Egypt, Libya and Sudan: What Is Really Being Played Out
Growing geopolitical competition between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates is taking shape in the Sahel, with the LNA poised to benefit due to its increasing presence in the region.
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Egypt, Libya and Sudan: What Is Really Being Played Out
Growing geopolitical competition between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates is taking shape in the Sahel, with the LNA poised to benefit due to its increasing presence in the region.
Why Maduro's fall is not Tehran's nightmare
Hailed by some Americans as a blow to Iran's "Axis of Resistance", the fall of Maduro in Venezuela is mostly a minor inconvenience for Tehran.
Iranβs gamble of subsidy reform during protests
Iran is attempting to reform its subsidy regime in the middle of its most combustible protest cycle in years.
Why Gulf states need a unified foreign policy approach
Without a common foreign policy goal, the Gulf states have engaged in trivial rivalries that have carried serious security and human costs for the region. It's time to rethink that approach.
Libya 2026: A clash of competing visions
Facing growing economic, political, and security challenges, Libya is on the verge of a new status quo. What that will look like, however, remains unclear as domestic and international actors compete over the countryβs future.
Is Iran shielding the state or its people?
Iran is navigating a prolonged period of structural strain in which economic fragility, energy imbalances, and deep social change increasingly intersect.
The strategic sectors Russia wonβt surrender
Despite intense Western sanctions, Russia has been able to maintain both arms and nuclear energy exports in an effort to sustain its economy.
Is Ahmed al-Sharaa redefining the geopolitical chessboard?
The now-iconic Washington Post photograph of Ahmed al-Sharaa calmly contemplating a chessboard during his visit to Washington reflects the strategy that has defined his rise: a blend of calculation, patience and a willingness to play a long game with pieces others assumed were unwinnable.
North Africa
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The networks behind Libyaβs instability
Through corruption and opportunism, 111st Brigade commander Abdulsalam al-Zoubi has recently become a dominant figure in western Libya, but in the country's cyclical politics of violence, it's unclear how long heΒ couldΒ remain.
Middle East
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What comes after Yemen's southern takeover?
The capture of southern Yemen by separatist forces has altered the dynamics of the countryβs long-festering civil war. Rising tensions among both rivals and allies now threaten either a renewed outbreak of fighting or a continuation of prolonged stagnation.
Iran
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Why Maduro's fall is not Tehran's nightmare
Hailed by some Americans as a blow to Iran's "Axis of Resistance", the fall of Maduro in Venezuela is mostly a minor inconvenience for Tehran.
United States
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Is Ahmed al-Sharaa redefining the geopolitical chessboard?
The now-iconic Washington Post photograph of Ahmed al-Sharaa calmly contemplating a chessboard during his visit to Washington reflects the strategy that has defined his rise: a blend of calculation, patience and a willingness to play a long game with pieces others assumed were unwinnable.
International Affairs
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Why Maduro's fall is not Tehran's nightmare
Hailed by some Americans as a blow to Iran's "Axis of Resistance", the fall of Maduro in Venezuela is mostly a minor inconvenience for Tehran.
Defense & Security
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Egypt, Libya and Sudan: What Is Really Being Played Out
Growing geopolitical competition between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates is taking shape in the Sahel, with the LNA poised to benefit due to its increasing presence in the region.
Economy & Trade
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Iranβs gamble of subsidy reform during protests
Iran is attempting to reform its subsidy regime in the middle of its most combustible protest cycle in years.
Our writers
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Oliver Crowley
Oliver is a co-founder and editor of The Geopolitical Desk. He writes our flagship weekly newsletter, drawing on years of fieldwork in the Middle East and North Africa. His approach blends local insight with clear, evidence-driven reporting.
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