Nuuk, Greenland, on Jan. 20, 2026. 

Trump's threatened tariffs over his bid to acquire Greenland have turned the U.S.-EU trade dispute into a high-stakes geopolitical confrontation, raising the risk of a sustained trade war that would severely strain transatlantic economic ties and NATO cohesion.

Trump's Greenland Tariff Threat Escalates Transatlantic Tensions

Columns

On Geopolitics

China

U.S. protectionism has dramatically weakened the rules-based, multilateral trade regime established after World War II, driving governments to increasingly view trade through a national security lens rather than purely an economic one.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Conclusion

Vietnam

Switzerland

Ukraine

Russia

A sniper police officer on the Congress hotel during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum on Jan. 24, 2025, in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland.

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: Davos, Europe Steps Up Greenland Deployments

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Somalia

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel's recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland at Mogadishu Stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Dec. 30, 2025. 

Two regional alignments are coalescing along the Red Sea and in the Horn of Africa, risking the escalation of proxy conflicts and longstanding rivalries.

The Unfolding Regional Realignments Along the Red Sea and Their Implications

U.S. Naval Update Map: Jan. 15, 2026

Energy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine, Russia and the United States are preparing additional trilateral meetings for Feb. 1, following their first round of talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Interfax-Ukraine reported on Jan. 26. 

Ukraine, Russia, U.S: Trilateral Talks Set To Continue as Territorial Red Lines Hold

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

The European Commission is launching a new formal investigation into X (formerly Twitter) related to purported violations of the bloc's Digital Services Act, The New York Times reported on Jan. 26. 

EU: Commission Launches Formal Investigation Into X Over DSA Violations

A U.S. military plane landed in Argentina's southernmost province on Jan. 25, three days after the Argentine government intervened in the region's Ushuaia port and took control of its operations for one year, removing provincial authorities' powers amid allegations of embezzlement and infrastructure problems, Perfil reported on Jan. 25.

Argentina: Government's Administrative Takeover of Southernmost Port Indicates Strong Alignment With Washington

Iran

Iraq

Iraq's Shiite Coordination Framework, or SCF, an umbrella organization of Iranian-aligned Shiite parties, nominated former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to become the new prime minister following the November 2025 elections, Reuters reported on Jan. 25.

Iraq: Shiite Parties Nominate Former PM al-Maliki To Become Prime Minister

Bulgaria

Slovakia

Hungary

EU energy ministers formally approved legislation to phase out imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027, the European Council said in a press release on Jan. 26.

EU, Russia: EU Adopts Binding Ban on Russian Gas Imports by 2027

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened in a Jan. 24 Truth Social post to impose "a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A." if Canada moves forward with a recently announced trade deal with China.

U.S., Canada: Trump Threatens To Impose a 100% Tariff on Canada

Late on Jan. 23, the U.S. Department of Defense released its National Defense Strategy, which prioritizes defending the U.S. homeland and the Western Hemisphere. 

U.S.: Trump Administration's National Defense Strategy Prioritizes Homeland

Syria's Ministry of Defense announced a 15-day extension of the current ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces, though violations continued near the Kurdish-held city of Kobani and al-Hasaka in the enclaves still held by the SDF, Al Jazeera reported on Jan. 25.

Syria: Government, SDF Extend Ceasefire by Over Two Weeks

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine, Russia, U.S: Trilateral Talks Set To Continue as Territorial Red Lines Hold

EU: Commission Launches Formal Investigation Into X Over DSA Violations

Argentina: Government's Administrative Takeover of Southernmost Port Indicates Strong Alignment With Washington

Iraq: Shiite Parties Nominate Former PM al-Maliki To Become Prime Minister

EU, Russia: EU Adopts Binding Ban on Russian Gas Imports by 2027

U.S., Canada: Trump Threatens To Impose a 100% Tariff on Canada

U.S.: Trump Administration's National Defense Strategy Prioritizes Homeland

Syria: Government, SDF Extend Ceasefire by Over Two Weeks

Forecasts

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