Newsletter: Gulf MBS visits Egypt as Houthi attacks escalate Squeezed by Houthi advances in the south and attacks on its main pipeline from the north, Riyadh is combining military pressure, regional coordination and diplomacy. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Saudi Arabia’s MBS visits Egypt as Red Sea crisis with Houthis escalates Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Egypt at a time the kingdom faces repeated Houthi attacks, while the Iranian-backed rebels close in on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, threatening maritime security. Egypt
Turkey’s defense giants court Egypt at Alamein Airshow: What to know Three leading Turkish defense companies are participating in the El Alamein Airshow as Ankara seeks new sales and closer military-industrial cooperation with Egypt. Turkey
Newsletter: FutureVerse China holds its ground in Middle East AI race Last Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt for the first time in a decade, with the trip coinciding with efforts by Beijing to expand its AI footprint in the country. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse LEAP’s comeback By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis How Ethiopia’s new dams test Egypt’s ability to defend its Nile red lines By Eli Siegel-Bernstein
What will 2019 have in store for dysfunctional GCC? The Gulf Cooperation has essentially been split in, with Qatar, Kuwait and Oman resisting the actions of Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE's Mohammed bin Zayed. Legacy: Gulf
How will Egypt integrate its shadow economy in its official one? A study shows that Egypt’s shadow economy amounts to about $400 billion a year, prompting the government to merge it with its official economy through a series of new laws. Egypt
Is Sisi vying to stay on as president? News is circulating in the media about constitutional amendments that would allow Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to remain in power for additional years or head a constitutional committee. Egypt
Egypt takes on massive development — and debt While many economists are praising Egypt's major development projects in the fields of energy, agriculture and transportation, others are warning against the unprecedented debt the country faces due to such projects. Egypt
Regeni case still complicating ties between Rome, Cairo Almost three years on, Egypt has yet to reach tangible results in the murder case of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni, but now Italy’s public prosecutor has named five Egyptian national security officers as suspects. Egypt
Egyptian authorities go after futsal fields The Egyptian government decided to remove all futsal fields squatting agricultural lands, which raised the ire of the youths whose main outlet is sports. Egypt
Italy names five Egyptian officials as suspects in student's murder An Italian prosecutor is investigating five Egyptian police officials concerning the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni while Egypt's own investigation drags on. Egypt
Egypt eyes bigger exports to Arab, African markets Egypt has announced the imminent launch of a free zone in Nuweiba, the first in the Sinai Peninsula, and experts believe such a project will boost economic ties with Saudi Arabia and increase Egyptian exports. Saudi Arabia
UNESCO registers Aragoz as Egypt's intangible cultural heritage Called Aragoz, Karagoz or Karagiozis, the puppet with the red cap and acid tongue has satirized politics and social life for centuries. UNESCO has registered the puppet play as Egypt’s historical heritage. Egypt
Will Egyptian move to curb imports stoke inflation? Egyptian authorities floated the customs foreign exchange rate for non-basic commodities in a move aimed at curbing imports and demand for the US dollar while hopefully boosting local production of substitutes. Egypt
Sotheby’s auctions off ancient Egyptian artifacts The ethics of private collections and ancient works of art sold at auction has long been a source of controversy, and Sotheby’s latest offerings in London are no different. Egypt