United States

Eurasia

Kazakhstan

Economics

Politics

The Central Asia-United States business forum, or B5+1, concluded in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Feb. 5, bringing together government officials and private sector representatives to advance economic cooperation across the region, Eurasianet reported Feb. 6.

Central Asia, U.S.: Washington Presses Economic Outreach at B5+1 Forum

China

Lithuania

China said it was open to resuming dialogue with Lithuania after Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said the country's 2021 decision to allow Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius was a mistake, Reuters reported Feb. 6.

Lithuania, China: Vilnius Signals Shift Toward Normalizing Relations With Beijing

Iran

Oman

Military & Security

Indirect discussions between the United States and Iran took place Feb. 6 in Oman, with the two sides agreeing to follow-on talks in Oman, CNN reported.

Iran, U.S.: Indirect Discussions in Oman Conclude, Delegations Agree on More Talks

U.S.-Iran Relations

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

The European Commission issued a preliminary ruling Feb. 6 that found that TikTok's infinite scroll, autoplay features and recommendation algorithm constituted an "addictive design," and that it must make changes to its core features or face fines up to 6% of its annual global revenue, The New York Times reported.

EU: Regulators Say TikTok's 'Addictive Design' Violates Online Safety Laws

South Africa

Eswatini

South African Minister for Trade and Industry Parks Tau signed a framework agreement with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, that paves the way for South African exports to gain duty-free access to the Chinese market, Reuters reported Feb. 6.

South Africa: Framework Agreement for Duty-Free Access With China Signed

Haiti

The U.S. embassy in Haiti issued a statement on Feb. 4 declaring its support for Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime's leadership "in building a strong, prosperous, and free Haiti," ahead of the end of the Transitional Presidential Council's mandate on Feb. 7.

Haiti: U.S. Backs Prime Minister Amid Dispute Over Political Transition

Chinese state media announced on Feb. 4 the dismissal of three National People's Congress (NPC) delegates with ties to the defense industry, including senior figures from aviation and nuclear weapons research, without providing official reasons, Reuters reported.

China: Lawmakers With Defense-Sector Ties Dismissed as Anti-Corruption Purge Widens

United Kingdom

Pressure on U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is mounting after Labour lawmakers renewed objections to his appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador, citing Mandelson's past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Guardian reported Feb. 4.

U.K.: Labour Pressure on Starmer Intensifies Amid Mandelson Scandal 

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

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

United Arab Emirates

Ukraine

Russia

Emirati flags on Feb. 4 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. On Feb. 4-5, delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States held a second round of trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The talks are unlikely to produce a near-term settlement, as Russia will continue to press its territorial demands while using diplomacy to manage sanctions pressure and build leverage ahead of a spring-summer offensive.

The Limits of Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks

Assessments

Indonesia

Visitors take pictures in front of an electronic board displaying falling stock prices at the Indonesia Stock Exchange in Jakarta on Jan. 29, 2026.

The episode exposes structural risks embedded in the president's governance that could threaten investor confidence -- and with it, Indonesia's economic growth and manufacturing competitiveness.

Lessons Learned From Indonesia's Market Rout

Thailand

People walk past campaign posters in Bangkok on Feb. 2, 2026, ahead of Thailand's Feb. 8 general election.

Thailand's Feb. 8 general election and constitutional referendum are unlikely to deliver a decisive political reset and will instead risk extending a familiar cycle of constrained reform and policy caution amid heightened security and economic pressures.

Elections and Referendum Unlikely to End Thailand's Cycle of Constrained Governance

Russian soldiers wear chemical protection suits as they stand next to a military fueler on the base of a prime mover of Russian Topol intercontinental ballistic missile during a training session at the Serpukhov's military missile forces research institute some 100km outside Moscow on April 6, 2010.

Over time, this will intensify an ongoing buildup of nuclear capabilities across the globe and make crises involving nuclear powers more unpredictable and prone to miscalculations. 


Implications of the Last Major U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control Agreement's Expiration

U.S.-China Relations

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (top, 5th from left) speaks during the election campaign rally on Jan. 29, 2026, in Himeji, Japan. 

Outcomes for the Feb. 8 snap ballot include a decisive victory for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party, a weakened conservative coalition and an opposition win.

Japan's Lower House Elections: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Global Elections

Turkey

A digital satellite illustration shows Europe at night.

Energy

The EU enlargement chief's upcoming visit to Turkey signals an attempt to balance cautious engagement with clear strategic interests, rather than an imminent breakthrough on the country's stalled accession process.

Understanding the EU's Strategic Reengagement With Turkey

India

A freight train on Aug. 26, 2025, in Ajmer India.

A U.S.-India trade deal will bring some relief to Indian exporters, but ambiguities over its scope, implementation timeline and myriad other flashpoints will risk undermining it.

An India-U.S. Trade Deal Will Face Ongoing Hurdles

Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (center) delivers a speech during a campaign rally in Baghdad ahead of parliamentary elections on Nov. 7, 2025. 

If former Prime Minister al-Maliki overcomes challenges to form a new cabinet, it would likely deepen sectarian divisions, embolden Iran-backed militias and increase Iraq's exposure to U.S. financial and/or military pressure.

In Iraq, the Potential Return of a Divisive Leader Raises Alarm

Pakistan

A burned-out vehicle along a road on the outskirts of the Pakistani city of Quetta on Feb. 1, 2026, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. The intensifying insurgency will exacerbate strains on Pakistan's security forces, worsening the country's security challenges and further constraining foreign investment interest.

The intensifying insurgency will exacerbate strains on Pakistan's security forces, worsening the country's security challenges and further constraining foreign investment interest.

With Coordinated Attacks, Pakistan's Baloch Insurgency Intensifies

A man walks past a mural painted on the outer walls of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 1, 2026.

Despite recent momentum toward restarting talks, a deal will likely remain elusive due to the U.S.'s maximalist demands and Iran's red lines, sustaining the risk of U.S. (and likely Israeli) military action in the coming weeks. 

Can New U.S.-Iran Talks Avert a Greater Conflict?

Colombia

Iranian newspapers one of them (R) with a headline in Persian reading "Iran is ready for a big response," Jan. 27 in Tehran in Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a range of military options against Iran.

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

The Weekly Rundown: The U.S. and Colombian Presidents Meet, The Threat of U.S. Strikes on Iran

The national flag of Kazakhstan waves in the wind.

Abolishing the Senate and reintroducing the vice presidency may curb the immediate risk of insider-led coups, but the measures are unlikely to resolve succession uncertainty before President Tokayev's term ends in 2029 and could ultimately increase political volatility.

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Reforms Could Reshape -- and Destabilize -- Its Political Future

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

Central Asia, U.S.: Washington Presses Economic Outreach at B5+1 Forum

Lithuania, China: Vilnius Signals Shift Toward Normalizing Relations With Beijing

Iran, U.S.: Indirect Discussions in Oman Conclude, Delegations Agree on More Talks

EU: Regulators Say TikTok's 'Addictive Design' Violates Online Safety Laws

South Africa: Framework Agreement for Duty-Free Access With China Signed

Haiti: U.S. Backs Prime Minister Amid Dispute Over Political Transition

China: Lawmakers With Defense-Sector Ties Dismissed as Anti-Corruption Purge Widens

U.K.: Labour Pressure on Starmer Intensifies Amid Mandelson Scandal

Forecasts

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