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
IS loses ground in Sinai, searches for other foothold in Egypt The Islamic State has carried out several terrorist attacks against Copts in different Egyptian governorates, raising questions about anti-terrorism laws and the efficiency of the security services. Egypt
Tunisia can only afford neutrality in Qatar crisis Tunisia has officially remained neutral in the Qatari-Gulf crisis given its economic relations with the two main parties involved. Legacy: Gulf
Iraq’s PM concludes tightrope regional tour Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's tour — which spanned Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kuwait — aimed to maintain regional balances amid discussions on post-IS preparations and regional aid to Iraq. Saudi Arabia
Gaza becoming unexpected destination for Egyptian jobseekers After the pound's depreciation against the US dollar, some Egyptian workers are fleeing the difficult economic conditions in their country to work in the Gaza Strip so they can send money to their families back home. Palestine
Gazans denounce claims Hamas is training extremists in Libya Accusations by the spokesman of the forces of retired Maj. Gen. Khalifa Hifter that Hamas has provided technical support to some armed groups in Libya are rebutted and mocked by Palestinians amid a lack of evidence of Hamas’ involvement in the North African country. Saudi Arabia
Gulf-Qatar crisis leaves its mark on sports Amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a number of major Arab nations, the Qatari sports channel beIN has been banned in several countries. Legacy: Gulf
Egyptian producers turn to best-sellers to boost Ramadan ratings Two of Egypt’s recent soap operas are based on the country's well-known novels whose sales have increased in turn due to TV drama. Egypt
Despite taboo, Hebrew classes open doors for young Egyptians More Egyptian university students are learning Hebrew, though social and political prejudices can still make things difficult. Egypt
Hamas hedging its bets in region Hamas appears to have adopted a new regional policy of avoiding taking sides and nurturing good relations with anyone willing to accept the group. Qatar
Popular anger at islands transfer highlights Egypt’s polarized society Cairo erupts in protests over the proposed handover of two Egyptian Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia as protesters question the Egyptian government's intentions behind the deal. Saudi Arabia
New app helps Egypt's Nubians retain traditional tongue Nubi, an app conceived by a young Egyptian entrepreneur, offers a fun way for young Nubians to keep two of their heritage languages alive. Egypt
Qatari crisis risks sparking new Israeli-Hamas confrontation The Qatar crisis might lead to a showdown between Israel and Hamas, with key Arab states dismissing the Islamist movement as a terrorist organization, leaving it vulnerable to Israeli attack and pressuring Qatar to drop support for it. Legacy: Gulf
