Analysis Egypt walks tightrope between Turkey thaw and warmer Cyprus, Greece ties Analysts believe Egypt's rapprochement with Turkey will not affect its long-standing relations with Cyprus and Greece given the mutual benefits they share. By Sara Sherif
Analysis Mi-26s and T-62s: What Russia's military backing of Haftar means for Libya A sweeping display of arms and alliances in Benghazi reflects Khalifa Haftar’s effort to project statehood, Moscow’s deeper investment in Libya, and a shifting power balance that could reshape peace prospects. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Protests surge as Libyans demand PM Dbeibeh’s resignation: What to know The latest protests were triggered by clashes between government-aligned militias in mid-May that left eight dead and deepened public frustration over militia control in Tripoli. Libya
Private firm breaks Libya oil monopoly, exports more than $600M State oil company National Oil Corporation has had a monopoly on Libya's oil exports since 1970. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis Russia eyes Libya as military substitute for Syria? Not so fast, say Libyans By Mohamed Eljarh
Analysis With reconstruction in mind, can Turkey-Egypt thaw offer lifeline for Libya? By Mohamed Eljarh
French foreign minister: Turkey and France have a ‘verbal cease-fire’ Jean-Yves Le Drian told a French TV station there is still a long way to go to improve Turkey-France relations, mentioning Syria, Libya and the eastern Mediterranean. The French and Turkish presidents had a cordial meeting earlier this week. News Brief
Turkey seeks cooperation with Egypt in Gaza Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu suggested cooperation between Ankara and Cairo on the Palestinian issue, a move seen unlikely as Cairo looks with suspicion at the Turkish role in the Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip. Egypt
Will Washington buy Ankara’s ‘drone crescent’ against Russia? Scrambling for a thaw with Washington, Ankara hopes to draw on the success of its military drones — battle-proven against Russian weaponry — to cast itself as a key partner in US efforts to contain Russia in eastern Europe and beyond. Turkey
The Takeaway: US looks to Gulf to help break deadlock in Nile Dam dispute Egypt, Ethiopia reshape security alignments in Horn of Africa; Erdogan readies for make-or-break summit with Biden; Lapid emerges as arbiter of Israeli politics; Israeli Arab community split on coalition government; update on Gaza. Egypt
Islamic State suicide bombing kills two in Libya The Libyan civil war ended with a cease-fire in October of 2020, and a transitional government is now in power. News Brief
Spain reopens its embassy in Libya The move constituted another diplomatic win for Libya's transitional government ahead of elections in December. Libya
United States ramps up Libyan engagement The Biden administration has just appointed its first special envoy for Libya and sent Assistant Secretary of State Joey Hood to visit the North African nation. North Africa
Qatari foreign minister visits Egypt Relations between Qatar and Egypt have continued to improve following the January agreement that ended the Gulf diplomatic rift. Egypt
Libyan LGBTQ+ activists speak out on violence by extremist militias In Libya, amid the ongoing conflict and chaos, the country's first LGBTQ+ platform is fighting for a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. North Africa
The Takeaway: Erdogan’s incendiary remarks about Israel worsen ties with Washington The fallout of the Turkish president’s comments could compound problems for country’s beleaguered economy; Israel-Palestinian frictions dominate region’s news; Libya’s mercenaries; and more! Turkey
Rifts plague Libya’s central bank Although a new unity government was formed in Libya, ending years of division in state institutions, conflicts still plague some financial institutions that control the country's economy, namely the central bank. Egypt
Mercenaries, foreign fighters threaten Libya's fragile transition Both sides of the Libyan conflict have so far failed to agree on the departure of foreign fighters from Libya as required by the country’s political settlement document known as the road map; it appears the issue rests with Moscow and Ankara. North Africa
