United States

Iran

Malaysia

Economics

Energy

Politics

U.S.-Iran Relations

Malaysia informed a visiting U.S. Treasury Department delegation that it will not abide by unilateral U.S. sanctions against transshipments of Iranian oil, BenarNews reported on May 10.

Malaysia, U.S., Iran: Kuala Lumpur Refuses Washington's Request To Abide by Iran Sanctions

Cuba

Ecuador

Haiti

Mexico

Venezuela

Military & Security

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed a new process that would disqualify individuals seeking asylum earlier in the asylum request process, allowing authorities to expel migrants quickly if they have been convicted of dangerous crimes, according to a May 9 statement. 

U.S.: Government Announces New Process To Expedite Expulsion of Some Asylum Seekers

China

Environment, Science & Technology

U.S.-China Relations

Science & Technology

The U.S. Biden administration is scheduled to announce changes to Sec. 301 tariffs on China on May 14, including new tariffs on key industries such as electric vehicles, battery technologies and solar cells, Bloomberg reported on May 9.

China, U.S.: Washington To Place New Tariffs on China as Soon as May 14

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Israeli leaders pushed back against U.S. threats to cut off arms exports after U.S. President Joe Biden said he would cut off certain arms exports to Israel if the Israel Defense Forces began a major offensive in Gaza's southern city of Rafah that reached population centers, The Times of Israel reported on May 9.

U.S., Israel: Israeli Leaders Criticize Biden's Threat To Cut Off Arms Exports

Vietnam

The U.S. Commerce Department will hear testimony on whether to reclassify Vietnam as a "market economy" from its current designation as a "non-market economy with heavy state influence," Reuters reported on May 8.

Vietnam, U.S.: Commerce Department to Review Vietnam’s ‘Non-Market Economy’ Status 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced during the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection ministerial meeting in Guatemala City, Guatemala, that the United States will provide $578 million in aid to Latin American countries to help combat surging regional migration, according to a State Department fact sheet issued on May 7. 

U.S., Latin America: U.S. Announces $578M in Aid To Combat Migration

The United States paused a shipment of around 3,000 heavy bombs to Israel over concern that Israel might use them in the country's offensive in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, ABC News reported on May 8, citing a Pentagon official.

U.S., Israel: U.S. Holds Up Arms Delivery Over Israel's Rafah Offensive

Cyber

The U.S. Commerce Department is weighing new export restrictions on closed source or proprietary artificial intelligence models to China, Reuters reported on May 8.

U.S., China: Washington Weighs Restrictions on AI Model Exports to China

Assessments

Brazil

Chile

Spain

Russia

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

The Weekly Rundown: Putin Goes to China, New U.S. Tariffs on China

Japan

North Korea

South Korea

Natsumi Sakai (C) of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan poses with others after receiving news that she won the by-election for the Tokyo No. 15 district seat for the lower house, in Tokyo, Japan, on April 28, 2024.

Recent by-elections reveal that a slush fund scandal is continuing to take its toll on Japan's ruling party, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to remain in power, for now.

By-Election Losses Shake Japan's Ruling Party, but Kishida Stays the Course

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: May 9, 2024

Social Issues

For the first time in a U.S. presidential election, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policy will become a prominent point of contention between the two candidates and their parties. 

The Impact of the U.S. Presidential Election on Corporate ESG Programs

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 29 at a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-U.S. Strategic Partnership in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Riyadh will continue to progressively advance diplomatic relations with Israel and deepen defense ties with the United States, while maintaining its cautious outreach to Iran.

Riyadh will continue to progressively advance diplomatic relations with Israel and deepen defense ties with the United States, while maintaining its cautious outreach to Iran.

Assessing Saudi Arabia's Foreign Policy During the Israel-Hamas War and Beyond

Perhaps the one area where the President and former President broadly agree is the national security implications of technology policy: Biden has maintained and expanded many of Trump's first-term restrictions on China's access to sophisticated American technology, and both share a revitalized interest in "reshoring" high-tech manufacturing. While a second Biden administration would put a greater emphasis on working in concert with America's allies on technology policy and would be more open to "friendshoring" key tech production, a second Trump term would be more likely to "go it alone" and would be far more transactional with friend and foe alike.

Trump vs. Biden: The Implications for U.S. Tech Regulation

U.S. Naval Update Map: May 2, 2024

Media

Podcasts

What types of threat actors will be most active leading up to the election?

Essential Geopolitics: Election-Related Cyber Threats in the U.S.

What is the future of Japan and the U.S.'s military relationship?

Essential Geopolitics: What Continued U.S.-Japan Cooperation Means for China

Columns

On Geopolitics

Australia

Fiji

Indonesia

New Zealand

Philippines

Singapore

United Kingdom

India

A 3D rendering of Southeast Asia from space at night with city lights showing Southeast Asian cities in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

In the Asia-Pacific, countries are increasingly pursuing complex networks of political, economic and defense ties as part of a burgeoning "multi-alignment" strategy that seeks to avoid U.S.-China strategic competition.

Examining 'Multi-Alignment' in the Asia-Pacific

U.S. Naval Update Map: April 25, 2024

What are the biggest issues with the U.S. healthcare system, and how can we address them?

RANE Insights: Addressing Problems in the U.S. Healthcare System

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

Malaysia, U.S., Iran: Kuala Lumpur Refuses Washington's Request To Abide by Iran Sanctions

U.S.: Government Announces New Process To Expedite Expulsion of Some Asylum Seekers

China, U.S.: Washington To Place New Tariffs on China as Soon as May 14

U.S., Israel: Israeli Leaders Criticize Biden's Threat To Cut Off Arms Exports

Vietnam, U.S.: Commerce Department to Review Vietnam’s ‘Non-Market Economy’ Status

U.S., Latin America: U.S. Announces $578M in Aid To Combat Migration

U.S., Israel: U.S. Holds Up Arms Delivery Over Israel's Rafah Offensive

U.S., China: Washington Weighs Restrictions on AI Model Exports to China

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support