Japan

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Politics

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near the city of Kumamoto on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu at roughly 4:28 p.m. local time on July 28, prompting air and high-speed rail transport suspensions and chipmaker Tokyo Electron to suspend local factory operations for safety checks.

Japan: Earthquake Shows Industrial Policy Risks, High Stakes for Takaichi

China

Chinese semiconductor manufacturing equipment makers have begun producing immersion deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines and are developing prototypes of the more advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, The Information reported on July 27. 

China: Mass Production of Immersion DUV Lithography Machines Begins

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Sudan

Egypt

Energy

Military & Security

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty accused Ethiopia of causing a reduction in downstream water levels on the Blue Nile in Sudan due to its unilateral operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Anadolu reported on July 22.

Nile Basin: Egypt, Sudan Slam Ethiopia Over Renaissance Dam's Unilateral Water Retention

Europe

Cyber

European Council President Antonio Costa plans to hold the first dedicated debate on artificial intelligence among EU leaders at one of the year's three remaining summits in October, November or December, Politico reported on July 21.

EU: Leaders To Hold First Dedicated AI Debate by Year-End

The European Commission on July 17 presented its Electrification Action Plan, setting a nonbinding target to double the share of electricity in the bloc's final energy consumption to 46%, alongside an Emissions Trading System review that slows mandated emissions cuts and extends free permits for industry, a press release shows.

EU: Commission Unveils 2040 Electrification Target, Softer Carbon Market Rules

United States

Chinese artificial intelligence lab Moonshot AI on July 16 released its K3 model, which exceeds or nearly matches the capabilities of U.S. AI companies' most advanced publicly released AI models. 

China: Moonshot's K3 Matches Capabilities of Advanced U.S. AI Models

U.S.-China Relations

Kazakhstan

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping adopted a 2027-30 trade and economic program on the fringes of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, or WAIC, in Shanghai, China, Akorda reported on July 16.

Kazakhstan, China: Shanghai Package Gives Chinese Companies a Larger Role in Digital Networks

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Travel restrictions to the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country's northeastern region are disrupting critical minerals cooperation between the United States and Congo, Reuters reported on July 15, based on conversations with one diplomatic and two consulting sources.

Congo: Reuters Reports Ebola Outbreak Disrupting U.S.-Congo Mineral Cooperation, Dealmaking

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

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Agriculture

COVID-19

Supply Chains

_Energy

Environmental Issues

Globalization

The 4th Industrial Revolution

Columns

On Security

This photo illustration shows the ChatGPT logo at an office in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2023.

The autonomous targeting of Hugging Face by OpenAI's models highlights the urgent need for organizations to prepare for advanced cyberattacks orchestrated entirely by AI agents.

Beyond the Hype of Autonomous AI Breaches

Assessments

A decorative plate featuring an image of Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen behind a statue of late communist leader Mao Zedong at a souvenir store next to Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, on Feb. 27, 2018. 

Social Issues

China will remain a geopolitical enigma to the West as Beijing turns inward to insulate the CCP from the influence of external powers, an exercise that history suggests will threaten national prosperity and regime stability.

The Modern Geopolitics of China

Morocco

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

The state-owned OCP Group is accelerating domestic green ammonia projects and diversifying sulfur suppliers to secure its position as a dominant agricultural and diplomatic partner across sub-Saharan Africa.

Morocco, World's Leading Phosphate Exporter, Seeks To Mitigate Strategic Vulnerabilities

A thermometer reading a high temperature is shown over an image of Earth.

The compounding effects of the weather event and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are set to drive global inflation and strain agricultural output well into next year.


How the 2026 El Nino Climate Event Will Affect the Global Economy and Security

Philippines

The NATO headquarters is seen in Brussels, Belgium.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Turkey Hosts NATO Summit, Iran Buries Slain Supreme Leader

U.S.-Iran Relations

On Geopolitics

Chinese President Xi Jinping (center) and Premier Li Qiang attend a plenary session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People on March 9, 2026, in Beijing, China.

Beijing will prioritize employment and social stability over rapid economic growth in the coming years, pressuring businesses to boost hiring and expand benefits amid demographic pressures, rising youth unemployment and AI-related job disruptions.

China Plans To Stabilize Employment in an Age of Change

Computer chips are seen on top of the U.S. and Chinese flags.

The Trump administration's recent shift to a more restrictive, ad-hoc licensing regime for frontier AI models risks slowing U.S. innovation and giving Chinese rivals a competitive advantage.

From Laissez-Faire to Licensing: Understanding Trump's Evolving AI Strategy

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A fragile truce in the Middle East, persistent energy-driven inflation, shifting U.S. trade policy and escalating regional pressures from Europe to Africa will collectively shape geopolitical risk in the third quarter.

2026 Third-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

India

Pakistan

View of the river in the mountains of northern Pakistan.

Reduced coordination on river data and forecasting will increase uncertainty in water management, while the potential expansion of Indian upstream infrastructure could portend faster, more unstable crises with Pakistan.

What To Expect if India Starts Halting Indus Water Flows to Pakistan

A digital illustration of Europe.

The EU's push to reduce its reliance on foreign technology suppliers risks angering both China and the U.S., while execution will be hindered by domestic industrial constraints and internal political divisions.

Key Takeaways From the EU's Tech Sovereignty Package

Uganda

Red Cross volunteers wearing personal protective equipment lower the body of an Ebola victim into a casket at a health center in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on June 8, 2026.

The escalating outbreak will likely persist for several more months, likely disrupting regional supply chains, mining investments in Congo and potentially Uganda's start of oil production.

Environment, Science & Technology

SITUATION REPORTS

Japan: Earthquake Shows Industrial Policy Risks, High Stakes for Takaichi

China: Mass Production of Immersion DUV Lithography Machines Begins

Nile Basin: Egypt, Sudan Slam Ethiopia Over Renaissance Dam's Unilateral Water Retention

EU: Leaders To Hold First Dedicated AI Debate by Year-End

EU: Commission Unveils 2040 Electrification Target, Softer Carbon Market Rules

China: Moonshot's K3 Matches Capabilities of Advanced U.S. AI Models

Kazakhstan, China: Shanghai Package Gives Chinese Companies a Larger Role in Digital Networks

Congo: Reuters Reports Ebola Outbreak Disrupting U.S.-Congo Mineral Cooperation, Dealmaking

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