China

City officials in Beijing announced they had scrapped a decision to require citizens to show proof of vaccination to enter public places, a measure set to take effect on July 11, Reuters reported July 7. 

China: Authorities Reduce COVID-19 Tracking, Reverse Beijing Vaccine Mandate

COVID-19

South Korea

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced that the country will drop its COVID-19 quarantine requirement for unvaccinated foreign travelers entering the country starting June 8, Channel News Asia reported June 3.

South Korea: Government Scraps Mandatory Quarantine for Unvaccinated Travelers

Sub-Saharan Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) said COVID-19-related deaths in Africa will fall by 94% in 2022 based on health modeling, Reuters reported June 2.

Sub-Saharan Africa: WHO Says African COVID-19 Deaths Will Fall by 94% in 2022

Military & Security

A number of Chinese cities are reducing the frequency of their COVID-19 testing requirements from every 24 or 48 hours to every 72 hours due to funding shortages,  Trivium China reported June 2.

China: Local Barriers to Mass Testing Raise Risks of Sudden Lockdowns

Security

Hong Kong SAR, China

Hong Kong launched the third phase of its COVID-19 "vaccine pass" system, which will require residents to show proof of three vaccine doses to enter restaurants, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs, karaoke bars and salons, as well as show vaccination proof upon request at supermarkets, religious venues and shopping malls, Hong Kong Free Press reported May 31.

Hong Kong: Phase Three of COVID-19 'Vaccine Pass' Launches as Social Restrictions Remain

Shanghai's Vice Mayor Zong Ming announced that the city would commence a phased easing of COVID-19 lockdowns to hopefully return to "normal virus control" by mid-to-late June, assuming the city's infection numbers continue to trend downward, Reuters reported May 16.

China: Shanghai Plans for Return to Normalcy by Mid-to-Late June

North Korea

North Korea announced that at least 350,000 citizens were infected with the omicron variant of COVID-19 and that six people have died from the disease, Rodong Sinmun reported May 13.

North Korea: COVID-19 Spreads Faster Than Expected, Neighboring Countries Offer Aid

North Korea reported the country's first "official" cases of COVID-19, specifically the omicron variant of the virus, The Straits Times reported May 12.

North Korea: Country Admits First Cases of COVID-19

<p>Diseases are the ultimate mercenaries: They are impersonal, impartial, godless, stateless, apolitical. Every citizen from every country will eventually contract one, or more than one, sometimes to tragic effect. And when outbreaks grow so large that they disrupt supply chains, stunt economic growth, dictate technological development or affect the relations of nations, death from disease becomes something other than personal tragedy &mdash; it becomes a geopolitical crisis.</p>

Diseases are the ultimate mercenaries: They are impersonal, impartial, godless, stateless, apolitical.

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Crossing Borders

Assessments

Brazil

Chile

Peru

A miner works at the Kiara copper mine in Chile on June 22, 2021. 

Politics

Beijing’s planned infrastructure projects could help Chile, Peru and Brazil weather the global economic slowdown by sustaining Chinese demand for copper and iron ore.

China’s Stimulus Spending Will Buoy South America’s Mining Exports

Saudi Arabia

Muslim pilgrims walk at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on July 6, 2022 during the annual hajj pilgrimage. 

New COVID-19 variants and global economic uncertainty could force Riyadh to recalibrate its tourism development strategy, potentially leaving ongoing projects abandoned or delayed.

An Uncertain World Threatens Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Goals

Guidance

Colombia

United States

Ukraine

Russia

A volunteer slides a flyer into a house in Medellin, Colombia, supporting left-wing presidential candidate Gustavo Petro on May 27, 2022. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. Authorizes More Weapons for Ukraine, Colombia's Presidential Election Begins

Workers are seen outside a compound where residents are being tested for COVID-19 in the Jing'an district in Shanghai, China on April 4, 2022. 

China in Transition

Beijing will likely remain focused on eradicating outbreaks through at least October, portending continued lockdowns in Shanghai and China’s other highly populated financial hubs. 

How Much Longer Can China Maintain Its ‘Zero-COVID’ Strategy?

Supply Chains

South Africa

Australia

Japan

India

From left to right, the foreign ministers of the United States, Australia, India and Japan hold a press conference after a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) meeting in Melbourne on Feb. 11, 2022.

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

Asia-Pacific: Among Great Powers

The Weekly Rundown: Biden Visits Europe to Discuss Ukraine, India Meets With Fellow Quad Members

France

Germany

Turkey

A general view of a destroyed bridge on March 11, 2022 in Borshchiv, Ukraine. Russia continues its assault on Ukraine's major cities, including the capital Kyiv, after launching a large-scale invasion of the country on Feb. 24.

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

The Weekly Rundown: The Ukraine War Continues, France Drops Its COVID-19 Health Pass

The Ukraine Conflict

Snapshots

United Kingdom

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson (center) is seen in the backseat of a car in London, England, after holding a Prime Minister's Questions (PMQ) session in Parliament on Jan. 12, 2022. 

If Johnson resigns or is ousted, his Conservative Party would likely appoint a new prime minister, reducing the probability of abrupt policy changes. 

​​In the U.K., Political Scandals and Economic Woes Leave Johnson in Hot Water

Ireland

Lebanon

Maldives

Sri Lanka

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Russia Talks, the Lunar New Year Begins

A photo shows the construction site of a new stadium project being built in Beijing, China, on Dec. 15, 2021. 

Recurrent COVID-19 waves, reliance on state-led investment and weak domestic demand risk leaving the world’s second-largest economy in a prolonged slowdown. 

China’s Economic Recovery Hits a Great Wall

Greece

Austria

Italy

Passengers from London arrive at a Eurostar terminal in Paris on Dec. 16, 2021, before France imposed new travel restrictions to and from the United Kingdom in response to the omicron variant of COVID-19. 

European Disintegration

Tourism and hospitality sectors will again be hit hardest, as governments prioritize protecting manufacturing and supply chains over business and leisure travel.

In Europe, Omicron Fears Spur More Travel Bans and Lockdowns

The Fate of the Eurozone

Vietnam

Qatar

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Joe Biden on June 16, 2021, at a summit at the Villa La Grange, in Geneva. U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely participate in a video call early next week amid rising tensions in eastern Ukraine.

The Weekly Rundown: Biden and Putin Hold a Video Conference, Germany Has a New Chancellor

Passengers wait to check in for one of the last international flights out of Cape Town, South Africa, after countries began imposing travel bans to contain the spread of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant on Nov. 29, 2021. 

Travel bans to contain the new COVID-19 variant will devastate the country’s tourism industry, increasing inequality levels and opposition to government spending cuts.

Omicron Deals Another Blow to South Africa’s Struggling Economy

The Post-Apartheid Era Ends

COVID-19

SITUATION REPORTS

China: Authorities Reduce COVID-19 Tracking, Reverse Beijing Vaccine Mandate

South Korea: Government Scraps Mandatory Quarantine for Unvaccinated Travelers

Sub-Saharan Africa: WHO Says African COVID-19 Deaths Will Fall by 94% in 2022

China: Local Barriers to Mass Testing Raise Risks of Sudden Lockdowns

Hong Kong: Phase Three of COVID-19 'Vaccine Pass' Launches as Social Restrictions Remain

China: Shanghai Plans for Return to Normalcy by Mid-to-Late June

North Korea: COVID-19 Spreads Faster Than Expected, Neighboring Countries Offer Aid

North Korea: Country Admits First Cases of COVID-19

Forecasts

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