United States

Ukraine

Russia

Economics

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Kremlin issued unusually sharp warnings about the potential U.S. supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, Reuters reported on Oct. 12.

Russia, Ukraine, U.S.: Kremlin Issues Escalation Threats Over Potential Tomahawk Delivery

China

Politics

U.S.-China Relations

U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Oct. 12 that Chinese "President Xi [Jinping] just had a bad moment," in reference to China's Oct. 9 expansion of rare earth export curbs, and that "The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it." 

U.S., China: U.S. Open to De-escalation, But Deal Terms Growing More Contentious

Australia

Australia is consulting miners on a proposed $777 million critical minerals fund that would be led by the government and could include price floors, offtake guarantees and government-backed loans to stabilize domestic producers, Bloomberg reported on Oct. 11.

Australia: Canberra Weighs Critical Minerals Reserve Ahead of U.S. Talks

Europe

Netherlands

Cyber

Global Trade

The Dutch government has temporarily taken control of Chinese-owned semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia, citing risks to national and European technological security, the Financial Times reported Oct. 12.

Netherlands, China: Dutch Government Seizes Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker 

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Hamas released the 20 remaining living Israeli hostages still held in Gaza and Israel began to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in return, Reuters reported Oct. 13.

U.S., Israel, Palestinian Territories: Gaza Ceasefire Holds as Hamas Releases Remaining Living Israeli Hostages

Afghanistan

Unnamed sources familiar with ongoing discussions say U.S. officials are in very preliminary discussions with the Afghan Taliban on potentially reestablishing a small U.S. military presence at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan's northeast Parwan province, which would serve as a "launch point" for counterterrorism operations, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 19.

Afghanistan: U.S. Officials Reportedly in Early Talks With Taliban on Retaking Bagram Air Base

The Afghan Taliban is diverting a large portion of foreign aid for its own ends, with only an estimated 30%-40% of aid reaching the Afghan population, according to an Aug. 13 report by the independent U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR.

Afghanistan: U.S. Report Details Afghan Aid Misuse, Including 'Collusion' With U.N. Officials

Taiwan

U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of adjusted tariffs on dozens of countries late on July 31, prior to an Aug. 1 tariff deadline, included dropping the tariff on Taiwan from a threatened 32% rate to 20%, The South China Morning Post reported on Aug. 1.

Taiwan, U.S.: Taiwan Says U.S. 20% Tariff Is 'Provisional,' Still Seeking Deal

Assessments

Cameroon

Japan

France

Palestinians on Oct. 10 on Al-Rashid road headed toward Gaza City. U.S. President Donald Trump said he might visit the Middle East just as 20 hostages are meant to be released by Hamas after surviving two years in captivity as the White House pushes for the solidification of a frail ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Tries To Solidify the Gaza Ceasefire, a Presidential Vote in Cameroon

Germany

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Pakistan

The flag of Afghanistan sits on the Afghan embassy in Moscow on July 4, 2025. 

As Afghanistan's neighbors deepen ties with the Taliban and Western states remain cautious, a widening diplomatic divide threatens to complicate efforts to address the country's worsening crises and regional security risks.

The Growing International Divide Over Taliban Ties Will Risk Regional Stability

U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to sign the GENIUS Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2025. 

The United States has passed its first major federal cryptocurrency law, boosting institutional interest, but broader public adoption remains constrained by regulatory gaps and ongoing risks.

Cryptocurrency Legislation Advances, Sets New Course for U.S. Cryptocurrency Landscape

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: July 31, 2025

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a press conference at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. 

While most of Brazil's main exports are exempt, the additional U.S. tariffs -- along with Brazil's impending economic retaliation and the likely arrest of former President Bolsonaro -- will further strain bilateral ties.

The Implications of Trump's New Tariffs on Brazil

Snapshots

A voter leaves a booth during voting for the recall election at a polling station in Taipei, Taiwan, on July 26, 2025. 

