United States

Iran

Economics

Military & Security

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control warned on May 1 that U.S. and non-U.S. entities that make payments to Iran as part of its toll system for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz were at risk of incurring U.S. sanctions.

U.S: OFAC Threatens To Sanction Entities Paying Iran's Strait of Hormuz 'Toll'

U.S.-Iran Relations

Ukraine

Russia

Energy

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine's repeated drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in April, including a fourth attack on Tuapse within a month, pushed Russian refining runs down to their lowest level since 2009, The Moscow Times reported on May 1.

Russia, Ukraine: Ukrainian Strikes Force Tighter Russian Fuel Management

Mali

Politics

Al Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, called on all of Mali's "sincere patriots," including political parties, security forces, religious authorities and traditional chiefs, to "unite our forces in a common front" against the country's ruling junta, the group said in a statement shared by France 24 journalist Wassim Nasr on his X account on April 30.

Mali: JNIM Calls for 'Common Front' Against Junta

Iran sent a revised peace proposal for the United States to Pakistan, the two countries' mediator, even as U.S. forces remain positioned in the region for a resumed strike campaign, Reuters reported on May 1.

U.S., Iran: Tehran Sends New Peace Proposal Amid U.S. Military Positioning

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his April 29 call with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss a possible ceasefire around Russia's May 9 Victory Day commemorations, alongside talks on Ukraine, Iran and possible future economic and energy cooperation, TASS reported on April 29, citing Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov.

Russia, Ukraine: Putin Seeks Brief Ceasefire To Protect Victory Day Parade

Senegal

Senegal's National Assembly adopted a highly controversial electoral reform law on April 28, widely described as being "tailor-made" to secure the eligibility of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko for future elections, particularly the 2029 presidential race, Jeune Afrique reported on April 29.

Senegal: Parliament Passes Controversial Electoral Reform Seen as Paving Way for Prime Minister's 2029 Bid

Ethiopia

Spokesperson for the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, Michael Asgedom said Tigray Chief Administrator Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede would be making a "mistake" if he remained in power and said his interim regional administration was "collapsing," BBC Amharic reported on April 29.

Ethiopia: TPLF Calls on Tigray Chief Administrator Tadesse To Hand Over Power

Mexico

The U.S. Justice Department charged the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state, ‌Ruben Rocha, and nine other government officials for their alleged connections to the Sinaloa cartel, La Jornada reported on April 29.

U.S. Mexico: U.S. Indicts Sinaloa Governor and Government Officials for Drug Trafficking and Cartel Ties

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

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

Cyber

The Ukraine Conflict

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The Battle for Mosul

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

The Jihadist Wars

Echoes of the Cold War

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Assessments

Australia

Japan

United Kingdom

India

An oil products tanker at Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.K. Elections, Iran War Resumption Risk

Media

Podcasts

What are the key domestic pressures impacting U.S. strategy?

The Decision Advantage: The Outlook for U.S.-Iran Negotiations

Iraq

Israel

A member of the Iraqi security forces stands guard next to a national flag as pilgrims march from the center of Baghdad toward the shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim, the seventh of 12 revered imams in Shiite Islam, during an annual religious commemoration on Feb. 16, 2023.

Ali al-Zaidi's lack of experience and ties to a U.S.-sanctioned bank will complicate his attempts to form a government by the constitutional deadline.

Iraq's Prime Minister-Designate Likely To Struggle To Form Government

A digital illustration of Mali’s flag.

Recent attacks by al Qaeda affiliate JNIM pose a significant challenge to the junta's legitimacy, elevating the immediate threat of another military coup and signaling a progressive fragmentation of state authority as the jihadist group expands its reach.

Jihadist Onslaught Puts Mali on the Brink of Spiraling Chaos

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

The city skyline in Dubai is seen at sunset.

Although Gulf capitals are increasingly investing in mid-tier autonomy and offensive capabilities, achieving total strategic independence remains constrained by their enduring need for high-end American systems.

The Future of GCC Defense and Security Strategies in a Changing Middle East

South Korea

Vietnam

Employees walk at the construction site of a gas metering station, part of the pipeline link between Bulgaria and Greece near the village of Malko Kadievo, on March 18, 2022. 

The Weekly Rundown: No U.S.-Iran Breakthrough, EU Ban on Spot Market Russian LNG

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Flatlining population growth will leave the Gulf Arab states reliant on specialized, high-tech militaries that are supplanted by foreign forces, exposing them to various long-term security vulnerabilities.

The Demographic Drag on Gulf States' Military Strength

The Albina Bulk carrier sits anchored on March 22, 2026, at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman.

The ceasefire extension will likely prolong the U.S. and Iran's focus on economic pressure to gain leverage ahead of new talks, but this phase of unstable diplomacy could easily give way to another round of military escalation.

Ceasefire, Blockades and Bargaining: The Volatile Outlook for U.S.-Iran Relations

A digital illustration shows the euro currency symbol burning with a blue flame inside a gas stove. 

Brussels' strategy prioritizes temporary relief and coordination over broad market intervention, which will likely result in a fragmented response and sustained price volatility.

EU Outlines Energy Relief and Coordination Measures in Response to Iran-Linked Supply Shock

Somalia

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sits in his office as he speaks to journalists at Villa Somalia, the palace and principal workplace of the president, on April 22, 2025, in central Mogadishu, Somalia.

President Mohamud's attempt to extend his term could prompt opposition forces to form a parallel administration and lead to a federal military intervention in Jubaland state.

Somalia Descends Into Another Constitutional Crisis

Snapshots

Cuba

A general view of El Capitolio and the Havana skyline on December 16, 2014, in Havana, Cuba.

A recent unannounced U.S. diplomatic visit to Havana bodes well for a deal that reduces tensions, but Washington's ongoing demands for political and economic reforms will sustain the risk of a U.S. military and/or law enforcement operation.

U.S.-Cuba Talks Progress, but Threat of Military Action Still Looms

Lebanon

Bulgaria

Romania

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine speaks as he displays a map showing the U.S. Navy's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz during a press briefing at the Pentagon on April 16, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Iran Diplomacy, Political Instability in the Balkans

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S: OFAC Threatens To Sanction Entities Paying Iran's Strait of Hormuz 'Toll'

Russia, Ukraine: Ukrainian Strikes Force Tighter Russian Fuel Management

Mali: JNIM Calls for 'Common Front' Against Junta

U.S., Iran: Tehran Sends New Peace Proposal Amid U.S. Military Positioning

Russia, Ukraine: Putin Seeks Brief Ceasefire To Protect Victory Day Parade

Senegal: Parliament Passes Controversial Electoral Reform Seen as Paving Way for Prime Minister's 2029 Bid

Ethiopia: TPLF Calls on Tigray Chief Administrator Tadesse To Hand Over Power

U.S. Mexico: U.S. Indicts Sinaloa Governor and Government Officials for Drug Trafficking and Cartel Ties

Forecasts

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