Vietnam

Cyber

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Politics

Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security will assume a majority stake in FPT Telecom, one of the country's largest internet providers, Reuters reported on April 18.

Vietnam: Security Ministry Takes Majority Stake in Major Telecoms Company

Russia

Afghanistan

Military & Security

Russia's Supreme Court suspended the country's formal designation of the Afghan Taliban as a "terrorist organization," months after Russian lawmakers in December 2024 passed legislation enabling courts to lift such designations, AP reported on April 17.

Afghanistan, Russia: Russia Suspends Afghan Taliban's Terrorist Designation

Somalia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi publicly criticized Sivuyile Bam, the acting head of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), labeling him a "threat to Somalia's development and security" and accusing him of sympathizing with the militant group al Shabaab, Garowe Online reported on April 18. 

Somalia: Minister Accuses AU Mission Head of Bias Amid Escalating al Shabaab Threat

Colombia

The Colombian government and a remaining faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, did not reach an agreement to extend a ceasefire, El Pais reported on April 17. 

Colombia: Government Increasingly Shifts From 'Total Peace' to Confrontation

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

United States

The Africa Adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Massad Boulos, called on Rwanda to halt all military support to the M23 rebel group and withdraw its troops from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, adding that the United States was considering "all economic and diplomatic means to promote peace" in the region, Bloomberg reported on April 17. 

Congo, Rwanda: U.S. Hints at Further Pressure on Rwanda as M23 Shows Signs of Weakness

Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The United States and Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent to move forward with a larger economic partnership deal, according to an April 17 social media post by Ukraine's economy minister, in a move that is widely reported to give the United States preferential access to revenues generated from the development of Ukraine's infrastructure and natural resources, including critical minerals.

U.S., Ukraine: Officials Agree on Memorandum, Paving Way for Minerals Deal

The United States gave its allies a draft outline of a deal to de-escalate the Russia-Ukraine war that would let Russia maintain its occupied territories in Ukraine and offer sanctions relief if an initial ceasefire holds, Bloomberg reported on April 18.

Ukraine, U.S.: Washington Proposes De-Escalation Framework, Rubio Threatens To Abandon Mediation

Europe

The European Union is considering restricting exports of certain strategic goods to the United States in retaliation for U.S. tariffs if U.S.-EU trade negotiations fail, Bloomberg reported on April 17.

EU: Brussels Considers Using Export Restrictions To Retaliate Against U.S. Tariffs

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

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

A crowd of men in 1930 wearing jackets and hats.

Global Trade

U.S. tariffs are throwing economies across the globe into disarray, just as they did in 1930, but lessons from the past could keep the world from tipping into a second Great Depression.

Lessons From the 1930s on Avoiding a Second Great Depression

Assessments

Bangladesh

A protest on Jan. 8 in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.

If Bangladesh's interim government does hold a vote due to the lack of progress on electoral reforms, the risk of instability, economic difficulties and public discontent will rise, potentially leading to military intervention. 

How Bangladeshi Stability Depends Upon a Prompt Election 

Snapshots

Kuwait

Kuwaiti traders follow the stock market activity at the Boursa Kuwait stock exchange building in Kuwait City on April 7, 2025. 

Energy

The law will enable external borrowing to finance the country's deficits and Vision 2035 investments, but Kuwait's growing reliance on debt markets to increase capital expenditure could eventually prove problematic. 

After Eight Years of Gridlock, Kuwait Finally Passes a New Debt Law

India

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

A general view shows Sri Lanka's Colombo port on April 9, 2025.

Textile exports from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will suffer under new U.S. tariffs, worsening economic hardships and risking political instability.

South Asia's Textile Industry Reels From U.S. Tariffs

Iran

Iraq

Yemen

Mock drones and missiles are displayed at an exhibition on Nov. 13, 2024, in Sanaa, Yemen. 

Recent actions by Iran and its Iraqi proxies appear designed to appease the U.S. as the Trump administration weighs taking aggressive military action against them both.

To Placate the U.S., Iran Temporarily Scales Back Its Regional Proxy Strategy

U.S.-Iran Relations

Australia

Australian Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) debates Liberal opposition leader Peter Dutton on April 8, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. 

While another Labor government would portend domestic and foreign policy continuity, a victory by the Liberal-National coalition would signal a shift toward fiscal austerity, loosened energy regulations, expanded defense spending and stricter immigration regulations.

Australia's Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Global Elections

Ecuador

Cambodia

China

Malaysia

Italy

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, on March 11, 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: Xi Tours Southeast Asia, Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Begin

South Africa

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen holds a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Jan. 28, 2025.

Rising tensions between the ruling ANC and its key coalition partner over the 2025 budget are raising the risk of a coalition breakdown, which would threaten policy paralysis and a marked depreciation of the rand.

What the Democratic Alliance's Exit From Government Would Mean for South Africa

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Poland

Spain

NATO military forces during static display after the Steadfast Dart 2025 military exercises at the Smardan Training Area in Smardan, Romania, on Feb. 19, 2025. 

Europe is increasingly focused on achieving greater strategic autonomy in defense, but internal divisions and material constraints will plague this quest, even as the United States' role on the Continent continues to shrink, meaning NATO will likely remain the cornerstone of Europe’s security architecture. 

The Future of Transatlantic Security Cooperation, Part 2: The View From Europe

Pedestrians walk past a broadcast screen of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in Mumbai on April 3, 2025, airing news of U.S. President Donald Trump unveiling sweeping new trade tariffs. 

If implemented, Trump's threatened 27% tariff would severely hurt certain Indian sectors (e.g., pharmaceuticals), though other sectors (e.g., textiles) could benefit if India's main competitors end up facing even higher tariffs.

For India, High U.S. Tariffs Offer a Mixed Bag

Taiwan

Taiwan's President Lai inspects troops taking part in the Rapid Response Exercise at the Songshan military airbase in Taipei on March 21, 2025.

Lai's policies to defend sovereignty and curb Chinese influence are prompting greater coercive pressure from Beijing.

In Taiwan, President Lai's Actions Toward China Will Speak Louder Than His Words

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Armenia's foreign minister (2nd R) speaks during a meeting with his Azerbaijani and Kazakh counterparts in Almaty on May 10, 2024. 

A peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan is edging closer, but political delays in Yerevan postpone its implementation and leave the risk of renewed border tensions unresolved.

Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal Progresses, Though Hurdles Remain

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

Vietnam: Security Ministry Takes Majority Stake in Major Telecoms Company

Afghanistan, Russia: Russia Suspends Afghan Taliban's Terrorist Designation

Somalia: Minister Accuses AU Mission Head of Bias Amid Escalating al Shabaab Threat

Colombia: Government Increasingly Shifts From 'Total Peace' to Confrontation

Congo, Rwanda: U.S. Hints at Further Pressure on Rwanda as M23 Shows Signs of Weakness

U.S., Ukraine: Officials Agree on Memorandum, Paving Way for Minerals Deal

Ukraine, U.S.: Washington Proposes De-Escalation Framework, Rubio Threatens To Abandon Mediation

EU: Brussels Considers Using Export Restrictions To Retaliate Against U.S. Tariffs

Forecasts

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