Australia

China

Economics

Politics

China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian warned that Beijing would have an "obligation to take measures" to protect the interests of Chinese companies if Canberra pushes ahead with a forced sale or otherwise coercive measures to reclaim the Port of Darwin, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Jan. 28.

China, Australia: Beijing Warns of Retaliation Amid Port of Darwin Dispute

Netherlands

Energy

The leaders of the Netherlands' centrist-liberal Democrats 66 and the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy agreed to form a minority coalition government after months of negotiations, Reuters reported on Jan. 27.

Netherlands: Dutch Center-Right Parties Agree To Form Minority Coalition Government

Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that if he could run for reelection, he would win in the first round, and he resumed calls to rewrite the country's constitution, Infobae reported on Jan. 27. 

Colombia: Petro Floats Constitutional Change To Run for Reelection Amid Popularity Boost

United States

Iraq

Military & Security

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut aid to Iraq if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki becomes prime minister again in a Truth Social post days after the Shiite Coordination Framework, or SCF, an umbrella organization of pro-Iranian Shiite political parties, nominated him, Reuters reported on Jan. 27.

Iraq, U.S.: Trump Threatens To Cut Aid to Iraq if Al-Maliki Becomes Prime Minister

Brazil

U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a 50-minute call on Jan. 26, g1 reported.

U.S., Brazil: New Call Between Presidents Indicates Room for Pragmatic Relationship, Despite Divergences

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Hamas is reportedly looking to integrate around 10,000 of its police officers into the government led by the new Palestinian-led technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, as part of discussions about disarmament, Reuters reported on Jan. 27.

Palestinian Territories: Hamas Pushes for Police To Integrate Into Transitional Government

Venezuela

The Trump administration is planning to establish a permanent CIA presence in Venezuela to support the United States' increased footprint there, CNN reported on Jan. 27. 

U.S., Venezuela: CIA Presence in Venezuela Points to Trump's Long-Term Ambitions

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is travelling to China for a three-day visit starting Jan. 27, marking the first such trip by a British leader since 2018, Reuters reported the same day.

U.K., China: Starmer To Visit Beijing Amid Revival of High-Level Economic Engagement

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

Syria

A Syrian flag flutters above crowds gathering in central Hama, Syria, during celebrations on Dec. 5, 2025, marking one year since the fall of former President Bashar al Assad's regime.

The third Syrian state, under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, will likely emerge as a Turkish-aligned, authoritarian regime that prioritizes internal stability, reconstruction and regional neutrality, as it tries to avoid its predecessors' mistakes and excesses.

The Third Syrian State: Autocracy, Alignment and Al-Sharaa's Unique Neutrality

Assessments

The Australian flag flies at half mast over Parliament House on Jan. 22, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia, to honor the victims of the Bondi shootings.

Passed in response to the Bondi Beach attack, the legislation will likely fuel legal and federal-state friction, deepen opposition fragmentation and entrench security policy as a persistent fault line in Australian politics.

The Political Impact of Australia's Gun Reform and Anti-Hate Bills

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters gather for a rally in Sylhet, Bangladesh, ahead of the upcoming national election on Jan. 22, 2026. 

The Feb. 12 ballot could yield a government led by the conservative BNP, a coalition led by the Islamist Jamaat party, or a fragile BNP-Jamaat coalition -- each with distinct implications for Bangladesh's economic, political and foreign policy landscape.

Bangladesh's General Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Global Elections

Snapshots

Costa Rica

The candidates running in Costa Rica's 2026 presidential election participate in a debate at the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Jan. 11, 2026. 

Although the president cannot run for reelection, his hand-picked successor will likely win the vote, keeping the right wing at the helm.

Costa Rica's Upcoming Election Will Likely Yield Policy Continuity

Taiwan

Zhang Youxia, senior vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), attends the opening of the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress on March 11, 2023, in Beijing, China. 

The removal of Xi's closest military ally signals an acceleration of his push to eliminate internal threats and heightens uncertainty about the president's decision-making on Taiwan, potentially raising the risk of future conflict.

China's High-Level Military Purge Raises Risk of a Miscalculation on Taiwan

Poland

The flags of NATO, the EU and Poland are seen next to each other. 

Despite achieving strategic indispensability and significant military power, Poland's political influence in the EU and NATO has lagged, creating a paradox in which it is critical to executing Western strategies but peripheral to decision-making.

Has Poland Missed Its Shot at Becoming a Major EU Power?

Japan

South Korea

India

Egyptian trucks and heavy machinery on Oct. 26, 2025, on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

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

The Weekly Rundown: A Gaza Border Reopening, EU Leaders Visit India

The Federal Reserve's headquarters is seen in Washington, D.C.

Trump will soon be able to nominate a new Fed chair and governor. But unless the Supreme Court vastly increases the president's power to dismiss Fed governors, the bank will retain its independence, limiting the risk of market instability.

U.S. Fed Independence: Assessing Threats From Trump Nominations, Court Rulings

Iran

A photo of Israeli banknotes.

While Israel's economy has proven remarkably resilient during the years-long Gaza war with Hamas, persistent security risks and an upcoming election will present new challenges.

How Israel's Economy Will Weather Persistent Political and Security Concerns in 2026

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at a hotel in New York City on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting on Sept. 22, 2025. 

Global Trade

A trade deal could gradually reduce barriers in the tech, industrial and energy sectors, but progress will likely remain constrained by U.S. tariff uncertainty and India's reluctance to make concessions in sensitive sectors like agriculture.

Where Things Stand in U.S.-India Trade Talks

Ukraine

Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a meeting with European national security advisors in Kyiv on Jan. 3, 2026. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The reshuffle seeks to strengthen Zelensky's negotiating position and mitigate the political fallout from a likely unfavorable peace deal amid weakening Western support and Russia's continued battlefield advances.

Ukraine's Government Reshuffle Signals Preparation for a Tough Peace Deal

Vietnam

A man walks past a billboard for the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam outside the National Convention Center in Hanoi on Jan. 15, 2026. 

The five-yearly event will likely codify a more centralized, security-anchored governing model, while setting ambitious goals for economic growth and administrative reforms, though internal and external pressures will hinder implementation.

Previewing Vietnam's 14th National Party Congress

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

China, Australia: Beijing Warns of Retaliation Amid Port of Darwin Dispute

Netherlands: Dutch Center-Right Parties Agree To Form Minority Coalition Government

Colombia: Petro Floats Constitutional Change To Run for Reelection Amid Popularity Boost

Iraq, U.S.: Trump Threatens To Cut Aid to Iraq if Al-Maliki Becomes Prime Minister

U.S., Brazil: New Call Between Presidents Indicates Room for Pragmatic Relationship, Despite Divergences

Palestinian Territories: Hamas Pushes for Police To Integrate Into Transitional Government

U.S., Venezuela: CIA Presence in Venezuela Points to Trump's Long-Term Ambitions

U.K., China: Starmer To Visit Beijing Amid Revival of High-Level Economic Engagement

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