United States

Ukraine

Russia

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The United States stopped work on facilitating a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Politico reported on Oct. 21, citing a U.S. official given anonymity to speak on the matter.

Russia, U.S.: White House Official Says Putin-Trump Summit on Hold

Cameroon

Military & Security

Cameroon's National Vote Counting Commission released provisional results for the country's Oct. 12 presidential election that show President Paul Biya receiving 53.66% of votes, against 35.66% of votes for opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Jeune Afrique reported on Oct. 21.

Cameroon: Provisional Results Show President Biya Reelected for Eighth Term

Sub-Saharan Africa

Middle East and North Africa

Economics

U.S. President Donald Trump's Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, said in an interview with Bloomberg that the reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, was "moving positively in the right direction," the news outlet reported on Oct. 20.

U.S., Africa: Trump Administration Hints at Decision by Congress To Revive AGOA by Year-End

Turkey

Cyprus

Devlet Bahceli, a key ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus against resuming talks on establishing a two-state federation on the divided island, saying annexation by Turkey was "inevitable" and calling for Northern Cyprus' parliament to declare the recent presidential election results invalid, Bianet reported on Oct. 21.

Turkey, Cyprus: Erdogan Advisor Pressures Northern Cyprus After Presidential Election

Bolivia

Center-right Sen. Rodrigo Paz Pereira of the Christian Democratic Party, or PDC, received 54.5% of the vote in Bolivia's Oct. 19 presidential runoff election, according to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal's official count, with 97% of the votes counted, DW reported the same day.

Bolivia: Center-Right Candidate Wins Presidential Runoff

Mongolia

Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh vetoed an Oct. 17 no-confidence vote by the parliament, which would have ousted Prime Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar, with the president's office claiming the legislature failed to heed a legislative committee's decision not to oust Zandanshatar, Bloomberg reported on Oct. 20.

Mongolia: President Vetoes Premier Dismissal in Sign of Ruling Party Schism

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Following Afghanistan and Pakistan's most intense clashes in years, the two sides agreed to a more permanent ceasefire during talks in Doha mediated by Turkey and Qatar, Reuters reported on Oct. 19.

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Kabul, Islamabad Agree to More Permanent Ceasefire Following Doha Talks

China

Taiwan

On Oct. 18, Taiwan's main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT), elected 55-year-old Cheng Li-wun as its new party leader, the Taipei Times reported on Oct. 20.

Taiwan: Opposition KMT Elects Pro-China Firebrand as New Leader

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.

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

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

Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump speak to reporters during a bilateral meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Oct. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Trump and Albanese agreed to tighten defense and supply chain integration as a way to reduce their countries' reliance on China, but industrial bottlenecks mean implementation will be slow.

U.S.-Australia Leadership Summit Yields Critical Minerals Pact, AUKUS Reaffirmation

Snapshots

Japan

South Korea

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2025.

Sanae Takaichi's appointment as prime minister will reduce short-term political instability in Japan and strengthen U.S. ties, but her conservative government will struggle to recover domestic support and could alienate neighboring countries.

New Premier Takaichi a Quick Fix for Japan's Long-Term Political Problems

Tanzania

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party reacts on stage during a rally in Dar es Salaam on Aug. 28, 2025, to officially launch the CCM's campaign ahead of the Tanzanian general election. 

Energy

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is highly likely to be reelected in the Oct. 29 ballot, which is unlikely to turn violent but could portend wider governance challenges in the medium term.

Previewing Tanzania's General Elections

Global Elections

Venezuela

A poster displaying a photo of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is seen as members of the Bolivarian Armed Forces take part in a military exercise in Caracas on Sept. 20, 2025. 

The U.S. will most likely conduct kinetic attacks on cartel sites in Venezuela over the next three to six months. Other scenarios, ranging from a negotiated settlement to a decapitation strike on Maduro, are comparatively less likely.

U.S. Confrontation With Venezuela: Potential Scenarios

Iran

Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, hold a meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Oct.15, 2025. 

Syria's outreach to Russia could lead to diversified economic and security ties, help de-escalate tensions between Russia and Turkey, and eventually facilitate small steps toward Syria's rapprochement with Iran.

Syria-Russia Reapproachment Reinforces Damascus's Non-Confrontationalism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) attends a lunch meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (R) at the White House on Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest a significant U.S. pivot toward a negotiated settlement in Ukraine that prioritizes freezing the conflict and may involve territorial concessions favorable to Moscow.

Trump Signals Shift Toward Russian Position on Ukraine Ahead of Putin Meeting

Israel

Palestinian Territories

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Delegations from the United States and Russia, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov, respectively, will meet this week to resume conversations about their countries' bilateral relationship and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Israel-Hamas 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: U.S. and Russian Delegations Meet, a Still-Fragile Hamas-Israel Ceasefire 

Media

Podcasts

On Oct. 4, conservative candidate and former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi won the leadership election of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, clearing the way for her to become Japan's next prime minister after a Diet vote tentatively scheduled for mid-October.

Essential Geopolitics: Who Will Be Japan's Next Prime Minister?

Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and other senior government members and deputies attend the second plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 8, 2025, in Beijing, China.

Environment, Science & Technology

Global Trade

The key political meeting will fill vacant Party seats and update economic and security goals, offering insights into China's policy priorities and the trajectory of Xi's political purges for the next five years. 

What To Watch for During China's Fourth Plenum

Canada

India

A digital illustration of the Indian and Canadian flags.

India and Canada's efforts to improve relations could see them resume trade talks after a two-year hiatus. But lingering mistrust, particularly over Sikh separatist activity in Canada, may hinder deeper progress.

India and Canada's Diplomatic Reset: Opportunities and Challenges

Madagascar

Protesters face police from a distance near burning barricades in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on Oct. 9, 2025. 

President Andry Rajoelina's removal on the back of widespread, youth-led protests will likely deescalate tensions in Madagascar in the next few weeks, but it could inspire similar protest movements elsewhere in Africa and potentially beyond.

Africa Sees Its First Gen Z-Driven Coup in Madagascar

North Korea

Vietnam

Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un participate in a ceremony at the Pyongyang Sports Palace on Oct. 9, 2025, during Lam's three-day official visit to North Korea.

To Lam's visit injects fresh diplomatic energy into the long-stalled relationship with North Korea and fits into Pyongyang's gradual reemergence as an active player in regional diplomacy.

Vietnam's Lam Extends Diplomatic Balancing Act With Rare North Korea Visit

Politics

SITUATION REPORTS

Russia, U.S.: White House Official Says Putin-Trump Summit on Hold

Cameroon: Provisional Results Show President Biya Reelected for Eighth Term

U.S., Africa: Trump Administration Hints at Decision by Congress To Revive AGOA by Year-End

Turkey, Cyprus: Erdogan Advisor Pressures Northern Cyprus After Presidential Election

Bolivia: Center-Right Candidate Wins Presidential Runoff

Mongolia: President Vetoes Premier Dismissal in Sign of Ruling Party Schism

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Kabul, Islamabad Agree to More Permanent Ceasefire Following Doha Talks

Taiwan: Opposition KMT Elects Pro-China Firebrand as New Leader

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