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

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United States

Uruguay

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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

Sub-Saharan Africa

Asia-Pacific

South Asia

A thermometer reading a high temperature is shown over an image of Earth.

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

The compounding effects of the weather event and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are set to drive global inflation and strain agricultural output well into next year.


How the 2026 El Nino Climate Event Will Affect the Global Economy and Security

Philippines

Europe

The NATO headquarters is seen in Brussels, Belgium.

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: Turkey Hosts NATO Summit, Iran Buries Slain Supreme Leader

U.S.-Iran Relations

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

U.S. Naval Update Map: July 2, 2026

Media

Iran

Ukraine

Russia

Forecast Webcast

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2026 Third-Quarter Geopolitical Forecast.

2026 Third-Quarter Forecast Webcast

Snapshots

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

China

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

Middle East and North Africa

Eurasia

Cyber

Energy

Social Issues

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

Japan

United Kingdom

India

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

Columns

On Geopolitics

The U.S. Treasury Department building in Washington, D.C.

The legal and geographical constraints of Washington's jurisdiction make freezing the assets of countries like Iran a far more flexible and effective diplomatic tool than outright seizure. 

American Financial Power: Freezing vs. Seizing Other Countries' Foreign Assets

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control revoked the June 21 general license that allowed Iran to export crude oil as part of the terms of the June memorandum of understanding between the two countries, OFAC said in a July 7 statement published on its website.

Iran, U.S.: U.S. Revokes Sanctions Waivers for Iranian Oil Exports

Incoming Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori announced she will appoint Central Reserve Bank President Julio Velarde for another term, Bloomberg reported on July 6.

Peru: Central Bank Governor To Extend 20-Year Tenure Under Fujimori

NATO allies unveiled some $12 billion in defense deals at an industry forum opening the alliance's July 7-8 Ankara summit, including a $5 billion, 11-country order of Saab surveillance aircraft to replace U.S.-made AWACS, $2.7 billion for Northrop Grumman Triton drones, $4.3 billion for Airbus transport planes and agreements shifting production and maintenance of U.S.-designed missiles to Europe, Bloomberg reported on July 7. 

NATO: Allies Unveil Billions in Defense Deals as Ankara Summit Opens

Nigeria

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, or FCCPC, to investigate U.S. technology companies Meta, Alphabet and X, as well as generative artificial intelligence companies operating in Nigeria, over their alleged anti-competitive practices, unauthorized exploitation of copyrighted news content and use of journalistic material from Nigerian news outlets to train generative AI models, Daily Trust reported on July 6.

Nigeria: Tinubu Orders Probe in U.S Tech Giants, AI Companies Over Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices

The provincial governments of Ontario and Alberta on July 6 unveiled a new oil pipeline project -- the Northern Shield Energy Corridor -- that would send 500,000 barrels per day from Hardisty, Alberta, to Sarnia, Ontario, where three Canadian refineries are located.

Canada: Ontario, Alberta Propose New Eastward Oil Pipeline

Chinese officials have held meetings with domestic artificial intelligence companies to discuss potential export restrictions and/or licensing requirements for frontier and other advanced AI models, potentially including both closed-weight and open-weight models, Reuters reported on July 7.

China: Beijing Explores Potential Export Restrictions on Advanced AI Models

Iran attacked three commercial vessels -- a Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier, a Saudi-flagged oil tanker and a third tanker -- transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with at least one using the U.S.-backed parallel route off the coast of Oman, AP reported on July 7.

U.S., Iran: Iran Attacks Three Commercial Vessels in Strait of Hormuz

Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban President Raul Castro, said he was open to negotiating with the United States and would be willing to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump himself, according to an interview with USA Today published on July 6.

Cuba, U.S.: Former President's Grandson Willing To Negotiate With U.S.

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Iran, U.S.: U.S. Revokes Sanctions Waivers for Iranian Oil Exports

Peru: Central Bank Governor To Extend 20-Year Tenure Under Fujimori

NATO: Allies Unveil Billions in Defense Deals as Ankara Summit Opens

Nigeria: Tinubu Orders Probe in U.S Tech Giants, AI Companies Over Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices

Canada: Ontario, Alberta Propose New Eastward Oil Pipeline

China: Beijing Explores Potential Export Restrictions on Advanced AI Models

U.S., Iran: Iran Attacks Three Commercial Vessels in Strait of Hormuz

Cuba, U.S.: Former President's Grandson Willing To Negotiate With U.S.

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