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

Japan

The new head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Japan's presumptive next premier, Sanae Takaichi, and the head of coalition partner Komeito, Tetsuo Saito, have so far failed to agree on a policy for political finance reform, delaying a coalition renewal agreement, The Asahi Shimbun reported on Oct. 7. 

Japan: Presumptive Premier Takaichi Faces Coalition Cracks, Opposition Threats

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

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

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

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

France

Outgoing French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu arrives to deliver a statement at the Hotel Matignon in Paris after submitting his resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron on Oct. 6, 2025. 

Lecornu's resignation leaves President Macron with few good options to ease the ongoing political gridlock over the budget, portending further market volatility, social unrest and, potentially, a fiscal crisis.

French Political Crisis Deepens as Another Prime Minister Resigns

Tajikistan

Georgia

Russia

The assembly hall of the Syrian parliament Oct. 1 in Damascus. An Oct. 5 indirect election for parliament will mark the first time Syrians have had an electoral say in their government since the 1960s.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Japan's Election, Syria's Political Transition

Bahrain

Iran

Israel

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

Palestinian Territories

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 

Snapshots

Moldova

Moldovan President Maia Sandu arrives to hold a press conference in Chisinau on Sept. 29, 2025, after her pro-EU party secured a victory in parliamentary elections. 

Despite a clear win for the pro-EU Action and Solidarity in the Sept. 28 parliamentary election, Moldova's path to EU accession remains fraught with obstacles, including the unresolved Transdniestria conflict, entrenched corruption and the need for politically sensitive judicial reforms.

Even With PAS Victory, Moldova's Road to EU Membership Remains Long

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

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

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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

U.S.-China Relations

Denmark

Ukraine

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

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

Politics

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

Japan: Presumptive Premier Takaichi Faces Coalition Cracks, Opposition Threats

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

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