Europe

Belgium

Ukraine

Russia

Economics

Politics

EU leaders failed to agree on a 140 billion euro ($162 billion) loan to Ukraine backed by roughly 190 billion euros in frozen Russian state assets during a summit in Brussels, following Belgian objections, Reuters reported on Oct. 23.

EU: Belgian Objections Delay EU Decision on Using Frozen Russian Assets To Fund Ukraine Loan

Canada

United States

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post late on Oct. 23 that he was ending all trade talks with Canada due to a video ad paid for by the province of Ontario and running in U.S. markets featuring former U.S. President Ronald Reagan criticising tariffs.

U.S., Canada: Trump Cancels Trade Talks With Canada Due to Anti-Tariff Ad

Energy

The United States and the European Union imposed sweeping new sanctions on Russia's energy sector, targeting its two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, and banning Russian liquefied natural gas imports to Europe by 2027, Reuters reported on Oct. 23. 

U.S., EU, Russia: New Energy Sanctions Tighten Pressure on Moscow but Highlight the Limits of Economic Warfare

China

A communique summarizing the proceedings of China's Oct. 20-23 fourth plenum pledged to "seek progress while maintaining stability," expand domestic demand, stabilize employment and uphold manufacturing as the foundational "real economy."

China: Plenum Charts Steady Economic Plan, Trade Deterrence, Internal Security

Mali

Military & Security

Malian junta leader Gen. Assimi Goita dismissed several senior military officers for underperformance amid an economic blockade imposed by al Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which has caused a severe fuel shortage, Jeune Afrique reported on Oct. 23.

Mali: Worsening Jihadist Insurgency Exposes Divisions in Junta, Leading to Dismissal of Senior Officers

Indonesia

The Indonesian military has seized roughly 3.7 million hectares of private palm oil plantations and around 30% of national acreage, transferring nearly half to the new state-run agency Agrinas Palma Nusantara, Reuters reported on Oct. 23.

Indonesia: Militarization Deepens With Palm Oil Plantation Seizures

The United States announced new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia's two largest oil companies, and several of their subsidiaries as part of efforts to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Oct. 22.

U.S., Russia: U.S. Sanctions Rosneft and Lukoil, Increasing Pressure on Russia's Energy Revenues

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin personally oversaw Russia's large-scale annual readiness test of its strategic nuclear triad, involving land, sea and air-based launches, Reuters reported on Oct. 22.

Russia, Ukraine: Putin Flexes Nuclear Muscle as Ground Offensive Falters

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

Below are our latest and most relevant economics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The New Silk Road

The Fate of the Eurozone

South America: Split Decisions on Trade

Banking

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Social Issues

European Disintegration

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

A Japanese Awakening

East African Integration

Assessments

Kenya

Kenyan forces stand next to the coffin of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during a funeral mass at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology on October 19, 2025 in Bondo, Kenya.

The death of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga creates a significant power vacuum, fundamentally altering the political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.


What Raila Odinga's Death Means for Kenyan Politics

Argentina

Argentina's flag flutters at the Congress.

A weak result for the government is likely to trigger a significant peso devaluation and heightened political instability, effectively stalling the administration's pro-business legislative agenda.


The Stakes for Javier Milei in Argentina's Midterm Elections

Global Elections

The Geopolitics of Trade

Environment, Science & Technology

Global Trade

The recalibration of the European Union's sustainability framework will ease near-term compliance burdens and costs for businesses but preserve long-term uncertainty.

The Geopolitics of Trade: EU Steps Back From Ambitious Environmental Policies

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. 

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

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

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.

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

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

Bolivia

Supporters of Bolivia's presidential candidate for the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Rodrigo Paz, listen to him speak during a campaign rally in El Alto, Bolivia, on Sept. 30, 2025. 

With two right-wing candidates facing off in the Oct. 19 runoff, Bolivia is set for a significant policy shift toward austerity at home and a pro-Western foreign policy.

Bolivia Set for Swing to Right in Presidential Runoff Vote

Russian flag on a cracked wall, illustrating an economic decline with a downward arrow. 

Despite high consumer confidence, underlying economic indicators show a significant contraction in non-defense industrial production, slowing consumption and falling investment, signaling that the Kremlin's war economy is steadily deteriorating.

Russia's War Economy Is Faltering

Media

Podcasts

Israel-Hamas Conflict

What should companies be on the lookout for through the end of 2025 and beyond?

Essential Geopolitics: Trends From RANE's 2025 Fourth-Quarter Forecast

Despite the proliferation of digital assets, privately issued cryptocurrencies are unlikely to replace central bank-issued money in stable economies because they fail to sufficiently fulfill the core functions of money.

Economics

SITUATION REPORTS

EU: Belgian Objections Delay EU Decision on Using Frozen Russian Assets To Fund Ukraine Loan

U.S., Canada: Trump Cancels Trade Talks With Canada Due to Anti-Tariff Ad

U.S., EU, Russia: New Energy Sanctions Tighten Pressure on Moscow but Highlight the Limits of Economic Warfare

China: Plenum Charts Steady Economic Plan, Trade Deterrence, Internal Security

Mali: Worsening Jihadist Insurgency Exposes Divisions in Junta, Leading to Dismissal of Senior Officers

Indonesia: Militarization Deepens With Palm Oil Plantation Seizures

U.S., Russia: U.S. Sanctions Rosneft and Lukoil, Increasing Pressure on Russia's Energy Revenues

Russia, Ukraine: Putin Flexes Nuclear Muscle as Ground Offensive Falters

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