Newsletter: China-Middle East China adjusts to Middle East turbulence in 2025, faces challenges in Iran, Yemen While evading new US sanctions on Iran, adjusting to changes in Syria and expanding military footprint with key Arab partners especially Egypt, China closes 2025 with gains in the Middle East but confronts new challenges with UAE-Saudi rupture in Yemen and Sudan. By Joyce Karam , Rosaleen Carroll
Analysis From Sputnik to satellites: How China is pulling Egypt and Gulf into its space orbit Beijing is emerging as a key partner for Middle Eastern and North African states seeking to develop satellites, navigation services and space industries of their own. By Dale Aluf In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East
Analysis Egypt’s $35B Israel gas deal buys time, tests fragile energy partnership The agreement is a critical stopgap as Cairo grapples with domestic power demands, but the last two years have tested Egypt-Israel energy cooperation in unprecedented ways. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat A ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October has prompted some shipping companies to consider resuming services, but security concerns persist. Yemen
Analysis How Netanyahu ceded to Trump, agreed to Egypt's $35B gas deal By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Egypt, Turkey compete for military foothold in Kenya Egypt and Turkey are vying for presence in Kenya, with both countries seeking to consolidate their relations at all economic, technological and industrial levels with the African country. Egypt
Egypt builds industrial city in Tanzania Egypt and Tanzania close ties are strengthened further by the inauguration of an Egyptian industrial city adjacent to the Tanzanian capital. Egypt
Egypt monitors Sudan's struggles to form transitional government Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has yet to achieve consensus on a new road map for a transfer of power for the transitional phase since the military actions in October Egypt
Israel returns trafficked artifacts to Egypt Israel returned dozens of looted archaeological pieces to Egypt in a new sign of improving relations between the two countries in recent years. Egypt
Qatar’s presence in eastern Mediterranean benefits Egypt, Turkey Qatar is enhancing its presence in the eastern Mediterranean that is rich in oil and gas reserves at a time when tensions are ripping through the region over the maritime borders and excavation rights. Egypt
Egyptian Parliament reopens debate on Quran's place in curriculum When the Egyptian Parliament recently considered a bill intended to support the use of Standard Arabic, the discussion grew heated between a a representative of Al-Azhar and a parliamentarian who objected to provisions about Quran memorization in primary school. Egypt
Intel: Egypt seeks US sanctions assurance in gas plan for Lebanon Egypt's minister of petroleum and mineral resources says his government needs a guarantee from Washington that Cairo's involvement in the Arab Gas Pipeline project will be exempt from US sanctions on Syria. Egypt
Egypt inaugurates dams in Uganda Seven dams and 27 underground wells were inaugurated by Egypt in Uganda alongside a large number of projects that serve to improve the quality of drinking water and provide water for agriculture. Egypt
China's support for Ethiopian government complicates ties with Egypt Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Ethiopia to show his nation’s support for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has put China’s relationship with Egypt to the test. Egypt
Al-Azhar rhetoric alarms LGBTQ community Al-Azhar has in recent days stepped up its anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, following anti-gay comments by a prominent retired soccer star. Egypt
Sinai tribes hunt Islamic State bomb makers Sinai tribes join the hunt for IS explosives engineers, potentially depriving the terrorist group of its last technique in its fight against the Egyptian army. Egypt
Cairo initiates Hebrew translation of Quran Egyptian Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa announced on Dec. 1 that the Quran will be translated into Hebrew because existing translations include many errors. Egypt
