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
Turkey’s Erdogan in UAE, meets MBZ ahead of landmark Egypt visit Erdogan’s UAE and historic Egypt trips come as Ankara seeks to strengthen its ties with regional countries amid ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Turkey
CIA chief heads to Cairo for Mossad-Egypt-Qatar talks amid Rafah fears CIA Director Bill Burns will discuss a new hostage deal with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo as Israel prepares to invade Rafah despite international and regional warnings. Egypt
From East Med to Ethiopia, can Turkey's Erdogan, Egypt's Sisi form regional axis? Following a thaw in relations and a drone sales package, Turkish-Egyptian defense cooperation and the Turkish president's upcoming visit to Egypt could generate new momentum in the region. Turkey
What’s behind Egypt decision to raise minimum wage, government salaries by 50%? Egypt’s economy has suffered from high inflation for years, and now the spillover from the Gaza war is exacerbating the situation. Egypt
France's new FM Sejourne makes first visit to Egypt, Lebanon, Israel & Jordan French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné is set to visit the Middle East, meeting with almost all the parties involved in the Gaza war, except Qatar. Israel
Will Egypt succeed in upping its multimillion-dollar IMF bailout? North Africa's largest economy is working to increase its $3 billion IMF program to $10 billion as it faces its worst financial downturn in decades. Egypt
Analysis Egypt sees sharp decline in Suez Canal trade volume amid Red Sea turmoil Data for 2024 up to Jan. 29 show 140.55 million metric tons of trade transiting the key chokehold compared with 145.25 million metric tons the same time last year. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Mideast corruption rankings: UAE least corrupt, Lebanon & Iran close to bottom Arab states’ average corruption score dropped to an all-time low in 2023, as did Turkey’s, the corruption index shows. Turkey
US Treasury sanctions ISIS facilitators in Egypt, Turkey The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a pair of cybersecurity experts in Egypt and a Turkey-based individual involved in transferring funds to individuals associated with the Islamic State. Egypt
Analysis Egypt's tourism boom offers respite from foreign currency woes, Gaza war Egyptian tourism revenues and the number of holidaymakers visiting reached record highs in 2023 but will unlikely be enough to cure Cairo’s financial problems. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Egypt to give Cairo's historic downtown major facelift The project is part of a wider plan to develop Cairo’s downtown area to boost tourism and the economy. Egypt
What does Sisi-Putin latest nuclear plant deal mean for Egypt, Russia? Egypt is hoping nuclear energy will help meet its substantial power needs as Russia eyes a greater nuclear foothold in the region. Egypt