Syria

Military & Security

Politics

The Syrian army and the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a ceasefire on Oct. 7, easing tensions after clashes in the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, Reuters reported the same day.

Syria: Army and SDF Reach Ceasefire After Aleppo Clashes

United States

Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered special envoy Richard Grenell to suspend all outreach to Venezuela, The New York Times reported on Oct. 6.

U.S., Venezuela: Suspension of Diplomatic Talks Indicates Growing Likelihood of Military Action

Tanzania

The trial against the leader of Tanzania's opposition Chadema party, Tundu Lissu, on treason charges resumed on Oct. 6, Reuters reported the same day.

Tanzania: Treason Trial of Opposition Leader Resumes Three Weeks Ahead of General Election

Cambodia

China

Malaysia

Thailand

U.S. President Donald Trump is pressing Malaysia, chair and host of the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations' leaders summit on Oct. 26, to grant him a ceremonial Thailand-Cambodia peace signing, Politico reported on Oct. 7.

U.S., Malaysia: Trump Conditions ASEAN Summit Participation on Peace Ceremony

Thailand will boycott the Oct. 11 Regional Boundary Committee (RBC) meeting with Cambodia after Phnom Penh did not meet Bangkok's unilaterally imposed Oct. 7 deadline to remove Cambodian residents from three villages in Thailand's Sa Kaeo province, the Bangkok Post reported on Oct. 7.

Thailand, Cambodia: Border Talks Collapse Over Sa Kaeo Evictions

Turkey

Uzbekistan

Azerbaijan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Economics

At the 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala, Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev called for joint military exercises in 2026, framing the bloc as a rising geopolitical force linking Central Asia and Europe, Azerbaijan State News Agency reported on Oct. 7.

Azerbaijan: Aliyev Calls for Joint Military Drills Under the Organization of Turkic States

Madagascar

Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina appointed Gen. Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister and tasked him with restoring public order and ensuring a reliable supply of water and electricity to households within six months, Radio France Internationale reported on Oct. 6.

Madagascar: President Rajoelina Names Army General as Prime Minister Amid Persisting Gen Z Protests

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel began in Egypt, with some, including Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, expressing optimism about the progress of discussions, The Guardian reported on Oct. 6. 

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Latest Ceasefire Negotiations Begin Ahead of Two-Year Gaza War Anniversary

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

Columns

On Geopolitics

Bangladesh

India

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Protesters gather at the Singha Durbar, the main administrative building for the Nepal government, in Kathmandu on Sept. 9, 2025. 

Widespread discontent with corruption and economic mismanagement is fueling movements that demand greater accountability across South Asia.

Political Instability Roils South Asia

Assessments

Japan

South Korea

Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected LDP leader, on Oct. 4 in Tokyo.

Takaichi will lean into populism, spurring near-term growth but exacerbating long-term economic challenges, while her nationalism will bolster Japan's military and boost U.S. ties even as it strains those with Japan's neighbors.

Japan's Conservative Takaichi Set To Become Next Prime Minister

Bahrain

Iran

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. and Qatari military personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, on May 15, 2025.

The U.S. president's pledge to defend Qatar may deter future Israeli attacks, but it is unlikely to deter Iranian aggression or allay Gulf states' greater concerns about Washington's commitment to their security.

Trump's Security Guarantees for Qatar Unlikely To Offer Enough Reassurance

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Persistent conflict and armed group control in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will sustain significant legal, financial and reputational pressures on companies sourcing critical minerals from the region for the foreseeable future.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Due Diligence and Congo's Critical Minerals

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participate in a press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 29, 2025. 

The once-unshakable consensus on Israel within U.S. politics is fracturing under the weight of generational change, a growing values gap and a misalignment of geopolitical imperatives.

'A Little Sparta': Why the U.S.-Israeli Relationship Is Destined To Change 

The candidates running in the leadership election of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party -- (from left to right) Takayuki Kobayashi, Toshimitsu Motegi, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Sanae Takaichi and Shinjiro Koizumi -- pose after delivering speeches at the kick-off of the campaign in Tokyo on Sept. 22, 2025. 

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Oct. 4 vote for party president and therefore prime minister will influence the trajectory of Japan's fiscal policy and foreign relations.

Japan's LDP Leadership Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Global Elections

Media

Forecast Webcast

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2025 Fourth-Quarter Forecast.

2025 Fourth-Quarter Forecast Webcast

U.S.-China Relations

Russia

The U.N. Security Council holds a meeting on Iran at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, on Sept. 19, 2025. 

Energy

The increased isolation will make Iran more reliant on China and Russia, while the added economic strain could fuel domestic protests and empower Iranian hard-liners calling for more aggressive action against the West.

U.N. Sanctions Snapback: What's Next for Iran?

U.S.-Iran Relations

A Polish-made FlyEye V3.0 drone is displayed during the Iron Defender-25 media day on Sept. 18, 2025, in Nowa Deba, Poland. 

European efforts to fast-track a sophisticated anti-drone system will unlock major contracts for defense firms, but the vast scale of the project will leave Europe exposed to Russian provocations for years.

EU 'Drone Wall' Plans Will Take Years To Materialize, Leaving Continent Vulnerable in the Meantime

The fourth quarter will bring shifting trade tactics, evolving wars, and pivotal elections and flashpoints worldwide that will test governments’ stability and market confidence.

2025 Fourth-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Denmark

Ukraine

Moldova

Representatives are pictured ahead of a working session during the informal EU foreign ministers' meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Aug. 30, 2025.

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

The Weekly Rundown: EU Leaders Meet in Denmark, Moldova Elects a New Parliament

Israeli military vehicles drive along a border fence, near the town of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on July 17, 2025. 

Syria and Israel will likely ink a security pact to ease border tensions before the end of the year, but the deal's likely narrow scope and other unresolved disputes will keep it fragile.

The Implications of a Syria-Israel De-Escalation Agreement

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Syria: Army and SDF Reach Ceasefire After Aleppo Clashes

U.S., Venezuela: Suspension of Diplomatic Talks Indicates Growing Likelihood of Military Action

Tanzania: Treason Trial of Opposition Leader Resumes Three Weeks Ahead of General Election

U.S., Malaysia: Trump Conditions ASEAN Summit Participation on Peace Ceremony

Thailand, Cambodia: Border Talks Collapse Over Sa Kaeo Evictions

Azerbaijan: Aliyev Calls for Joint Military Drills Under the Organization of Turkic States

Madagascar: President Rajoelina Names Army General as Prime Minister Amid Persisting Gen Z Protests

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Latest Ceasefire Negotiations Begin Ahead of Two-Year Gaza War Anniversary

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