United States

Israel

Saudi Arabia

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Politics

At the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) annual General Conference, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced that the kingdom will rescind its small quantities protocol in favor of a comprehensive safeguards agreement (CSA), Reuters reported on Sept. 25.

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Agrees to Tighter IAEA Oversight as Nuclear Negotiations Progress

Cyber

Economics

Cyber insurance claims rose in the first half of 2023, spurred by increasingly costly and severe ransomware attacks, according to a report published on Sept. 20 by U.S. insurance provider Coalition.

Cyberspace: Ransomware Continues to Push Cyber Insurance Claims Higher

Military & Security

U.S. and Israeli officials are working on a possible plan for a Saudi civilian nuclear program that would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil (with safeguards), which is a key demand of Saudi Arabia amid negotiations over Israeli-Saudi normalization, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 21.

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel Softens on Saudi Nuclear Enrichment

China

Germany

The German government is drafting a new plan to impose further restrictions on telecommunication networks' use of Chinese equipment, Politico reported on Sept. 20, citing a government strategy paper.

Germany: Governments Plans to Phase Out Chinese Vendors From Telecom Networks

U.S. consulting firm Bain & Company is reportedly keeping Chinese data on local servers within its Shanghai branch in order to comply with China's recently revised counter-espionage law, The Times reported on Sept. 18.

China: U.S. Consulting Firm Separates Data to Minimize Exposure to Anti-Espionage Laws

Libya

Social Issues

Several foreign-based Libyans reported that they lost all contact with journalists inside the city of Derna, Al Jazeera reported on Sept. 19, and on the same day, The Libya Observer reported that local authorities had ordered foreign journalists to leave the city.

Libya: Derna Experiences Communications Blackout Amid Faltering Disaster Relief

Belgium

Spain

Ukraine

An internal paper for European leaders prepared by Spain warns the European Union could become as dependent on Chinese lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells by 2030 as it was on Russian oil and natural gas before the Ukraine war, Reuters reported Sept. 17 after obtaining a draft of the paper.

EU: Report Warns European Union of Dependency on Chinese EV and Battery Tech by 2030 

Dominican Republic

Haiti

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader announced that his country would indefinitely close all borders with Haiti starting on Sept. 15, Reuters reported on Sept. 14.

Dominican Republic, Haiti: Border Closure to Disrupt Travel, Trade

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant science and technology analyses. 

Technology

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Agriculture

COVID-19

Supply Chains

_Energy

Environmental Issues

Globalization

The 4th Industrial Revolution

Assessments

United Kingdom

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech during a press conference on the country's climate policies at the Downing Street Briefing Room in London on Sept. 20, 2023. 

By weakening its climate commitments, London is making a risky political gamble that could also harm the U.K.'s business and investment climate.

The U.K. Government Walks Back on Key Climate Pledges

Snapshots

India

A farm worker packs sacks of rice at a mill in Senegal on Oct. 27, 2022. Africa is a major rice importer, while India, one of the world’s main rice producers, recently announced restrictions on its exports. 

To reduce food prices ahead of 2024 elections, New Delhi will likely ban more exports of agricultural products like rice, exacerbating global food shortages.

The Implications of India's Pursuit of Protectionist Trade Policies

Russia

A computer-generated image released by the European Space Agency (ESA) in April 2008 shows trackable objects in orbit around Earth. 

Earthbound rivalries will impede cooperation in removing the growing amount of debris in low orbit, raising the risk of collisions with spacecraft and satellites.

Reassessing the Risk of Space Debris Amid the Great Power Competition

U.S.-China Relations

An American Labor Party political poster in support of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Herbert H. Lehman. 

In honor of Labor Day, Stratfor takes a look back at employment conditions and union movements through the decades with a selection of historical photographs.

Labor Protests: A Visual Anthology

Kenya

Turkey

Indonesia

Vehicles drive past the logo of the G-20 Summit on Aug. 10, 2023, in New Delhi.

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: The Africa Climate Summit, the G-20 Summit in New Delhi

Columns

On Geopolitics

Cars shimmer in the heat haze near Death Valley National Park in California on July 16, 2023, a day that saw temperatures rise past about 127 degrees Fahrenheit. The highest temperature reliably recorded on Earth was 129.2 F in Death Valley in 2013. 

As people move to new areas in response to the economic and physical risks posed by climate change, they'll slowly alter the location of the American heartland and impact U.S. foreign policy.

The Wider Implications of Climate Migration in the U.S.

Taiwan

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' summit on Sept. 16, 2022.

The U.S., the EU, Russia and India are all holding votes next year that will be marked by nationalist populism, portending more policy uncertainty, domestic strife and international conflict.

The Four 2024 Elections That Will Shape the Second Half of the Decade

Media

Brazil

Mexico

Podcasts

Why were some countries better able to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19?

Essential Geopolitics: The Economic Outlook for Brazil and Mexico

A paramilitary trooper in Srinagar, India, watches a live telecast of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft's lunar landing on Aug. 23, 2023. 

The divergent outcomes of the recent lunar missions highlight the challenges that will hobble some space powers -- most notably Russia and, by extension, China.

In Racing to the Moon, India Makes History as Russia Falters

Panama

Cargo ships waiting to enter the Panama Canal are seen off the coast of Panama City on Aug. 23, 2023. 

Efforts to preserve the canal's low water levels have caused a traffic jam of cargo vessels, but the impact on shipping times and costs will be modest if the disruptions are short-lived.

Drought Restrictions at the Panama Canal Create Shipping Headaches

Poland

Austria

Hungary

Solar panels on Aug. 9, 2023, in Neuss, Germany.

Resistance to environmental initiatives in Europe will likely continue beyond the 2024 EU elections, portending less ambitious climate targets and greater protectionism.

Europe Faces a Less Ambitious Environmental Agenda

Ecuador

Policemen stand guard while supporters of slain Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio pay their respects at the Quito Exhibition Center in Quito, Ecuador, on Aug. 11, 2023. 

The Aug. 20 vote may see the emergence of a wildcard presidential candidate, while a simultaneous referendum could threaten the country's oil output.

Ecuador Braces for a High-Stakes Election

Environment, Science & Technology

SITUATION REPORTS

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Agrees to Tighter IAEA Oversight as Nuclear Negotiations Progress

Cyberspace: Ransomware Continues to Push Cyber Insurance Claims Higher

Israel, Saudi Arabia: Israel Softens on Saudi Nuclear Enrichment

Germany: Governments Plans to Phase Out Chinese Vendors From Telecom Networks

China: U.S. Consulting Firm Separates Data to Minimize Exposure to Anti-Espionage Laws

Libya: Derna Experiences Communications Blackout Amid Faltering Disaster Relief

EU: Report Warns European Union of Dependency on Chinese EV and Battery Tech by 2030

Dominican Republic, Haiti: Border Closure to Disrupt Travel, Trade

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