Senegal

Economics

Politics

Senegal's National Assembly overwhelmingly elected former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko as speaker of parliament with 132 of 133 votes cast after reinstating him as a member of parliament, days after his dismissal from government, Bloomberg reported on May 26.

Senegal: Dismissed PM Sonko Appointed Speaker of Parliament, Worsening Political Tensions

United States

Armenia

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed a draft framework agreement on U.S.-Armenian cooperation over the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity and signed a memorandum on critical minerals and rare earths during Rubio's one-hour visit to Yerevan, Armenpress reported May 26.

U.S., Armenia: Countries Sign Partnership Deal Ahead of Armenian Elections

China

Japan

Military & Security

China's foreign ministry spokesperson on May 25 said China's export restrictions on dual-use items like critical minerals to Japan were intended to stop Japan's "remilitarization" and nuclear ambitions.

China, Japan: Beijing's Mineral Export Curbs Likely To Persist Through 2026

Turkey

Turkish police entered the Ankara headquarters of the opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, on May 24 to remove CHP officials -- including ousted CHP party leader Ozgur Ozel -- and supporters who had barricaded themselves inside to prevent reinstated CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu from entering the building, AP reported the same day. 

Turkey: Turkish Police Storm Main Opposition Headquarters

Australia

Fiji

India

Energy

Top diplomats from the Quad -- a security grouping of the United States, Japan, India and Australia -- met in New Delhi, India, where they agreed to help the Pacific island nation of Fiji expand and modernize one of its ports, marking the group's first joint infrastructure project, AP reported on May 26.

U.S., Japan, India, Australia: Quad Resumes Engagement With Modest Deliverables

Canada

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced on May 21 that the province will hold a non-binding referendum in October asking residents whether Alberta should remain part of Canada, Reuters reported the same day.

Canada: Alberta Announces Referendum on Whether to Begin Independence Legal Process

Taiwan

U.S. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao ​told a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing that a pending $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan would be paused to ensure sufficient air defense munitions for the Iran war, Reuters reported May 22.

U.S., Taiwan: Trump Administration Delays Arms Sale, Likely for China Trade Benefits

An appeals court in Turkey declared the 2023 leadership election for the Republican People's Party (CHP) invalid, nullifying the leadership posts of its top officials, including party leader Ozgur Ozel, the BBC reported on May 22. 

Turkey: Appeals Court Ousts Opposition Party Leadership

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

Below are our latest and most relevant politics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Post-Apartheid Era Ends

Venezuela's Unraveling

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Israel's Survival Strategy

Turkey's Resurgence

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

Old Leaders in a New Africa

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Pulse of Political Islam

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

India's Own Worst Enemy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Snapshots

Iran

The USS Rafael Peralta implements a maritime blockade against an Iranian-flagged ship attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on April 26, 2026, in the Arabian Sea.

Despite ongoing U.S.-Iran diplomatic engagement, unresolved disputes and continued hostilities make prolonged, unstable containment more likely than a comprehensive, long-lasting peace agreement.

U.S.-Iran Talks More Likely To Contain the War Than Resolve It

U.S.-Iran Relations

Assessments

Argentina

Bolivia

Chile

Environment, Science & Technology

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Argentina, Bolivia and Chile have had varying degrees of success in developing their lithium production capacity, with Chile achieving the greatest success of the three, and Bolivia lagging behind.

The Outlook for the Lithium Triangle Amid the Global Energy Transition, Part 1

Israel

Lebanon

Philippines

Kazakhstan

Russia

A cargo ship anchored May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Major gaps in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program persist, and the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will remain fragile over the next week.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Rubio Visits India, a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Cuba

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche (center) speaks during a news conference announcing the indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro, at the Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida, on May 20, 2026.

Recent U.S. escalations against Cuba are creating a pretext for kinetic action, most likely a targeted operation to capture key officials, though an airstrike campaign and/or a ground deployment also remain possible.

Assessing the Potential for U.S. Military Action in Cuba

Greenland

Denmark

U.S. special envoy to Greenland, Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (center right), and Greenlandic mason and Trump supporter Jorgen Boassen (center left) are pictured in Nuuk, Greenland, on May 20, 2026, on the sidelines of the Future Greenland business fair. 

Ongoing talks with Greenland and Denmark will likely yield a deal that meets most U.S. objectives without requiring formal annexation, though a broader transatlantic crisis remains possible if negotiations collapse.

Can the U.S. Reach a Compromise on Greenland That Averts a Transatlantic Crisis?

Palestinian Territories

Germany

United Kingdom

Slovenia

Spain

Ireland

Hungary

The EU and Israeli flags in March 2024 in central Berlin's Rotes Rathaus. Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Although the European Union has sanctioned extremist Israeli settlers, deep-seated internal divisions and a reliance on Israeli defense systems will likely prevent the bloc from imposing comprehensive trade restrictions.

Targeted EU Sanctions on Israeli Settlers Unlikely To Broaden Into Wider Restrictions 

Egypt

Jordan

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Right-wing activists gather with Israeli flags outside the Damascus Gate of the walled Old City of Jerusalem on May 26, 2025, during a flag march for Jerusalem Day, commemorating the Israeli army's 1967 capture of the city's eastern sector during the Arab-Israeli war.

Israel's quest for middle-power status will be defined by its ability to unify its Jerusalem core, which has remained divided throughout the modern state's history.

The Modern Geopolitics of Israel

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Gulf states' push to employ more local citizens in the private sector will help advance their economies and reduce public wage bills, but it will also create new risks for businesses that have traditionally relied on cheap foreign labor.

The Future of Work in the GCC: Localization, Competition and Business Risks

Mexico

South Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept. 3, 2025, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

The Weekly Rundown: Elevated Tensions in the Middle East, Putin Heads to Beijing

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.

Despite a mutual desire to stabilize relations, Xi and Trump's meetings produced few tangible results, sustaining the risk of future tariff escalations, export restrictions and other coercive measures.

Xi-Trump Talks Fail To Move the Needle on Major Issues

U.S.-China Relations

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Afghan protesters burn a Pakistani flag during a demonstration in Helmand Province in 2016.

Gains from the Afghan Taliban's growing regional ties will be hindered by enduring disputes, logistical constraints, infrastructure security risks, and Pakistan's possible absence from future multilateral engagements.

How the Afghan-Pakistani Conflict Is Redrawing Regional Relations

U.K. Health Secretary Wes Streeting arrives at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, on March 19, 2026, as students receive the Meningitis B vaccine.

While a leadership transition would prolong market volatility, any new prime minister would likely maintain policy continuity and fiscal discipline, differing only on the specific execution of budget restraint and EU rapprochement.

Starmer's Days Appear Numbered After U.K. Health Secretary Quits

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

Senegal: Dismissed PM Sonko Appointed Speaker of Parliament, Worsening Political Tensions

U.S., Armenia: Countries Sign Partnership Deal Ahead of Armenian Elections

China, Japan: Beijing's Mineral Export Curbs Likely To Persist Through 2026

Turkey: Turkish Police Storm Main Opposition Headquarters

U.S., Japan, India, Australia: Quad Resumes Engagement With Modest Deliverables

Canada: Alberta Announces Referendum on Whether to Begin Independence Legal Process

U.S., Taiwan: Trump Administration Delays Arms Sale, Likely for China Trade Benefits

Turkey: Appeals Court Ousts Opposition Party Leadership

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