Nigeria

United States

Military & Security

Politics

The United States has deployed approximately 100 of the planned 200 troops to Nigeria's northeastern Bauchi state at the reported request of the Nigerian government, Al Jazeera reported on Feb. 16.

Nigeria: Around 100 U.S. Troops Arrive in Northeastern State

Cuba

Economics

Energy

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is discussing a potential "agreement" with the Cuban government, also calling Cuba "a failed nation," DW reported on Feb. 16.

U.S., Cuba: Trump Administration Engaged in Talks With Cuban Government

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators convened in Geneva, Switzerland, for two days of U.S.-mediated talks, Reuters reported on Feb. 17.

Russia, Ukraine, U.S.: Geneva Talks Open With Territorial Divide Intact

Europe

Kremlin aide and Maritime Board chairman Nikolai Patrushev warned that Russia could deploy its navy to prevent European states from seizing Russian vessels and would break any attempted maritime blockade, Kommersant reported on Feb. 17.

Russia: Patrushev Warns Russian Navy Could Counter Vessel Seizures

Australia

China

United Kingdom

The Australian government announced it will provide $2.8 billion to advance construction of a nuclear submarine shipyard in Osborne in the state of South Australia, describing it as an initial installment toward a project projected to cost approximately $21 billion over the coming decades, Reuters reported on Feb. 17.

Australia: Canberra Commits $2.8B to AUKUS Shipyard

Iran

Israel

Oman

Switzerland

The United States and Iran held the second round of Omani-mediated indirect nuclear talks in Geneva, Switzerland, focused on limitations on Iran's nuclear program and verification involving international nuclear inspectors, Reuters reported on Feb. 17.

U.S., Iran: U.S. and Iran Hold Second Round of Indirect Nuclear Talks in Geneva

U.S.-Iran Relations

Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a new national defense industrial strategy designed to increase spending on equipment produced by domestic companies and broadly pivot away from the United States, in favor of trusted suppliers in Europe and Asia, for kit that Canadian companies cannot produce effectively, CBC News reported on Feb. 17.

Canada: Carney Unveils New Defense Industrial Strategy

Environment, Science & Technology

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is "close" to cutting ties with and designating artificial intelligence startup Anthropic a "supply chain risk" amid negotiations on terms of use for the U.S. military to use Anthropic's Claude AI models, Axios reported on Feb. 17.

U.S.: Anthropic's Rupture With the Pentagon Would Ripple Across U.S. Business Community

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

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

Cyber

The Ukraine Conflict

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The Battle for Mosul

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

The Jihadist Wars

Echoes of the Cold War

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Assessments

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro speaks at a press conference during a Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Cebu City, the Philippines, on Jan. 29, 2026.

The coming year will test ASEAN's ability to maintain unity, manage crises and remain a credible regional forum amid rising internal security risks and a more fractured world order, particularly as the Philippines butts heads with China in the South China Sea.

Previewing the Philippines 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Yemen

U.S. Vice President JD Vance's shadow is seen as he speaks during a press conference following a military briefing at the civilian military coordination center on Oct. 21, 2025, in Kiryat Gat, Israel. 

Negotiations over a new Israel-U.S. security agreement signal a pivot in the bilateral relationship as Israel increasingly focuses on strengthening its domestic defense industry.

How Israel's Defense Sector Will Evolve Amid the Government's Push for Self-Reliance

Slovakia

Hungary

India

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

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: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

Mexico

American Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on Feb. 9, 2026. 

Facing imminent economic collapse and the loss of key allies, the Cuban government will likely yield to U.S. demands for market liberalization to avoid a total breakdown of state authority while attempting to preserve political control.

Economic Concessions to U.S. Offer Path for Regime Survival in Cuba

Japan

Bangladesh

Campaign posters Feb. 6 of candidates running in the upcoming Japanese House of Representatives election, in Inagi, Tokyo prefecture.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Holds Snap Elections, U.S. Weighs Options After Iran Talks

Snapshots

United Arab Emirates

Emirati flags on Feb. 4 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. On Feb. 4-5, delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States held a second round of trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates.

The talks are unlikely to produce a near-term settlement, as Russia will continue to press its territorial demands while using diplomacy to manage sanctions pressure and build leverage ahead of a spring-summer offensive.

The Limits of Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks

Russian soldiers wear chemical protection suits as they stand next to a military fueler on the base of a prime mover of Russian Topol intercontinental ballistic missile during a training session at the Serpukhov's military missile forces research institute some 100km outside Moscow on April 6, 2010.

Over time, this will intensify an ongoing buildup of nuclear capabilities across the globe and make crises involving nuclear powers more unpredictable and prone to miscalculations. 


Implications of the Last Major U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control Agreement's Expiration

U.S.-China Relations

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: Feb. 5, 2026

Turkey

A digital satellite illustration shows Europe at night.

The EU enlargement chief's upcoming visit to Turkey signals an attempt to balance cautious engagement with clear strategic interests, rather than an imminent breakthrough on the country's stalled accession process.

Understanding the EU's Strategic Reengagement With Turkey

Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (center) delivers a speech during a campaign rally in Baghdad ahead of parliamentary elections on Nov. 7, 2025. 

If former Prime Minister al-Maliki overcomes challenges to form a new cabinet, it would likely deepen sectarian divisions, embolden Iran-backed militias and increase Iraq's exposure to U.S. financial and/or military pressure.

In Iraq, the Potential Return of a Divisive Leader Raises Alarm

Pakistan

A burned-out vehicle along a road on the outskirts of the Pakistani city of Quetta on Feb. 1, 2026, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. The intensifying insurgency will exacerbate strains on Pakistan's security forces, worsening the country's security challenges and further constraining foreign investment interest.

The intensifying insurgency will exacerbate strains on Pakistan's security forces, worsening the country's security challenges and further constraining foreign investment interest.

With Coordinated Attacks, Pakistan's Baloch Insurgency Intensifies

A man walks past a mural painted on the outer walls of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 1, 2026.

Despite recent momentum toward restarting talks, a deal will likely remain elusive due to the U.S.'s maximalist demands and Iran's red lines, sustaining the risk of U.S. (and likely Israeli) military action in the coming weeks. 

Can New U.S.-Iran Talks Avert a Greater Conflict?

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Nigeria: Around 100 U.S. Troops Arrive in Northeastern State

U.S., Cuba: Trump Administration Engaged in Talks With Cuban Government

Russia, Ukraine, U.S.: Geneva Talks Open With Territorial Divide Intact

Russia: Patrushev Warns Russian Navy Could Counter Vessel Seizures

Australia: Canberra Commits $2.8B to AUKUS Shipyard

U.S., Iran: U.S. and Iran Hold Second Round of Indirect Nuclear Talks in Geneva

Canada: Carney Unveils New Defense Industrial Strategy

U.S.: Anthropic's Rupture With the Pentagon Would Ripple Across U.S. Business Community

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