Benin

Cote d'Ivoire

Ghana

Niger

United States

Germany

Italy

Military & Security

The United States agreed to withdraw troops from Niger and vacate its two military facilities in the country, AP reported on April 20.

Niger: U.S. To Withdraw Troops From Niger, Seek New Drone Base in West Africa

United Kingdom

Cyber

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The British government is beginning to draft legislation to regulate artificial intelligence, or AI, the Financial Times reported on April 15. 

Italy, U.K.: Leaked Reports Highlight Governments' Concern Around AI Oversight 

Europe

France

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso discussed plans for an "omnibus directive" aimed at cutting red tape and boosting industrial competitiveness in the European Union ahead of the European Parliament elections in June, Euractiv reported on April 8.

EU: France, Germany, Italy Call for Comprehensive European Industrial Strategy

Russia

Politics

Italy's right-wing co-ruling Lega party reneged on a 2017 collaboration agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party in a statement published just ahead of a no-confidence vote against Lega leader Matteo Salvini, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on April 2.

Italy: Lega Leader Rejects Cooperation Agreement With Russia Ahead of No-Confidence Vote

China

Japan

Japan's ruling coalition agreed to relax export rules for its next-generation fighter jet, the Mitsubishi F-X (nicknamed "Godzilla"), that it is jointly developing with the United Kingdom and Italy, The Japan Times reported on March 15. 

Japan, U.K., Italy: Tokyo Agrees To Export Jointly Developed Fighter Jets

Energy

The environment committee of Italy's Chamber of Deputies launched a fact-finding study on the role of nuclear energy in the country's energy transition and the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, Euractiv reported on March 6.

Italy: Parliament Calls for Investigation Into Reintroduction of Nuclear Power

Belgium

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The European Union has approved its 13th package of sanctions against Russia, Reuters reported Feb. 21.

EU, China, Russia: EU's 13th Sanctions Package Against Russia Includes Measures Targeting Chinese Companies Aiding War Effort

Luxembourg

Lithuania

Malta

Finland

Latvia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Greece

Estonia

Sweden

Bulgaria

Portugal

Poland

Romania

Croatia

Cyprus

Austria

Slovakia

Slovenia

Netherlands

Spain

Ireland

Hungary

The European Commission recommended reducing the European Union's net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, Reuters reported Feb. 6. 

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

Assessments

Ukraine

A view of the Russian Central Bank headquarters is seen in downtown Moscow on May 26, 2022.

To unlock more money for Kyiv, the U.S. and Europe may confiscate Russian government assets stashed in Western nations, which would escalate the greater economic tit-for-tat between Moscow and the West.

Ukraine's Western Allies Mull Seizing Frozen Russian Assets

Columns

On Geopolitics

Burkina Faso

Mali

South Africa

Argentina

Mexico

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Turkey

Hong Kong SAR, China

South Korea

Taiwan

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

India

Pakistan

In this scorecard, we take a critical look at our successes and slip-ups in forecasting geopolitical events over the past year.

Grading Our 2023 Annual Forecast

Snapshots

Tunisia

Tunisian dinar.

Tunisia will push European states for more aid as migrants use the country as a launching point to the Continent.

Tunisia Angles for More European Aid as Migrants Travel North

Members of the European Parliament take part in voting on the Artificial Intelligence Act during a plenary session at the European Parliament.

The EU's recently negotiated Artificial Intelligence Act will bolster the European Union's dominance as a regulatory heavyweight in emerging technologies, yet anticipated enforcement challenges and stringent stipulations with the Act risk impeding AI innovation within the bloc.

EU Lawmakers Clinch Agreement on Artificial Intelligence Act 

Demonstrators hold Spanish flags during a protest called by the country’s far-right Vox party in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 12, 2023. 

Far-right parties are expected to perform strongly in sub-national, national and EU elections next year, portending significant shifts in governance and policies.

