Newsletter: FutureVerse LEAP’s comeback The fifth edition of the gathering offers a temperature check for the Gulf’s AI ambitions amid fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Xi makes first Egypt visit in decade as Cairo gets caught in US-China AI row China's Huawei last month submitted a bid to build advanced AI data centers and supply more than 2,000 AI chips for Egyptian government systems. Egypt
Analysis How Ethiopia’s new dams test Egypt’s ability to defend its Nile red lines Ethiopia’s water minister has emphasized the country’s plans to move forward with new Blue Nile dam construction, leaving Egypt to contend with the potential fallout. By Eli Siegel-Bernstein
Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained low, with only five commodity vessels transiting the waterway on Tuesday, according to data from maritime tracking firm Kpler. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Egyptian proposal to protect formal Arabic has journalists worried Critics say a draft law intended to preserve traditional, formal Arabic and discourage the use of the modern Egyptian dialect threatens the freedom of the press. Egypt
Egypt takes action to investigate notorious prison The Egyptian government has promised to investigate the conditions at the Tora Maximum Security Prison following complaints by prisoners’ families and nongovernmental organizations. Egypt
Palestinian Authority showing Dahlan-era officers the door Security-related issues could challenge the Palestinian reconciliation if Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas continues purging security force members who were appointed by rival Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan. Palestine
Culture Alert: November the month for contemporary art, photography Several major art events are entering their final weeks and months in the region. Egypt
Egypt’s pardoned prisoners still shackled The Detained Youth Committee for Presidential Pardon has launched an initiative to examine reintegrating and rehabilitating pardoned prisoners to address the difficulties they face after their release. Egypt
Egyptians highlight human rights abuses as government campaign backfires After the Egyptian government encouraged World Youth Forum participants to engage with one another ahead of the conference using the hashtag #WeNeedToTalk, many citizens took the opportunity to call out alleged human rights abuses. Egypt
Hamas serious about Palestinian reconciliation deal The tough economic sanctions carried out by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas against Hamas may have been the final straw to convince Hamas to finally see out a reconciliation agreement. Palestine
Alexandria’s France Street still living in its golden age Alexandria's cherished gold district is nestled into an ancient corner where the city's rich heritage and multicultural past is still vibrant. Egypt
Israel and Gaza's underground battle Besides constructing an underground wall obstacle to thwart the building of attack tunnels, Israel is also developing technologies to identify tunnel digging from above ground. Palestine
Is an Egyptian version of UNESCO in the making? After losing in the runoff to the top post at UNESCO, Moushira Khattab proposed the establishment of an Egyptian UNESCO to help promote culture, education and heritage. Egypt
Egyptian feminist band gives voice to country's women All-female band Bnt Al Masarwa is turning the oppression of Egyptian women into songs to raise awareness of their discrimination. Egypt
Delegation inspects Renaissance Dam in first Egyptian visit Representatives of the Egyptian Ministry of Water and Irrigation visited Ethiopia's in-progress Renaissance Dam to verify no water is being stored there yet, but anxiety continues over an overdue technical report on the project's impacts. Egypt