United States

China

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

Microsoft began restricting Chinese companies' access to early notifications about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in response to the U.S. government's mandated vulnerability reporting requirement, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 20. 

U.S., China: Microsoft Curtails Chinese Companies' Access To Advance Vulnerability Notifications

U.S.-China Relations

United Kingdom

Economics

The United Kingdom walked back a demand for Apple to provide law enforcement with a backdoor that could circumvent encryption for any users' data stored in the company's cloud services, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated in a social media post on X on Aug. 18.

U.K., U.S.: London Abandons Order for Apple To Create Backdoor in Encryption Services 

Russia

Kyrgyzstan

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Kyrgyzstan-based Old Vector LLC, the Grinex cryptocurrency exchange and Russia's A7 network, along with several executives, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on Aug. 14.

Kyrgyzstan, Russia: U.S. Sanctions Kyrgyzstan-Based Crypto Network Tied to Russia

Military & Security

U.S. federal officials believe Russian threat actors are "at least partly responsible" for a recently uncovered breach affecting the internal computer systems that manage sensitive federal court data, The New York Times reported on Aug. 12.

U.S.: Russian Threat Actors Suspected of Federal Court System Hack

Google's Project Zero will alter its vulnerability disclosure policy to publicly announce flaws in companies' hardware and software products within a week of privately reporting them to vendors, according to a company blog post published on July 29.

Cyberspace: Google's Project Zero Accelerates Vulnerability Disclosure Timeline

Sub-Saharan Africa

Brazil

The Chinese government will spearhead the creation of a body for countries to jointly develop artificial intelligence, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said at China's World Artificial Intelligence Conference on July 26.

China: Beijing Pitches Global AI Cooperation Body

Politics

The White House announced on July 23 a new "AI Action Plan" that aims to boost U.S. exports of artificial intelligence technology and reduce red tape in the AI sector, ensuring that federal funding is not directed toward states with "burdensome" AI regulations. 

U.S.: White House Unveils AI Blueprint

The United Kingdom plans to move forward with legislative proposals to counter ransomware, according to the Home Office's formal government response to consultations with the private sector launched in January.

U.K.: Government Proposes Ransomware Payment Ban on Public Sector

<p>Individuals, companies, governments and militaries alike all depend on computers. And as is so often the case, these dependencies create vulnerabilities that have made cybersecurity all the more important as proficiencies in cyber warfare and cyber crime improve. That technology constantly improves only adds to the problem of staying safe in the internet age. How governments and their constituents attune themselves to this brave new world will ultimately shape their relationship with the internet &mdash; and with each other.</p>

That technology constantly improves only adds to the problem of staying safe in the internet age.

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Security

Modernizing China’s Military

Globalization

Echoes of the Cold War

China in Transition

Assessments

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Protectionist and security-driven data regulations are impeding digital and physical trade, potentially slowing global economic growth and innovation.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Diverging Digital Governance Threatens Data Flows

U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to sign the GENIUS Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2025. 

The United States has passed its first major federal cryptocurrency law, boosting institutional interest, but broader public adoption remains constrained by regulatory gaps and ongoing risks.

Cryptocurrency Legislation Advances, Sets New Course for U.S. Cryptocurrency Landscape

A digital illustration shows a digital human head overlaying the EU flag.

Growing internal and U.S. pressure will likely force Brussels to delay or amend its landmark AI law, fueling short-term regulatory uncertainty that could hinder the technology's development in Europe.

The Fate of the EU's Ambitious AI Act

Media

Iran

Israel

Podcasts

What cyber limitations and capabilities do Iran and Israel have?

Essential Geopolitics: Increased Risk of Cyberattacks as Conflict With Iran Escalates

U.S.-Iran Relations

What role does AI play as both a disruptor and a tool in the risk management space? 

Applied Geopolitics: Leveraging AI To Anticipate and Mitigate Geopolitical and Supply Chain Risks 

Ukraine

Workers at a quarry Feb. 26, 2025 in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine.

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: Von der Leyen Meets Starmer, a U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal

Energy

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Social Issues

Intensifying trade wars, a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, continued volatility in the Middle East and consequential elections in key countries will shape the quarter.

2025 Second-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Global Elections

A photo of the U.S. Capitol overlaid with a pixilated blue and red pattern.

The United States will continue to prioritize AI innovation over regulation, and the European Union is set to partially reconsider its rules amid a broader push to increase competitiveness. 

The Future of AI Regulation Under the West's New Leadership

Syria

Nation-states' growing use of hacktivist personas to obfuscate responsibility will increasingly enable them to attack targets they would otherwise avoid and spread propaganda.

Hacktivism Offers Plausible Deniability for State-Backed Cyber Actors

Angola

Cote d'Ivoire

Ghana

Kenya

Nigeria

Argentina

Canada

Ecuador

Mexico

Algeria

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Taiwan

Belarus

Pakistan

World map on a dark digital background representing global communication and global finances.

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2025 highlights high-impact, low-probability risks and trends from the annual forecast presented in more extreme terms.

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2025

What is Salt Typhoon, and what happened in the recent hack against U.S. telecommunications companies? 

Essential Geopolitics: Unpacking China's Salt Typhoon Operation

India

The Geopolitics of Water

Water utilities are uniquely vulnerable to cyberattacks due to frequent financial and security limitations, exposing water-stressed countries to threats from hacktivists and foreign adversaries.

 The Geopolitics of Water: Cyberattacks' Impact on Water Stress in the U.S. and Beyond

Cyber

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., China: Microsoft Curtails Chinese Companies' Access To Advance Vulnerability Notifications

U.K., U.S.: London Abandons Order for Apple To Create Backdoor in Encryption Services

Kyrgyzstan, Russia: U.S. Sanctions Kyrgyzstan-Based Crypto Network Tied to Russia

U.S.: Russian Threat Actors Suspected of Federal Court System Hack

Cyberspace: Google's Project Zero Accelerates Vulnerability Disclosure Timeline

China: Beijing Pitches Global AI Cooperation Body

U.S.: White House Unveils AI Blueprint

U.K.: Government Proposes Ransomware Payment Ban on Public Sector

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