<p>The Middle East and North Africa is the world&#39;s crossroads. It encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between. The story of the region, as is so often the case of places stuck between foreign players, is the story of trade, exchange and conflict. The traditional powers of the region are Turkey and Iran &mdash; Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the current Arab powers &mdash; and their competition for influence over the region&#39;s weaker states makes the Middle East and North Africa an arena of violence and instability.</p>

The Middle East and North Africa encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between.

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Western Sahara

Yemen

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Iran's Arc of Influence

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Difficulties of North African Reform

Egypt's Uphill Battle

The Battle for Mosul

Assessments

Senegal

Brazil

Austria

Russia

A G-20 summit banner on Nov. 12 at City Hall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will host G-20 leaders Nov. 18-19 in Rio de Janeiro, where he will try to secure support for three main proposals.

Economics

Energy

Military & Security

Politics

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Brazil Hosts the G-20, Constitutional Crisis Looms in Israel

United States

Bangladesh

India

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) arrive for a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25, 2020.

Environment, Science & Technology

While U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will maintain many of the outgoing Biden administration's overarching policies toward South Asia, bilateral relationships will grow increasingly transactional.

What Trump's Second Term Means for South Asia

Snapshots

The Iranian capital of Tehran. An Israeli attack on a previously undisclosed active Iranian nuclear weapons research facility demonstrates that Iran is trying to reduce the timeline to develop nuclear weapons.

The Israeli attack on a previously undisclosed active Iranian nuclear weapons research facility demonstrates that Iran is trying to reduce the timeline to develop nuclear weapons.

Israel's October Strike on an Iranian Nuclear Facility Indicates More Strikes Ahead

U.S.-Iran Relations

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks to journalists in Riyadh before the first meeting of Saudi Arabia's new global alliance to push for Palestinian statehood on Oct. 30, 2024. 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Protracted regional conflicts risk undermining the kingdom's efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy, normalize ties with Israel, and balance between Iran and its opponents. 

Saudi Arabia's Regional Strategy, Part 1: Balancing Between Iran and Its Rivals

Columns

On Geopolitics

An Israeli police officer stands near the remains of an Iranian missile on Oct. 2, 2024, near the Dead Sea, Israel. 

In gauging how the conflict will evolve, much will depend on the level of Trump's support for Israel and hostility toward Iran.

How the Israel-Iran Conflict May Play Out With a Trump Presidency

Japan

A ballot is cast in front of the Japanese flag. On Nov. 11, the country will select a prime minister and convene an extraordinary session of its bicameral Diet.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Selects a Prime Minister, Trump's Shadow Looms Over COP29

A billboard congratulating Donald Trump on his win in the U.S. presidential election is seen in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Nov. 7, 2024.

The return of a more like-minded U.S. president will embolden far-right members of Israel's government to advance their domestic and foreign agendas.

Israel's Far-Right Welcomes Trump's Return to the White House

Global Elections

Media

Podcasts

What does a Trump victory mean for the U.S. economy?

Essential Geopolitics: The Economic Outlook for the U.S.

Mexico

China

Ukraine

Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election event in the early hours of Nov. 6, 2024.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Trump will place more tariffs on U.S. trade partners and reduce support for Ukraine, but he will largely maintain Biden's approach to the U.S. tech rivalry with China and the Middle East conflict.

Trump's Win Will Ripple Across the World

U.S.-China Relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Turkey's parliament on Oct. 1, 2024, in Ankara. 

Social Issues

Ankara's efforts could fail if the pro-Kurdish DEM Party makes extensive demands or if widespread PKK violence breaks out.

To Gain Support for Its Constitutional Reform, Turkey's Government Turns to the Kurds

Iran announced on Nov. 22 that it had issued an order to launch a ''significant series of new and advanced centrifuges of various types'' after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Nov. 21 adopted a motion to censure Iran over its failure to fully cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog's inspectors. 

Iran: Tehran To Launch 'Advanced' Centrifuges in Response to IAEA Censure

Germany

United Kingdom

The International Criminal Court, or ICC, issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Nov. 21 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel: ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

The Central Bank of Egypt began the partial initial public offering process of selling around 30% of the state-owned United Bank, which is the second time in four years that Egypt has privatized a state-owned lender, Reuters reported on Nov. 20.

Egypt: Government Begins Partial Initial Public Offering of State-Owned United Bank

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

South Asia

The U.N. Climate Change Conference's new draft text on a climate finance agreement still includes separate options for the so-called New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, differing both on the scale and scope of commitments, as well as which countries will contribute, Argus Media reported on Nov. 21.

Global: Disagreements Over COP29 Finance Target Remain as Summit Enters Final Hours

A U.S.-Israel panel will discuss civilian harm during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in early December, AP reported on Nov. 19.

U.S., Israel: U.S.-Israel Panel on Civilian Harm To Convene in December

Leaders of the Group of 20 issued a joint declaration during a summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, emphasizing the need to fight hunger and climate change, reform multilateral institutions, and end conflicts and humanitarian crises in Gaza and Ukraine, g1 reported on Nov. 18.

G20: Despite Joint Communique, G20 Summit Unlikely To Impact Businesses Directly

The United States imposed new sanctions on the far-right Israeli settler group Amana and its subsidiary, Binyanei Bar Amana Ltd., claiming the groups were engaging in illegal settlement construction and encouraging violence in the West Bank against Palestinians, Reuters reported on Nov. 18.

U.S., Israel: Biden's New Sanctions on Israeli Settlers Are Unlikely To Last Under Trump

Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said Turkey's more orthodox economic program will continue to prioritize decreasing inflation rates, Hurriyet Daily News reported on Nov. 15.

Turkey: Finance Minister Signals Turkey Will Keep Orthodox Economic Policy

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Iran: Tehran To Launch 'Advanced' Centrifuges in Response to IAEA Censure

Israel: ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

Egypt: Government Begins Partial Initial Public Offering of State-Owned United Bank

Global: Disagreements Over COP29 Finance Target Remain as Summit Enters Final Hours

U.S., Israel: U.S.-Israel Panel on Civilian Harm To Convene in December

G20: Despite Joint Communique, G20 Summit Unlikely To Impact Businesses Directly

U.S., Israel: Biden's New Sanctions on Israeli Settlers Are Unlikely To Last Under Trump

Turkey: Finance Minister Signals Turkey Will Keep Orthodox Economic Policy

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