Sam Denby tackles the impossible: compressing the chaos of 2025 into a single narrative thread that connects 193 nations without losing the human cost. While most year-end recaps drown in the same three headlines, Denby's approach reveals a startling pattern where economic desperation and geopolitical maneuvering are forcing authoritarian regimes to make radical, contradictory pivots. This isn't just a list of events; it is a map of a world fracturing under the weight of climate change and technological competition.
The Middle East's Great Pivot
Denby's coverage of the Middle East begins with a stark reality check on the region's reliance on oil. He notes that while Saudi Arabia continues to fund a decade-long war in Yemen with a "$368 million aid package," the economic model sustaining these conflicts is crumbling. The author highlights a critical shift in Oman, where the government instituted an income tax despite its authoritarian structure. "Oman became the first country in this area to institute an income tax this year," Denby writes, noting that neighbors are watching to see "if authoritarianism can survive taxation." This observation is sharp; it suggests that the social contract in the Gulf is finally breaking, forcing regimes to extract wealth directly from citizens rather than relying solely on volatile fossil fuel markets.
The narrative then shifts to the United Arab Emirates, which Denby describes as mastering a dangerous balancing act. The UAE secured a massive deal with the United States to build the world's largest AI data center outside America, a move that reverses previous export controls. "This new deal for a 10 square mile campus in Abu Dhabi marks a reversal of that status quo," Denby explains. The author effectively frames this not just as a business deal, but as a geopolitical masterstroke where the Emirates leverages its position between the US and China to secure advanced technology. Critics might argue that relying on foreign chips for national security is a long-term vulnerability, but Denby's focus on the immediate diplomatic breakthrough captures the urgency of the moment.
"The Emirates has been uniquely successful in its balancing act of striking AI related deals with the US, a key strategic ally, while also working deeply with China, its largest trading partner."
Denby also touches on the phenomenon of "sports washing," where nations like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain host global events to distract from human rights concerns. He points out that Saudi Arabia was selected to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034 "even though organizations such as Amnesty International spoke out against the selection." The author's tone here is measured but clear: these events are strategic tools for economic diversification, yet they come with a heavy moral cost that the international community seems willing to ignore for the sake of stability or profit.
Climate and Conflict in the Crosshairs
Moving westward, the commentary exposes how climate change is no longer a future threat but a present-day weapon of mass disruption. In Iraq, Denby describes a catastrophic sandstorm that shut down airports and sent thousands to the hospital, noting that the country is "listed as one of the United Nations's most vulnerable countries to its effects." The author connects this weather event directly to the broader geopolitical instability, arguing that as storms become more severe, the region's capacity to govern will erode further. This is a crucial link that many analysts miss: environmental collapse is a direct driver of political fragility.
In the Levant, Denby navigates the complex web of alliances and internal power struggles. He details how Jordan banned its chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, a move driven by fears of Hamas ties, even as the country maintains a peace treaty with Israel. "Jordan has been critical of the war in Gaza. And yet, in a balancing act familiar to many in the region and maintains a long-standing peace treaty with Israel," he writes. The author's ability to hold these contradictions in tension without oversimplifying them is the piece's greatest strength. He doesn't just list the ban; he explains the precarious position of a government trying to satisfy domestic unrest while honoring international treaties.
The coverage of Israel's judicial overhaul revival is equally incisive. Denby notes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government passed a law to give itself more power in appointing judges, a move he describes as a "power grab" by the far-right. "He argues it simply gives power back to elected officials that had been taken away," Denby paraphrases, capturing the government's justification while maintaining the critical distance necessary to understand the stakes. The author also highlights the withdrawal of United Nations peacekeepers from the Lebanon border, a move that signals a shift in regional dynamics where local actors are expected to manage their own volatile borders.
"Both sides view them critically as Hezbollah considers them sympathetic to Israel while Israel sees them as ineffective since they cannot use force unless fired upon."
