Ukraine

Russia

Military & Security

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for nearly three hours alongside top officials at a summit in Alaska in a meeting that Trump called "extremely productive" but resulted in no ceasefire deal in Ukraine, The New York Times reported on Aug. 15.

Russia, U.S.: Summit Between Putin and Trump Ends Without a Deal

North Korea

South Korea

During a speech to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called for "proactive, gradual steps to restore the Comprehensive Military Agreement" with North Korea, which both sides signed in 2018 but abandoned in 2024, The Korea Herald reported on Aug. 15.

South Korea, North Korea: Lee To Revive 2018 Border Agreement

India

Economics

In his Independence Day address, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined plans to reduce consumption taxes and implement next-generation reforms to the Goods and Services Tax, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 15.

India: Modi Announces Tax Cuts, Emphasizes Self-Reliance, Pledges Support for Farmers

Turkey

Turkish authorities detained the mayor of the Istanbul district Beyoglu and around 40 other individuals on allegations of corruption, AP reported on Aug. 15.

Turkey: Authorities Arrest Opposition Istanbul District Mayor, 40 Others

Australia

China

Philippines

Australia and the Philippines launched Exercise Alon, involving 3,600 military personnel in live-fire drills, beach assaults and combined naval-air operations near Luzon and Palawan, adjacent to disputed South China Sea features, AP reported on Aug. 15.

Australia, Philippines: Canberra, Manila Carry Out Largest-Ever Drills

United States

Environment, Science & Technology

The Trump administration is considering having the United States take an ownership stake in chipmaker Intel, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 14.

U.S.: Government May Acquire Stake in U.S. Chipmaker Intel

U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not expect his Aug. 15 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to lead to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, saying the summit is mainly to prepare for possible follow-up talks, Reuters reported on Aug. 14. 

Russia, Ukraine: Trump Downplays Ceasefire Prospects Ahead of Alaska Summit

Afghanistan

The Afghan Taliban is diverting a large portion of foreign aid for its own ends, with only an estimated 30%-40% of aid reaching the Afghan population, according to an Aug. 13 report by the independent U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR.

Afghanistan: U.S. Report Details Afghan Aid Misuse, Including 'Collusion' With U.N. Officials

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

Below are our latest and most relevant politics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Post-Apartheid Era Ends

Venezuela's Unraveling

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Israel's Survival Strategy

Turkey's Resurgence

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

Old Leaders in a New Africa

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The Pulse of Political Islam

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

Southeast Asia: Burdened by Consensus

India's Own Worst Enemy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Assessments

Bolivia

Israel

Palestinian Territories

An aerial view shows a campaign poster of Bolivian presidential candidate Samuel Doria Medina and his supporters marching during a rally in La Paz, Bolivia, on Aug. 12, 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: Bolivian Elections, a Controversial Israeli Settlement Plan 

Snapshots

Workers at the Samsung plant in Sriperumbudur, India, stage a protest to demand higher wages and recognition of their union on Sept. 11, 2024. 

The labor reforms, aimed at streamlining regulations and attracting investment, face significant delays and uneven implementation due to political resistance, trade union opposition and state-level administrative challenges.

India's Labor Codes: Challenges to Nationwide Adoption

Tunisia

Tunisian President Kais Saied attends his swearing-in ceremony before the National Assembly in Tunis on Oct. 21, 2024. 

The government's focus on centralizing power and suppressing dissent over economic reform or liberalization will leave the Tunisian economy vulnerable to global downturns and reliant on uncertain foreign support.

Tunisia's Economy at Risk as President Saied Prioritizes Consolidating Power

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (left) speaks next to leaders of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) during a press conference at the LDP's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 28, 2024. 

Following recent setbacks, the powerful party will evolve to ensure it stays relevant on key policy issues and resists dissolution, but it may emerge as a first among equals rather than as Japan's undisputed leader.

The LDP, Japan's Political Leviathan, Faces Another Reckoning

Iran

Armenia

Azerbaijan

U.S. President Donald Trump (center), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (left) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (right) hold up an agreement signed during a ceremony at the White House on Aug. 8, 2025.

The deal sidelines Russia and Iran while establishing a U.S. commercial presence in the South Caucasus, but it will remain fragile due to unresolved security guarantees and implementation challenges.

What To Make of the U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the "Winning the AI Race" summit hosted by All‑In Podcast and Hill & Valley Forum at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on July 23, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Relaxed U.S. export controls on key semiconductors will enable Chinese companies to accelerate their advancement of AI-focused chips.

How U.S. Export Concessions Could Boost China's AI Ambitions

U.S.-China Relations

Columns

On Geopolitics

South Sudan

Chad

Ethiopia

Somalia

Sudan

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

Shipping containers are offloaded from a vessel at Berbera Port in Somaliland on Aug. 31, 2021.   (ED RAM/AFP via Getty Images)

The UAE is expanding its influence across East Africa through large-scale investments and security partnerships, aiming to consolidate its status as a global trade hub and counter regional competitors, at the risk of entangling regional states in broader geopolitical contests.

The UAE's Long Game in East Africa

Media

Brazil

Podcasts

How will these recent developments influence the 2026 general election?

Essential Geopolitics: Brazil's Evolving Political Climate Amid Bolsonaro's House Arrest and Trump's Tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near Air Force One at the airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 3, 2025. Trump answered questions about his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other topics. 

While the Trump administration's outreach to Russia may yield limited cooperation, a comprehensive ''reset'' is unlikely for the foreseeable future due to Moscow and Washington's diverging strategic interests.

Can Trump Reset U.S.-Russia Relations?

Eritrea

A Tigrayan flag waves at the entrance of a hospital in Tigray's regional capital, Mekele, on Oct. 10, 2024. 

The ruling TPLF's apparent rapprochement with Eritrea and the rise of anti-TPLF groups are raising the risk of an Ethiopian-Eritrean proxy conflict in Tigray that could eventually spur a larger military escalation.

Ethiopia's Tigray Region Faces a Brewing Storm Amid Shifting Alliances

Syria

Israeli military vehicles drive along the border fence into Israel, near the town of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on July 17, 2025.

While the two countries may engage in limited security cooperation, Israel's continued military interventions in Syria and the lack of U.S. economic pressure on Damascus will make full normalization nearly impossible.

Despite Recent Talks, Syria-Israel Normalization Remains Highly Unlikely

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose ahead of a meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. 

As Putin and Trump prepare to meet in Alaska, the main risk for Ukraine is a U.S.-Russia deal that cements major territorial losses while offering weak security guarantees, leaving it vulnerable to future Russian aggression.

Putin-Trump Summit: The Risks for Ukraine

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

Russia, U.S.: Summit Between Putin and Trump Ends Without a Deal

South Korea, North Korea: Lee To Revive 2018 Border Agreement

India: Modi Announces Tax Cuts, Emphasizes Self-Reliance, Pledges Support for Farmers

Turkey: Authorities Arrest Opposition Istanbul District Mayor, 40 Others

Australia, Philippines: Canberra, Manila Carry Out Largest-Ever Drills

U.S.: Government May Acquire Stake in U.S. Chipmaker Intel

Russia, Ukraine: Trump Downplays Ceasefire Prospects Ahead of Alaska Summit

Afghanistan: U.S. Report Details Afghan Aid Misuse, Including 'Collusion' With U.N. Officials

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