Democratic Republic of the Congo

Military & Security

The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group accused the Democratic Republic of Congo's government of launching a "generalized offensive" across multiple front lines in North Kivu province, resulting in clashes between the two forces, Actualite reported on Feb. 25.

Congo: Clashes Resume in North Kivu After Drone Strike Kills M23 Spokesperson

Cuba

United States

Economics

Politics

The Cuban Embassy in the United States issued a statement on X stating that on Feb. 25, border guard troops of Cuba's Ministry of the Interior exchanged deadly fire with individuals on a speedboat registered as originating in Florida, United States, after individuals on the speedboat shot at Cuban personnel in Cuban territorial waters.

Cuba, U.S.: Cuban Government Announces Exchange of Fire With U.S.-Registered Speedboat

Nigeria

Several northern Nigerian elites, including Islamic clerics and former interest group leaders, rejected recommendations made by U.S. lawmakers led by Republican Rep. Riley Moore to the White House on Feb. 23 for the United States to pressure Nigeria to scrap Sharia codes and criminal blasphemy laws, the Daily Trust reported on Feb. 25.

Nigeria: U.S. Lawmakers' Push To End Sharia Sparks Backlash in Nigeria's Northern States

China

Japan

Taiwan

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan will deploy its domestically produced Type-03 Chu-SAM medium-range surface-to-air defense missile system to the island of Yonaguni in March 2031, Channel News Asia reported on Feb. 24. 

Japan, Taiwan: Tokyo Sets 2031 Timeline for Missile Deployment on Yonaguni 

France

United Kingdom

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia had not yet achieved its objectives in Ukraine and that military operations would continue, but that Moscow remained open to political and diplomatic avenues to reach those goals, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Feb. 24.

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says War Objectives Unmet, Military Operations To Continue

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

U.S.-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic said three Chinese AI companies set up more than 24,000 fraudulent accounts with its Claude AI model to conduct "distillation" techniques that use data outputs to advance their own AI systems, The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 23. 

U.S., China: Anthropic Claims Chinese Companies Are Using Claude for Distillation

Israel

India

India's foreign ministry announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from Feb. 25-26, Reuters reported on Feb. 24.

India, Israel: Modi To Visit Israel Feb. 25-26

Cambodia

Thailand

Thai forces reported that Cambodian troops fired a grenade round near a patrol in eastern Sisaket province, prompting Thai return fire, AFP reported on Feb. 24.

Thailand, Cambodia: Forces Skirmish Along Disputed Border

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

A video interview of Taiwanese President William Lai plays onstage during The New York Times DealBook Summit 2025 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Dec. 3, 2025, in New York City.

President Lai's political disputes with the legislature are unlikely to ease anytime soon, which could disrupt U.S. trade and arms deals and/or jeopardize future opportunities for diplomatic engagement with China.

Taiwan's Political Dysfunction Goes Global

Snapshots

Iceland

Icelandic flags are seen on a street in Reykjavik.

The prospect of a summer referendum on EU accession reflects a strategic pivot driven by heightened anxieties over transatlantic security.


In Iceland, Security Concerns, Domestic Politics Catalyze Renewed Debate Over EU Membership

Columns

On Geopolitics

Somalia

Sudan

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Lebanon

Libya

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

Mexico

A burned car is seen on a highway near Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco state, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026. The car was allegedly set on fire by organized crime groups in response to the killing of Nemesio Oseguera "El Mencho," the top leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The killing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's notorious leader will initially improve U.S.-Mexico ties, but the likely surge in cartel violence will pose long-term risks to businesses and eventually renew pressure for U.S. military action in Mexico.

What a Cartel Leader's Killing Means for Mexico's Security and U.S. Relations

Palestinian Territories

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

Germany

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press Feb. 2 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address to Congress on Feb. 24.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Threatens Iran, Pledges To Reimpose Tariffs on Different Grounds

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Destroyed vehicles are strewn outside Sudan's finance ministry building in the capital Khartoum on Jan. 17, 2026, after nearly three years of devastating war in the country.

Ethiopia's apparent tilt toward the RSF paramilitary group in neighboring Sudan could trigger deadly border clashes and prompt the Sudanese military to deepen ties with Tigrayan forces.

Ethiopia Discreetly Dips Into Sudan's Civil War

On Security

An F-15 fighter plane takes off from RAF Lakenheath at sunset on Jan. 7, 2026 in Mildenhall, the United Kingdom.

The variety and size of the U.S. military buildup give Trump a breadth of options and, compared with last June, suggest that a wider, longer-lasting campaign is more plausible this time around unless a nuclear deal is reached.

Assessing Trump's Options for Military Action in Iran

A digital illustration shows a nuclear launch map of Europe. 

Amid doubts about the U.S. security guarantee, Europe is considering using Franco-British nuclear arms to bolster its strategic autonomy within NATO, though this plan faces significant political and technical challenges.

The European Nuclear Umbrella: A Search for Strategic Autonomy

Brunei Darussalam

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Vietnam

Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro speaks at a press conference during a Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Cebu City, the Philippines, on Jan. 29, 2026.

The coming year will test ASEAN's ability to maintain unity, manage crises and remain a credible regional forum amid rising internal security risks and a more fractured world order, particularly as the Philippines butts heads with China in the South China Sea.

Previewing the Philippines 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship

U.S. Vice President JD Vance's shadow is seen as he speaks during a press conference following a military briefing at the civilian military coordination center on Oct. 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Negotiations over a new Israel-U.S. security agreement signal a pivot in the bilateral relationship as Israel increasingly focuses on strengthening its domestic defense industry.

How Israel's Defense Sector Will Evolve Amid the Government's Push for Self-Reliance

Slovakia

Hungary

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Congo: Clashes Resume in North Kivu After Drone Strike Kills M23 Spokesperson

Cuba, U.S.: Cuban Government Announces Exchange of Fire With U.S.-Registered Speedboat

Nigeria: U.S. Lawmakers' Push To End Sharia Sparks Backlash in Nigeria's Northern States

Japan, Taiwan: Tokyo Sets 2031 Timeline for Missile Deployment on Yonaguni

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says War Objectives Unmet, Military Operations To Continue

U.S., China: Anthropic Claims Chinese Companies Are Using Claude for Distillation

India, Israel: Modi To Visit Israel Feb. 25-26

Thailand, Cambodia: Forces Skirmish Along Disputed Border

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