The Americas stretch from the Arctic Circle in Canada to the southern tip of Chile. This geographically, culturally and politically diverse region is home to the United States, a nation whose geography helped it become the foremost economic and military power in the world &mdash; an ascendance aided in part by bringing Mexico and Canada into its sphere of influence. Farther south, the nations of South America are like islands, separated by vast spaces of impenetrable mountains, rivers and jungles. Try though these countries may to integrate more closely, deeper ties such as those that characterize North America will prove elusive.

This geographically, culturally and politically diverse region is home to the United States, a nation whose geography helped it become the foremost economic and military power in the world

Americas

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Barbados

Belize

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Grenada

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Suriname

Bahamas

Trinidad and Tobago

United States

Uruguay

Venezuela

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Greenland

Jamaica

Venezuela's Unraveling

Colombian Peace Process

Security Challenges in Latin America

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Importance of Mexico

North America Unrivaled

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Crossing Borders

Columns

On Geopolitics

Somalia

Sudan

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Lebanon

Libya

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Military & Security

Politics

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

Snapshots

A burned car is seen on a highway near Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco state, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026. The car was allegedly set on fire by organized crime groups in response to the killing of Nemesio Oseguera "El Mencho," the top leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The killing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's notorious leader will initially improve U.S.-Mexico ties, but the likely surge in cartel violence will pose long-term risks to businesses and eventually renew pressure for U.S. military action in Mexico.

What a Cartel Leader's Killing Means for Mexico's Security and U.S. Relations

Assessments

China

Germany

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press Feb. 2 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address to Congress on Feb. 24.

Economics

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 Threatens Iran, Pledges To Reimpose Tariffs on Different Grounds

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Japan

South Korea

Vietnam

Europe

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Feb. 20, 2026, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to implement international trade tariffs.

Global Trade

The Trump administration will use other trade authorities to replace many of the IEEPA tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court, meaning U.S. trading partners will remain incentivized to engage on trade matters.

What the Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Means for Trump and U.S. Trading Partners

On Security

An F-15 fighter plane takes off from RAF Lakenheath at sunset on Jan. 7, 2026 in Mildenhall, the United Kingdom.

The variety and size of the U.S. military buildup give Trump a breadth of options and, compared with last June, suggest that a wider, longer-lasting campaign is more plausible this time around unless a nuclear deal is reached.

Assessing Trump's Options for Military Action in Iran

France

United Kingdom

A digital illustration shows a nuclear launch map of Europe. 

Amid doubts about the U.S. security guarantee, Europe is considering using Franco-British nuclear arms to bolster its strategic autonomy within NATO, though this plan faces significant political and technical challenges.

The European Nuclear Umbrella: A Search for Strategic Autonomy

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

U.S. Naval Update Map: Feb. 19, 2026

Palestinian Territories

U.S. Vice President JD Vance's shadow is seen as he speaks during a press conference following a military briefing at the civilian military coordination center on Oct. 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Negotiations over a new Israel-U.S. security agreement signal a pivot in the bilateral relationship as Israel increasingly focuses on strengthening its domestic defense industry.

How Israel's Defense Sector Will Evolve Amid the Government's Push for Self-Reliance

Indonesia

Slovakia

Hungary

Ukraine

Russia

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

The U.S. and the EU flags are seen side by side on Nov. 21, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium. 

Energy

By replacing Russian gas with U.S. LNG, the EU risks becoming reliant on another systemically central external supplier at a time of growing geopolitical instability and transatlantic tension.

The Strategic Risks of Europe's Pivot to U.S. LNG

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia had not yet achieved its objectives in Ukraine and that military operations would continue, but that Moscow remained open to political and diplomatic avenues to reach those goals, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Feb. 24.

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says War Objectives Unmet, Military Operations To Continue

Cyber

U.S.-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic said three Chinese AI companies set up more than 24,000 fraudulent accounts with its Claude AI model to conduct "distillation" techniques that use data outputs to advance their own AI systems, The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 23. 

U.S., China: Anthropic Claims Chinese Companies Are Using Claude for Distillation

Ethiopia

The Egyptian government is open to supporting Ethiopia's push to gain maritime access to the Red Sea if Addis Ababa shows "flexibility" regarding the Nile waters dispute, The National reported on Feb. 23, quoting Egyptian sources.

Egypt, Ethiopia: Egypt Reportedly Ready To Support Ethiopia's Sea Access in Return for 'Flexibility' in Nile Talks

Talks between Somalia's federal government and the opposition Somali Future Council, or SFC, regarding Somalia's electoral model collapsed after both parties failed to reach an agreement, Somalia Today reported on Feb. 23. 

Somalia: Talks Between Federal Government and Opposition Over Electoral Model Collapse

U.S. Ambassador to Chile Brandon Judd said on Feb. 23 that the U.S. government had warned Chile against pursuing a Chinese project for submarine cables before sanctioning three high-ranking Chilean officials over the project on Feb. 20, El Pais reported on Feb. 23.

U.S., Chile, China: U.S. Sanctions Chilean Officials Over Chinese Submarine Cable Project

China and Iran are close to reaching a deal for Iran to purchase Chinese-made CM-302 anti-ship cruise missiles, Reuters reported on Feb. 24.

China, Iran: Governments Negotiating Deal on Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles

The U.S. Trump administration is preparing to launch a number of new Section 232 investigations as part of its attempts to replace struck-down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 23.

U.S.: Trump Administration Considers New National Security Tariff Investigations

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam at the White House for their first formal in-person talks, Reuters reported on Feb. 20.

Vietnam, U.S.: Washington Vows To Ease Export Restrictions on Hanoi

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says War Objectives Unmet, Military Operations To Continue

U.S., China: Anthropic Claims Chinese Companies Are Using Claude for Distillation

Egypt, Ethiopia: Egypt Reportedly Ready To Support Ethiopia's Sea Access in Return for 'Flexibility' in Nile Talks

Somalia: Talks Between Federal Government and Opposition Over Electoral Model Collapse

U.S., Chile, China: U.S. Sanctions Chilean Officials Over Chinese Submarine Cable Project

China, Iran: Governments Negotiating Deal on Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles

U.S.: Trump Administration Considers New National Security Tariff Investigations

Vietnam, U.S.: Washington Vows To Ease Export Restrictions on Hanoi

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