Short answers, pulled from the story.
Benito Mussolini aimed to establish Italian hegemony across the Mediterranean-Danubian-Balkan region through conquest of an empire stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Strait of Hormuz. The Fascist regime sought to challenge France and Britain while gaining access to both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
The United Kingdom established Middle East Command in Cairo in June 1939. This command provided centralized authority for British army units across the entire theater including Aden, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Libya, Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, and the shores of the Persian Gulf.
Italy declared war on France and the United Kingdom on the 10th of June 1940. The next day the British Commonwealth declared war on Italy and hostilities began with the Battle of the Mediterranean.
Yugoslav Partisans commanded by Josip Broz Tito gained recognition from Allies as the sole resistance movement after receiving help from Soviets and Western Allies. They turned into a formidable fighting force that successfully liberated the country despite initial guerrilla uprisings against occupying forces.
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a watershed in the Western Desert Campaign and turned the tide in the North African Campaign. It ended Axis threat to Egypt Suez Canal and allowed Eighth Army to push west across desert capturing Libya while gaining access to Middle Eastern oil fields.