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Global   Russian Oil Price Cap Unlikely to be Effective, According to US Officials   Background: Members of the G7 – which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – and the European Union agreed on capping the...

China   China’s Xi Set to Secure a Third Term as the Country’s Leader at a Critical Juncture for Beijing   Background: The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is scheduled to begin on Sunday, October 16, and is widely anticipated to be a...

Global   OPEC+ Announces Production Cuts Despite Biden Opposition   Background: The OPEC+ Group – which includes members of OPEC and other oil exporting countries, such as Russia – announced they would be cutting oil production by 2 million barrels a day....

Russia | Ukraine   Putin Annexes Ukrainian Territory and Threatens Nuclear Escalation   Background: Russian President Vladimir Putin formally annexed four Ukrainian territories into Russia following sham referendums that were organized by occupying Russian...

Russia | Ukraine   Russia Prepares for Mobilization in Response to Ukrainian Counter Offensives   Background: The Kremlin ordered a “partial” military mobilization following Ukrainian successes in their counter offensive near Kharkiv. Russia’s Duma passed...

Global   Xi and Putin Plot for a Multipolar World   Background: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were both in attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan this week, where they were selling...

China | Marshall Islands   Marshall Island’s Plot Highlights China’s Broader Ambitions   Background: U.S. prosecutors announced charges against two Chinese nationals – Cary Yan and Gina Zhou – for bribing several lawmakers in the Marshall Islands as part of...

Europe & Eurasia | Russia/Ukraine   Ukraine Launches Counteroffensive in Kherson as Inflation Begins to Sting European Consumers   Background: Ukrainian military forces launched their long-rumored counteroffensive in the Kherson Oblast in an attempt to...

Global   Ukraine War, Extreme Weather, and Energy Shortages Foreshadow a Long Winter   Background: Energy and food shortages stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine – coupled with widespread drought in Europe and China – are likely to have a...

Global   Lebanese gunman holds bank staff hostage to access his savings: DW   Background: The gunman robbed the bank because he was unable to withdraw money from his savings to pay for his father’s medical bills due to the strict capital controls enacted by...

Asia | China/United States   China fires missiles in largest drills ever around Taiwan: Nikkei Asia   Background: The military drills around Taiwan began at 12 PM local time on August 4 and are scheduled to conclude on August 7. Beijing launched the...

Europe & Eurasia | European Union/Russia   EU deal to reduce consumption highlights divisions within the bloc: DW   Background: The deal agreed upon by the energy ministers of European Union member states will result in members voluntarily reducing their...