Botswana

Lesotho

Namibia

South Africa

Eswatini

India

Economics

Politics

India and the five-member Southern African Customs Union signed terms of reference to begin negotiations on a preferential trade agreement, Reuters reported on Aug. 12.

India: New Delhi Revives Trade Pact Talks With Southern African Customs Union

United States

China

President of the U.S.-China Business Council Sean Stein told the South China Morning Post in an interview published on Aug. 13 that he had seen little evidence there would be a "sizable deliverable" pertaining to the U.S.-China Board of Investment at a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Sept. 24.

U.S., China: Board of Investment Stagnating Ahead of Unambitious Summit

U.S.-China Relations

Venezuela

Venezuela's interim government and the 2015 National Assembly delegation opposition group led by Dinorah Figuera issued a joint statement agreeing to reform the judiciary and seek access to frozen funds, El Pais reported on Aug. 12.

Venezuela: Government and Opposition Agree to Limited Changes to the Judiciary

Nigeria

Energy

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu signed a decree offering as much as $11.50 per barrel in tax credits for new deepwater oil projects and up to $8 per barrel of oil equivalent for new nonassociated gas projects, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 11. 

Nigeria: Tinubu Signs Decree Offering Sweeping Tax Credits for Deepwater Oil, Nonassociated Gas Projects

India's lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha, passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote without debate, The Hindu reported on Aug. 12.

India: Lok Sabha Passes Bill Amending India's Mining Law

Turkey

Ukraine

Russia

Moldova

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine and Moldova are negotiating a rail corridor to move Ukrainian grain through Moldova to Romania's port of Constanta, with Kyiv seeking a 50% freight discount and Chisinau demanding volume guarantees in return, Reuters reported on Aug. 10.

Ukraine, Moldova: Rail Corridor Will Ease but Not Offset Grain Export Losses

Europe

Germany

Romania

Environment, Science & Technology

Romania will likely shut the second and last reactor at its Cernavoda nuclear plant as early as Aug. 13 after water levels in the Danube River fell below new record lows, operator Nuclearelectrica said on Aug. 11. 

Europe: Record-Low Water Levels Force Full Romanian Nuclear Shutdown, Halt Rhine Shipping

Australia

Vietnam

Vietnamese leader To Lam and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed to deepen their countries' comprehensive strategic partnership through expanded security and trade cooperation, Reuters reported on Aug. 11.

Vietnam, Australia: Hanoi Combines Domestic Shipbuilding With Deeper Maritime Cooperation Abroad

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant economics analyses.

Below are our latest and most relevant economics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The New Silk Road

The Fate of the Eurozone

South America: Split Decisions on Trade

Banking

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Social Issues

European Disintegration

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

A Japanese Awakening

East African Integration

Assessments

Colombia

Rescuers and volunteers search for survivors under a collapsed building in Pereira, Colombia, on Aug. 11, 2026, following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake will test President Abelardo de la Espriella's nascent administration, while simultaneously exacerbating fiscal and security challenges and creating significant operational and compliance risks for businesses.

Colombia's New Government Faces an Early Test After Major Earthquake

Syria

A Russian aircraft takes off from an airport in northeastern Syria's Hasakah province on Jan. 27, 2026. 

Syria's cooperation with the U.S. to remove nuclear materials and reduce Russian military influence will support its reconstruction efforts, but security challenges will continue to hinder major infrastructure projects.

Syria's Pro-U.S. Policy Shift May Secure Sanctions Relief, but Challenges Persist

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during the Workers' Party national convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Aug. 2, 2026.

Regardless of who wins the presidency in October, Congress's growing control over budget allocation will likely increase institutional friction, fragment procurement processes and hinder pro-business policymaking.

Brazil's Presidential Race Reflects a Deeper Shift in Political Dynamics

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

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 

Greenland

Denmark

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

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

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. 

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

Media

Podcasts

Trace the hidden chain reaction from a closed Strait of Hormuz to a local bakery line, and discover how a Middle East energy shock can quietly turn into a global food crisis.

The Decision Advantage: The Foreseen Effects of the Strait of Hormuz Closure

Iran

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

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

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

U.S.-Iran Relations

Ethiopia

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

(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

Iraq

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) speaks during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (2nd-L) in the Oval Office of the White House on July 14, 2026.

While the Iraqi prime minister's visit to the White House yielded some deals, implementation constraints will likely eventually lead to renewed U.S. economic pressure, further straining Baghdad's finances.

New U.S. Agreements Unlikely to Ease Iraq's Economic Woes

Chile

Chilean lawmakers in Congress celebrate at the end of the voting session on the economic reform bill on July 21, 2026.

Chile is poised to soon enact one of its broadest economic reform packages in decades, which will likely boost investor confidence and regulatory certainty, but at the expense of rising fiscal pressures.

What To Expect as Chile Prepares to Enact Sweeping Economic Reform Bill

Economics

SITUATION REPORTS

India: New Delhi Revives Trade Pact Talks With Southern African Customs Union

U.S., China: Board of Investment Stagnating Ahead of Unambitious Summit

Venezuela: Government and Opposition Agree to Limited Changes to the Judiciary

Nigeria: Tinubu Signs Decree Offering Sweeping Tax Credits for Deepwater Oil, Nonassociated Gas Projects

India: Lok Sabha Passes Bill Amending India's Mining Law

Ukraine, Moldova: Rail Corridor Will Ease but Not Offset Grain Export Losses

Europe: Record-Low Water Levels Force Full Romanian Nuclear Shutdown, Halt Rhine Shipping

Vietnam, Australia: Hanoi Combines Domestic Shipbuilding With Deeper Maritime Cooperation Abroad

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