The Tech War and the Black Market
As the narrative moves into Central Asia and the Caucasus, Denby reveals a world where old Soviet infrastructure is colliding with new geopolitical ambitions. The discovery of a massive natural gas field south of Cyprus is framed as a strategic win for Europe's energy independence. "The deposit discovered by a consortium including Exxon Mobile and Qatar Energy International is the sixth natural gas field to be discovered in the zone in the past 15 years," Denby writes. This detail underscores the intense scramble for resources as Europe seeks to sever ties with Russia.
However, the author also exposes the dark underbelly of this transition. In Georgia, he recounts a bizarre incident where Chinese nationals attempted to buy uranium from a black market source. "The arrest signifies a larger issue in that even though it's illegal to sell and transport uranium... the lack of control over the country's remaining supply of the compound makes it a viable black market source," Denby argues. This anecdote serves as a microcosm for the broader theme: as old empires fracture and new ones rise, the safeguards on dangerous materials are crumbling.
In Turkey, the author paints a grim picture of democratic backsliding, with Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, remaining in prison on corruption charges. Denby notes that "under Erdogan's rule, Turkey has grown increasingly authoritarian, and the charges against Imamoglu for many represent just one more step in that direction." The commentary here is vital because it connects individual political persecution to a systemic trend across the region. It's not just about one man; it's about the erosion of checks and balances in a key NATO member.
The Rise of the Global South
The final section of the piece turns to Asia, where the stakes of the tech war are highest. Denby details China's latest five-year strategic plan, which focuses heavily on chip independence. "The plans call for chip independence in a direct response to its ongoing chip war with the United States with the Asian nation is catching up to historical American dominance in the field," he writes. The author's analysis of China's massive R&D spending—$55 billion in 2023—highlights a fundamental shift in global power dynamics. It's no longer just about manufacturing; it's about who controls the future of intelligence.
In India, the author describes a desperate attempt to combat pollution through cloud seeding, a technology that has failed in the past. "Officials will try again, but critics are wary of a band-aid approach to the problem instead of addressing the root cause," Denby notes. This skepticism is well-placed, as the piece illustrates how governments are increasingly turning to technological fixes for problems that require systemic change. The coverage of Nepal's Gen Z protests offers a glimmer of hope, showing how a young generation can oust a prime minister and install a female leader, but Denby reminds us that the underlying issues of corruption remain.
"The world's most polluted city, Delhi, India, tested out cloud seeding as a way to eliminate pollution from its hazy skies for the first time in more than five decades."
The piece concludes with a look at the Maldives and Sri Lanka, where geopolitical maneuvering and infrastructure fragility intersect. Denby notes that India extended a massive line of credit to the Maldives to counter Chinese influence, while Sri Lanka's power grid was brought down by a single monkey. "Something that highlights two problems that Sri Lanka has. an enormous monkey population with estimates around 2 to three million and a vulnerable and aging energy grid," he writes. This juxtaposition of high-stakes geopolitics and absurd, mundane failures perfectly encapsulates the chaotic nature of 2025.
Bottom Line
Sam Denby's coverage succeeds because it refuses to treat these 193 stories as isolated incidents, instead weaving them into a cohesive narrative of a world in transition. The strongest part of the argument is the connection between economic diversification and political instability, showing how the end of the oil era is forcing authoritarian regimes into desperate, often contradictory, moves. The biggest vulnerability, however, is the sheer volume of information; while the breadth is impressive, some complex issues like the Nagorno-Karabakh peace deal or the nuances of the Jordanian political ban are necessarily simplified. Readers should watch for how these regional pivots—especially in the Gulf and Central Asia—reshape the global balance of power in the coming decade.
"The world's most polluted city, Delhi, India, tested out cloud seeding as a way to eliminate pollution from its hazy skies for the first time in more than five decades."
The verdict is clear: 2025 was not just a year of headlines, but a year of structural shifts that will define the next century. Denby's ability to capture both the grand strategy and the absurd details makes this essential listening for anyone trying to understand the shape of the future.