China

Philippines

India

Military & Security

Politics

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner announced that India and the Philippines on Aug. 3-4 carried out their first joint naval drill in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, AP reported on Aug. 4.

India, Philippines: Navies Carry Out First Joint Exercise in South China Sea

United States

Economics

China is continuing to curb exports of rare earth minerals to Western defense companies despite recent deals between the United States and China to resume said flows, The Wall Street Journal reported on Aug. 3.

China: Rare Earth Export Curbs Persist for Western Defense Companies

U.S.-China Relations

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Hamas has said that it is willing to deliver aid to the Israeli hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip in coordination with the Red Cross if Israel establishes permanent humanitarian corridors within Gaza and stops conducting airstrikes while aid is being distributed, Reuters reported Aug. 3.

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Hamas Conditions Disarmament on Palestinian State

Benin

Nigeria

Nigeria and Benin have agreed on a framework for an Enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement as well as to extend trade-facilitation provisions between the two countries, The Punch reported Aug. 4. 

Nigeria, Benin: Governments Agree on Framework for Economic Partnership, Trade Facilitation Measures

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

The governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda held the first meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee laid out in their June 27 peace agreement, Reuters reported on July 31.

Congo, Rwanda: Governments Hold First Meeting of Joint Oversight Committee 

El Salvador

Social Issues

El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional reform that allows the president -- currently Nayib Bukele -- to be reelected indefinitely, Reuters reported on July 31.

El Salvador: Bukele Consolidates Power as Legislative Assembly Removes Presidential Term Limits

Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conditioned the resumption of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks on a U.S. guarantee that Iran would not be attacked in the middle of negotiations if they resumed and called for financial compensation for the damage incurred during the June U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, The Financial Times reported July 30.

Iran, U.S.: Iran Seeks Compensation and Security Assurances Before Rejoining Nuclear Talks

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

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

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

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

The Ukraine Conflict

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The Battle for Mosul

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

The Jihadist Wars

Echoes of the Cold War

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Assessments

Germany

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Russia

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The flag of Afghanistan sits on the Afghan embassy in Moscow on July 4, 2025. 

As Afghanistan's neighbors deepen ties with the Taliban and Western states remain cautious, a widening diplomatic divide threatens to complicate efforts to address the country's worsening crises and regional security risks.

The Growing International Divide Over Taliban Ties Will Risk Regional Stability

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

Columns

On Geopolitics

Lithuania

Finland

Latvia

Denmark

Estonia

Sweden

Poland

Norway

Ukraine

Belarus

A view in Rostock, Germany, of the first exit of warships for the NATO exercise BALTOPS in the Baltic Sea on June 5, 2025. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

In response to Russian aggression, NATO is seeking to establish strategic control over the Baltic Sea via rearmament and more assertive posturing, creating an environment where the risk of miscalculation grows exponentially.

Baltic on the Brink: The New Flashpoint in Europe's Confrontation With Russia

Cambodia

Thailand

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (center) speaks during a press conference next to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (left) and Thailand's acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai (right) in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on July 28, 2025. 

While the truce may hold in the short to medium term, unresolved disputes and political pressures sustain the risk of future clashes, with the next round likely to be even deadlier.

Gauging the Stability of the Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire

Iraq

Turkey

Iraq and Turkey's flags together on a textile cloth fabric 

Energy

Turkey is repositioning itself in Iraq by replacing its security-heavy posture with a push for economic and energy integration, signaling Ankara's long-term ambitions to become a regional power broker as U.S. and Iranian influence wanes.

Turkey Shifts Iraq Strategy Amid Waning U.S. and Iranian Influence

Snapshots

Taiwan

A voter leaves a booth during voting for the recall election at a polling station in Taipei, Taiwan, on July 26, 2025. 

Its victory in the recall votes will embolden the opposition KMT to press on with controversial reforms and defense spending cuts, but it will also help prevent a near-term escalation of cross-strait tensions.

A Failed Recall Emboldens Taiwan's Opposition

Canada

Mexico

Japan

South Korea

A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck with a rocket launcher in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand, on July 25, 2025. 

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. Tariff Deadline Passes, Thai-Cambodian Border Tensions Persist

Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during a luncheon at Parliament House in Canberra on June 17, 2024. 

The Australian prime minister's efforts to stabilize relations with Beijing will yield short-term economic benefits, but rising regional security concerns will ultimately limit long-term engagement.

The Challenges Facing Albanese's Bid to Reset China-Australia Relations

A ''Danger'' sign warns visitors about a fragile structure within the grounds of the Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia.

Border clashes will likely persist and could escalate if Cambodia later tries to seize disputed territory, but a full-scale war remains unlikely in the short term.

Deadly Clashes Sharply Escalate Thai-Cambodian Border Dispute

A photo taken on Feb. 21, 2025, shows Subaru vehicles bound for shipment at a port in Yokohama, Japan. 

The deal is a win for Japan's economy and its ruling party, but it may hasten Prime Minister Ishiba's exit. It will also help South Korea and Taiwan secure their own U.S. trade deals.

U.S. Trade Deal Is a Mixed Victory for Japan, a Template for Regional Partners

A protester holds a Ukrainian flag in downtown Kyiv on July 22, 2025, during a demonstration calling for President Volodymyr Zelensky to veto a law that reduces the powers of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies.

A new law placing Ukraine's two anti-corruption agencies under executive control raises the risk of further protests that could destabilize Zelensky's government and undermine its war effort.

In Ukraine, a Controversial Law Fuels Protests and Corruption Concerns

Egypt

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (center right) meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (center left) in Cairo on July 10, 2025.

In the coming years, Egypt will deepen its economic ties with China via increased trade and investment, while simultaneously maintaining its military alliance with the U.S. to address regional security concerns.

Egypt Navigates Its Needs for Chinese Investment and U.S. Military Support

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

India, Philippines: Navies Carry Out First Joint Exercise in South China Sea

China: Rare Earth Export Curbs Persist for Western Defense Companies

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Hamas Conditions Disarmament on Palestinian State

Nigeria, Benin: Governments Agree on Framework for Economic Partnership, Trade Facilitation Measures

Congo, Rwanda: Governments Hold First Meeting of Joint Oversight Committee

El Salvador: Bukele Consolidates Power as Legislative Assembly Removes Presidential Term Limits

Iran, U.S.: Iran Seeks Compensation and Security Assurances Before Rejoining Nuclear Talks

Cyberspace: Google's Project Zero Accelerates Vulnerability Disclosure Timeline

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