Its victory in the recall votes will embolden the opposition KMT to press on with controversial reforms and defense spending cuts, but it will also help prevent a near-term escalation of cross-strait tensions.

A Failed Recall Emboldens Taiwan's Opposition

The EU flag is seen on stacked cargo containers.

The framework deal avoids an escalation of tit-for-tat tariffs that would have strained both economies, but various unresolved issues could still reignite transatlantic trade tensions in the future.

New U.S.-EU Deal Averts Full-Blown Trade War -- For Now

Canada

Mexico

Cambodia

South Korea

Thailand

A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck with a rocket launcher in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand, on July 25, 2025. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. Tariff Deadline Passes, Thai-Cambodian Border Tensions Persist

U.S. Naval Update Map: July 24, 2025

A photo taken on Feb. 21, 2025, shows Subaru vehicles bound for shipment at a port in Yokohama, Japan. 

The deal is a win for Japan's economy and its ruling party, but it may hasten Prime Minister Ishiba's exit. It will also help South Korea and Taiwan secure their own U.S. trade deals.

U.S. Trade Deal Is a Mixed Victory for Japan, a Template for Regional Partners

Egypt

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (center right) meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (center left) in Cairo on July 10, 2025.

In the coming years, Egypt will deepen its economic ties with China via increased trade and investment, while simultaneously maintaining its military alliance with the U.S. to address regional security concerns.

Egypt Navigates Its Needs for Chinese Investment and U.S. Military Support

A worker positions a robotic underwater vehicle that can be remotely operated to harvest mineral deposits in the deep ocean, after conducting tests in a lake in Collingwood, Ontario, on May 1, 2025.

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Recent U.S. actions will likely accelerate commercial seabed mining operations in certain resource-rich waters around the world, despite international regulatory hurdles and ongoing environmental concerns.

Deep-Sea Mining: Opportunities, Risks and the Path to Commercial Extraction

The United States encompasses territory spanning from the Arctic Circle and Central Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic.    The Greater Mississippi Basin is the United States' core and serves as the underpinning of its role as a global superpower.    The basin hosts an extensive network of navigable rivers that overlay the world's largest contiguous piece of arable land. This naturally interconnected river system facilitated integration among settlers and allowed for cheap transport of goods, providing the United States with the ability to feed itself efficiently and rapidly build up industry and capital to expand west. The Midwestern core gave early America strategic depth, while an expanding U.S. coastline, naturally indented with deep harbors, provided its opening to the world.    After reaching the Pacific coast in the mid-19th century, the United States found itself insulated by two oceans. On the continent itself, geography again has worked in the country's favor: lakes to the north and deserts to the south insulate the United States' population centers, with both Canada and Mexico facing too many natural constraints of their own to seriously rival it.    This unparalleled level of wealth and protection gives the United States options that few to no countries can claim. For one, the United States has used its wealth and security to build up the world's largest navy. Control of the world's major sea-lanes gives the United States the power to facilitate or deny trade to allies or rivals of the day. The onus therefore is on the United States to carefully manage its engagements abroad and build up strategic allies to protect its overseas interests and preserve its strength at home. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Russia, Ukraine, U.S.: Kremlin Issues Escalation Threats Over Potential Tomahawk Delivery

U.S., China: U.S. Open to De-escalation, But Deal Terms Growing More Contentious

Australia: Canberra Weighs Critical Minerals Reserve Ahead of U.S. Talks

Netherlands, China: Dutch Government Seizes Control of Chinese-Owned Chipmaker

U.S., Israel, Palestinian Territories: Gaza Ceasefire Holds as Hamas Releases Remaining Living Israeli Hostages

Afghanistan: U.S. Officials Reportedly in Early Talks With Taliban on Retaking Bagram Air Base

Afghanistan: U.S. Report Details Afghan Aid Misuse, Including 'Collusion' With U.N. Officials

Taiwan, U.S.: Taiwan Says U.S. 20% Tariff Is 'Provisional,' Still Seeking Deal

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