Kazakhstan

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov announced the opening of an artificial intelligence lab in Astana, Kazakhstan, to develop new AI services for the app's more than one billion users, KazTAG reported on Oct. 2. 

Kazakhstan: Telegram Opens AI Lab in Astana as Oil Wealth Fuels AI Ambitions

United States

Politics

During the government shutdown that began on Oct. 1, the United States' premier cybersecurity agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), will retain only 889 employees or roughly a third (35%) of its 2,540 employees, while the remainder will be furloughed, The Washington Post reported the same day.

U.S.: Government Shutdown Imperils Country's Cybersecurity Preparedness

United Kingdom

Military & Security

The United Kingdom issued a new order to Apple to create a backdoor allowing officials to access its encrypted cloud storage, with the order limited to British users' accounts, The Financial Times reported on Oct 1.

U.K.: London Orders Apple To Allow Access to British Users' Cloud Storage

Afghanistan

The Afghan Taliban shut down Afghanistan's fiber-optic telecommunications network indefinitely amid a push in recent weeks to limit activities it deems immoral, resulting in disruptions to internet access, mobile and landline phone services, as well as television and radio transmissions, AFP reported on Sept. 30.

Afghanistan: Taliban Imposes Nationwide Telecommunications Blackout

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new artificial intelligence law, creating one of the most robust regulatory frameworks in the country aiming to oversee the nascent technology, The New York Times reported on Sept. 29.

U.S.: California Passes Landmark AI Legislation

Russia

Moldova

Russia is ramping up efforts to influence Moldova's Sept. 28 parliamentary elections, according to a Bloomberg report published Sept. 22 that cites leaked Kremlin documents revealing Russia's strategy in the country.

Russia, Moldova: Leaked Kremlin Documents Reveal Efforts To Influence Moldova Election

Europe

ENISA, the European Union’s cybersecurity agency, confirmed on Sept. 22 that a ransomware attack on third-party vendor Collins Aerospace caused hundreds of flight cancellations across Europe beginning late on Sept. 19.

Europe: Ransomware Attack Causes Ongoing Delays, Cancellations at Major European Airports

China

AI models created by DeepSeek, China’s most well-known AI platform, frequently refuse to help or provide security-flawed code to programmers affiliated with entities and subjects deemed sensitive by the Chinese government, The Washington Post reported Sept. 16, citing an experiment shared by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

China: DeepSeek's Chatbot Writes Code With More Security Flaws for Politically Sensitive Groups

<p>Individuals, companies, governments and militaries alike all depend on computers. And as is so often the case, these dependencies create vulnerabilities that have made cybersecurity all the more important as proficiencies in cyber warfare and cyber crime improve. That technology constantly improves only adds to the problem of staying safe in the internet age. How governments and their constituents attune themselves to this brave new world will ultimately shape their relationship with the internet &mdash; and with each other.</p>

That technology constantly improves only adds to the problem of staying safe in the internet age.

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Security

Modernizing China’s Military

Globalization

Echoes of the Cold War

China in Transition

Assessments

Economics

Global Trade

While countries will likely increasingly pursue trade deals with digital clauses, the slow pace of regulatory development, coupled with a global tendency toward protectionism, will impede the push toward building out more streamlined digital economy agreements.

The Geopolitics of Trade: The Role of Digital Trade in Modern Free Trade Agreements

Snapshots

Flag of China on a red-painted printed circuit board.

Advancements in China's semiconductor sector are reducing Chinese companies' reliance on foreign technology, enabling them to push back more firmly against Western hegemony.

China's Chip Advances Increase Beijing's Leverage in Talks With the U.S.

U.S.-China Relations

From left to right, Small Business Administration administrator Kelly Loeffler, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin listen as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting on Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

As federal agencies tasked with countering foreign threats are defunded and social media giants relax their rules, the U.S. information space is becoming significantly more vulnerable to state-sponsored manipulation.

U.S. Digital Defenses Weaken, Opening the Door for Nation-State Operations

Media

Podcasts

Essential Geopolitics: What Gabbard's ODNI Cuts Mean for Corporate Security

The Geopolitics of 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

U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to sign the GENIUS Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2025. 

The United States has passed its first major federal cryptocurrency law, boosting institutional interest, but broader public adoption remains constrained by regulatory gaps and ongoing risks.

Cryptocurrency Legislation Advances, Sets New Course for U.S. Cryptocurrency Landscape

A digital illustration shows a digital human head overlaying the EU flag.

Growing internal and U.S. pressure will likely force Brussels to delay or amend its landmark AI law, fueling short-term regulatory uncertainty that could hinder the technology's development in Europe.

The Fate of the EU's Ambitious AI Act

Iran

Israel

What cyber limitations and capabilities do Iran and Israel have?

Essential Geopolitics: Increased Risk of Cyberattacks as Conflict With Iran Escalates

U.S.-Iran Relations

What role does AI play as both a disruptor and a tool in the risk management space? 

Applied Geopolitics: Leveraging AI To Anticipate and Mitigate Geopolitical and Supply Chain Risks 

Ukraine

Workers at a quarry Feb. 26, 2025 in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine 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: Von der Leyen Meets Starmer, a U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal

Sub-Saharan Africa

Energy

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Social Issues

Intensifying trade wars, a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, continued volatility in the Middle East and consequential elections in key countries will shape the quarter.

2025 Second-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Global Elections

A photo of the U.S. Capitol overlaid with a pixilated blue and red pattern.

The United States will continue to prioritize AI innovation over regulation, and the European Union is set to partially reconsider its rules amid a broader push to increase competitiveness. 

Cyber

SITUATION REPORTS

Kazakhstan: Telegram Opens AI Lab in Astana as Oil Wealth Fuels AI Ambitions

U.S.: Government Shutdown Imperils Country's Cybersecurity Preparedness

U.K.: London Orders Apple To Allow Access to British Users' Cloud Storage

Afghanistan: Taliban Imposes Nationwide Telecommunications Blackout

U.S.: California Passes Landmark AI Legislation

Russia, Moldova: Leaked Kremlin Documents Reveal Efforts To Influence Moldova Election

Europe: Ransomware Attack Causes Ongoing Delays, Cancellations at Major European Airports

China: DeepSeek's Chatbot Writes Code With More Security Flaws for Politically Sensitive Groups

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