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
Has there been a breakthrough in Hamas-Egypt ties? A Hamas visit to Egypt ended on a positive note, which might push the Egyptians to stop the incitement campaign against the movement. Palestine
Egypt's NGOs face 'orchestrated, escalating' assault from authorities A widening security crackdown on civil society organizations and activists has left many in Egypt pessimistic about the future. Egypt
Is Israel key to solving Renaissance Dam crisis? Ousted parliamentarian Tawfik Okasha still faces fierce criticism from his government for getting too close to Israel, in the ongoing Renaissance Dam saga — but could Egypt need Israel more than they are willing to admit? Egypt
Why was Egypt's justice minister really fired? Egyptian Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zind was removed from his post following remarks deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad — but politics may be the real culprit. Egypt
New campaign against face veil sparks controversy in Egypt Mohamed Attiya, the founder of the "Ban the niqab" campaign, speaks to Al-Monitor about why he supports banning niqabs in state institutions despite the criticism the campaign has received. Egypt
Vessels willing to go the distance to avoid Suez canal tariffs Egyptian authorities, who recently inaugurated the East Port Said side channel of the Suez Canal project, say they’re not concerned by reports of vessels using alternate routes. Egypt
Leader of Egypt's Kefaya movement laments state of human rights George Isaac, founder of the Kefaya movement and a member of the National Council for Human Rights, speaks to Al-Monitor about human rights in Egypt and his views on reform. Egypt
Will border region dispute threaten Egyptian-Sudanese ties? In an interview with Al-Monitor, new Halayeb-Shalateen parliamentarian Mamdouh Amara spoke about the dispute between Cairo and Khartoum over the area, as well as the main problems facing development in remote regions. Egypt
Will Riyadh cancel aid to Egypt? Saudi Arabia might be using the promise of aid or the threat of withdrawing aid to get Egypt to toe the line politically in regard to Syria. Saudi Arabia
Will Egypt renew ties with Hamas? After Egypt accused Hamas of assassinating its attorney-general, a Hamas delegation went to Cairo to try and patch things up with the new regime in Egypt. Palestine
Islamic State's Sinai branch shifts its strategy The Egyptian military's crackdown on terrorist operations in the Sinai Peninsula force the Islamic State's Wilayat Sinai to shift some of its focus from military targets to the civilian population and local businesses. Egypt
Can Coptic Church help solve Egyptian-Ethiopian dam dispute? Bishop Beeman, who coordinates ties between the Egyptian and Ethiopian Coptic churches, has told Al-Monitor that the church could play an indirect role in solving the Renaissance Dam crisis between the two countries. Egypt