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

Assessments

China

North Korea

South Korea

Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Feb. 22, 2026. 

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

Kim Jong Un's latest directives suggest a willingness to pursue high-level negotiations with the United States and China in pursuit of critical economic concessions.

North Korea's Party Congress Points to Diplomatic Window of Opportunity

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa at his "Shield of the Americas" summit, a gathering with heads of state and government officials from 12 countries in the Americas at the Trump National Doral Golf Club on March 7, 2026, in Doral, Florida. 

The United States' increasing interventionism across the Americas has led to joint military operations with Ecuador, which, if sustained, could successfully reduce cartel violence there.

U.S.-Ecuador Military Operations Expand Washington's Regional Interventionism

Snapshots

Iran

Israel

Demonstrators wave Iranian national flags and hold pictures of the country's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, at Enghelab Square in central Tehran on March 9, 2026.

The selection of hard-line cleric Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his slain father will entrench Tehran's resolve to continue the war and preserve its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Iran's New Supreme Leader Will Strengthen Hard-Liner Influence

Iraq

Jordan

Syria

Jordanian Armed Forces, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps forces and other international forces conduct a combined Arms Live Fire Exercise on May 23, 2024 in the desert near Azraq, Jordan. 

As the United States prepares to withdraw its final troops from Syria, Amman will likely expand cross-border security operations to counter Islamic State and disrupt drug smuggling networks.

Jordan Likely To Step Up Anti-Islamic State, Countersmuggling Operations in Syria

Lebanon

Germany

Greece

France

United Kingdom

Cyprus

Netherlands

Spain

Italy

Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 2, 2026, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top military leaders, prompting a new wave of Iranian retaliatory missile attacks across the region. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: War in the Middle East, U.S.-China Trade Talks

U.S.-Iran Relations

Egypt

Turkey

A an Iranian missile that landed March 4 near the Turkish border in the Qamishli district of al-Hasaka, Syria. Although direct strikes as part of Iranian regional retaliation remain unlikely, the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran threatens Egypt and Turkey with energy disruptions and security challenges.

Although direct strikes as part of Iranian regional retaliation remain unlikely, the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran threatens Egypt and Turkey with energy disruptions and security challenges.

Evaluating the Spillover Risks of the Iran War for Egypt and Turkey

Indonesia

Japan

Vietnam

The U.S. Supreme Court in October 2024 in Washington.

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against the Trump administration's tariffs imposed under the IEEPA still leaves Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam vulnerable to other trade escalation mechanisms.

Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam Assess Their U.S. Trade Deals After IEEPA Tariffs

Members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) participate in a military drill in an outpost near Arbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, on Jan. 15, 2026.

Although arming Iranian Kurdish factions might increase pressure on Tehran, such an uprising alone would be unlikely to collapse the regime, while significantly raising the risk of drawing Turkey and Iraq into the conflict.

The Risks and Constraints of a U.S.-Backed Kurdish Uprising in Iran

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

U.S. Naval Update Map: March 5, 2026

Volunteers clean up the rubble outside a government building in Tehran, Iran, that was destroyed by U.S. and Israeli strikes on March 4, 2026.

Energy

The war will most likely end in a tenuous ceasefire in the coming weeks, though a faster or slower truce is possible, depending on the U.S.'s political resolve to maintain its campaign against Iran.

The Iran War Will Last as Long as U.S. Political Resolve Does

Burkina Faso

Cote d'Ivoire

Ghana

Mali

Niger

The United States is nearing an agreement with Mali that would enable it to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, flights over Malian airspace to gather intelligence on jihadist groups operating in the country, Reuters reported on March 9 based on conversations with a current U.S. official and one former U.S. official.

Mali: U.S. Reportedly Nearing Deal To Resume ISR Operations

U.S. President Donald Trump said a U.S. takeover of Cuba could be friendly or not, Reuters reported on March 9.

U.S., Cuba: Washington To Maintain Pressure on Havana To Obtain Economic and Political Concessions

U.S. President Donald Trump said the Iran war is "very complete, pretty much" and also said he is considering taking over the Strait of Hormuz to enable maritime shipping -- especially oil exports -- to resume and threatened greater retaliation against Iran if it tried to stop oil shipments, AP reported on March 9.

MENA: Trump Says Iran War To End Soon, But Bombing Continues Throughout the Region

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said the company would be able to resume about 70% of its total oil shipments to customers within days by boosting exports from the Red Sea Yanbu oil terminal, the Financial Times reported on March 10.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Aramco To Restore 70% of Crude Oil Exports After Whirlwind Oil Trading Day

Bolivia

The United States hosted the "Shield of the Americas" summit in Doral, Florida, during which U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation launching a coalition to combat drug cartels, The Guardian reported on March 7.

U.S., Latin America: Shield of the Americas Summit Establishes Coalition To Combat Cartels

Europe

G7 finance ministers held an emergency meeting on March 9 to discuss the impact of the Iran war on global energy markets and possible stabilisation measures, including a release of strategic oil reserves, Reuters reported the same day.

Global: G7 Considers Coordinated Strategic Oil Reserve Release as Iran War Drives Crude Above $100

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

The White House released its National Cyber Strategy on March 6, outlining six pillars to guide U.S. cyber operations and calling for "unprecedented coordination between the government and the private sector."

U.S.: White House Releases National Cyber Strategy, Trump Signs Executive Order

U.S. investigators believe that Chinese state-sponsored threat actors are responsible for breaching computer networks linked to the FBI that hold information related to domestic surveillance orders, The Wall Street Journal reported on March 6. 

China, U.S.: Chinese Threat Actors Suspected of FBI Breach

U.S.-China Relations

Americas

SITUATION REPORTS

Mali: U.S. Reportedly Nearing Deal To Resume ISR Operations

U.S., Cuba: Washington To Maintain Pressure on Havana To Obtain Economic and Political Concessions

MENA: Trump Says Iran War To End Soon, But Bombing Continues Throughout the Region

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Aramco To Restore 70% of Crude Oil Exports After Whirlwind Oil Trading Day

U.S., Latin America: Shield of the Americas Summit Establishes Coalition To Combat Cartels

Global: G7 Considers Coordinated Strategic Oil Reserve Release as Iran War Drives Crude Above $100

U.S.: White House Releases National Cyber Strategy, Trump Signs Executive Order

China, U.S.: Chinese Threat Actors Suspected of FBI Breach

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