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

Iran

Iraq

Iraqi women light candles in memory of the victims of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon during a rally in Baghdad's Tahrir Square on April 2, 2026.

Economics

Energy

Military & Security

Politics

Violent spillover from the Iran war will further complicate Iraq's government formation process, while disrupted oil exports will heavily strain Baghdad's finances and raise the risk of unrest.

Iraq Is Caught in the Crossfire of Another Destabilizing War

China

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

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

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

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

Sub-Saharan Africa

Middle East and North Africa

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

South Asia

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

Israel

Yemen

Houthi loyalists chant slogans on March 27, 2026, in Sanaa, Yemen, as they participate in a protest staged to show support for Iran in its ongoing war against the United States and Israel.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis will likely progressively expand their target set beyond Israel if the war intensifies, raising the risk of more economically disruptive attacks on regional shipping and energy infrastructure.

The Implications of the Houthis Joining the Iran War

Cyber

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Social Issues

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

Russia

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

U.S.-Iran Relations

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

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?

U.S. Naval Update Map: March 26, 2026

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on April 2 declared a new 60-day state of emergency in nine of the country's 24 provinces, including the province of Pichincha, where Quito is located, and Guayas, which includes the main port city of Guayaquil, DW reported on April 3.

Ecuador: Authorities Declare New State of Emergency in Nine Provinces

Kenya

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Mines Ali Hassan Joho said Kenyan authorities would prioritize bidders that give "Kenya the best deal on beneficiation" in allocating the tender to develop the country's Mrima Hill mining project, the Financial Times reported on April 3.

Kenya: Government To Prioritize Local Processing in Tender for Major Critical Mineral Project

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

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

Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Iran was drafting a protocol to oversee the Strait of Hormuz along with Oman, even during peacetime, though there are few available details of what this protocol would entail, The New York Times reported on April 2.

Iran: Tehran Preparing Protocol for Overseeing Strait of Hormuz 

Egypt

Jordan

Israel resumed operations at the Leviathan gas field -- Israel's largest -- for the first time since Israel's energy minister ordered the field to suspend operations due to security risks caused by the Feb. 28 start of the Iran conflict, Bloomberg reported on April 3. 

Israel, Egypt: Israel Resumes Operations at Leviathan Gas Field, Restarting Exports to Egypt 

Palestinian Territories

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

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

United Kingdom

In two separate presidential proclamations signed April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered changes to U.S. steel, copper and aluminum tariffs that would simplify the regime for low metal content goods and authorized new tariffs of up to 100% on certain imported pharmaceuticals.

U.S.: Trump Orders Changes to Steel, Copper and Aluminum Tariff Regime, Authorizes New Pharmaceutical Tariffs

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Ecuador: Authorities Declare New State of Emergency in Nine Provinces

Kenya: Government To Prioritize Local Processing in Tender for Major Critical Mineral Project

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

Iran: Tehran Preparing Protocol for Overseeing Strait of Hormuz

Israel, Egypt: Israel Resumes Operations at Leviathan Gas Field, Restarting Exports to Egypt

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

U.S.: Trump Orders Changes to Steel, Copper and Aluminum Tariff Regime, Authorizes New Pharmaceutical Tariffs

Forecasts

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