In Europe, Far-Right Parties Are Again on the Rise

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni waits to welcome Bahrain's king (not pictured) at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 17, 2023. 

The most right-wing Italian government in decades has so far also proven to be one of the most stable. But that could change if Italy's economic fragility gives way to internal fractures in Meloni's coalition.

Reviewing Italy's First Year Under Meloni: From Anti-Establishment to Pragmatic

Israeli and EU Flags

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A lack of a unified EU response to the Israel-Hamas War highlights divisions among member states' foreign policies, complicating the bloc's plans to play a meaningful role in the conflict, as well as efforts to maintain unified support for Ukraine.

Israel-Hamas War Highlights Divisions Among EU Member States

Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

The Italian and EU flags are seen outside government buildings in Rome.

The changes would have a limited negative impact on Italy's economy, which suggests Rome's qualms are instead largely based on political calculations.

Understanding Italy's Opposition to Reforming the EU's Bailout Fund

Silvio Berlusconi leaves a polling station after voting in Italy's September 2022 snap election. The former prime minister died on June 12, 2023, at the age of 86.

The death of Italy's longest-serving prime minister marks the end of an era. But Berlusconi's legacy will live on through his enduring impact on Italian and European politics.

The Complex Legacy of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi

Brazil

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on May 23, 2023, in Beijing. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on June 18 will visit Beijing to meet with Gang.

U.S.-China Relations

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

The Weekly Rundown: Blinken Visits Beijing, China's Premier Goes to Germany

A photograph taken on March 16, 2023, shows Lake Serre-Poncon partially dry, near Embrun, in the French Alps. 

Social Issues

Increasingly severe droughts and water shortages brought on by climate change will serve as a multiplier for Europe's energy, agricultural, industrial and socio-economic challenges. 

Europe's Scorching Summer and Warm Winter Portend a New Normal

<p>Italy is a peninsular country in southern Europe that borders France, Switzerland, Austria&nbsp;and&nbsp;Slovenia. Two independent states, Vatican City and San Marino, exist within its territory. The country is mountainous, with the Apennines stretching the length of the peninsula and the Alps acting as a natural barrier between Italy and its neighbors. It also has the two largest islands in the Mediterranean, Sicily&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sardinia. Italy&#39;s core is the Po Valley, one of the most prosperous regions in Europe and the heart of the industrial north. The southern part of the country has a more agricultural profile and has traditionally been less developed. Italy&#39;s capital, Rome, was once the heart of a sprawling empire, which stretched over much of Europe, North Africa&nbsp;and&nbsp;the Levant.</p><p>After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5th century, Italy was fragmented into small kingdoms, republics&nbsp;and&nbsp;duchies. Italy&#39;s privileged position in the heart of the Mediterranean and the wealth of its economic centers made the peninsula a territory of constant invasion, from Germanic tribes in the 5th century to the French, Austrian and Spanish empires in the 18th and 19th centuries. Moreover, Italy&#39;s rugged geography led to the development of strong regional identities. As a result, the country didn&#39;t achieve political unity until the 1860s. Italy&#39;s main geographic challenge is to preserve its territorial unity and develop a relatively stable central government while dealing with strong regional interests and fractious political forces. The eurozone crisis has intensified this challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Niger: U.S. To Withdraw Troops From Niger, Seek New Drone Base in West Africa

Italy, U.K.: Leaked Reports Highlight Governments' Concern Around AI Oversight

EU: France, Germany, Italy Call for Comprehensive European Industrial Strategy

Italy: Lega Leader Rejects Cooperation Agreement With Russia Ahead of No-Confidence Vote

Japan, U.K., Italy: Tokyo Agrees To Export Jointly Developed Fighter Jets

Italy: Parliament Calls for Investigation Into Reintroduction of Nuclear Power

EU, China, Russia: EU's 13th Sanctions Package Against Russia Includes Measures Targeting Chinese Companies Aiding War Effort

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

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