Egypt to overhaul hydropower plants amid Nile dam crisis Egypt will replace 19 turbines at the Aswan High Dam and Aswan Low Dam as Ethiopia prepares to start producing electricity from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in the coming months. Egypt
House removes funding for Israel’s Iron Dome from spending bill The head of the House Appropriations Committee said Israel will receive additional funding in a separate defense bill as the deadline to the end of the fiscal year nears. News Brief
Iran’s membership in Asian security body won’t solve sanctions problem While the news that Iran will gain full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a psychological victory for the sanctions-hit country, it will take much more to achieve lasting economic impact. Iran
Biden administration appoints new Syria policy chief Ethan Goldrich will take over for Aimee Cutrona as Washington's point person for Syria engagement, but there's no sign of a new approach by the Biden administration. Syria
Iran to lift visa restrictions to revive pandemic-hit tourism sector Iran’s new tourism chief said the government will soon scrap visa restrictions, a plan that the struggling tourism sector has been desperately waiting for to get back on its feet amid the coronavirus pandemic. Iran
UAE spends big to boost private sector workforce The United Arab Emirates will spend $6.5 billion in incentives for its citizens to take work in the private sector and stop waiting for public jobs. Gulf
Iran says nuclear talks to resume in weeks Iran's foreign minister plans to meet with top diplomats from JCPOA signatories at the UN General Assembly. Iran
Turkish university students camp in parks to protest rent hikes Citing trouble finding affordable housing ahead of the fall semester, student groups across Turkey are organizing campout events in protest of rising rental prices. Turkey
Grand Ayatollah Hakim's passing affects Iraqi Shiite politics Following the death of Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, one of Iraq’s most senior and influential Muslim Shiite clerics, the family lost one of its sources of religious, social and political power. Iraq
Dutch court to hear Palestinian's civil case against Israeli commanders Ismail Ziada's case accuses Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz of responsibility for killing members of his family in Gaza during the 2014 war. News Brief
Saudi military trains with Greek forces Saudi Arabia and Greece signed a missile deal earlier this year and are both allies of the UAE and Egypt. News Brief
Sudan fends off military coup, government says Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said the plotters have been arrested. Sudan
Egypt develops ambitious projects to meet growing water needs Amid the stalled negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Egypt fears will reduce its water supply, Cairo is working on multiple projects to use its water most efficiently. Egypt
Egypt investigates alleged shark attack off northern coast The Egyptian Ministry of Environment rolled out a program to track changes in sharks’ behavior and their attacks on humans, following allegations that a shark attacked a diver in the Northern Coast. Egypt
West Bank city of Jenin roils as Israel prepares for possible escalation The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are atop a barrel of gunpowder that could explode at any time. Palestine
Qatar Airways flies more Americans out of Afghanistan Qatar has good relations with both the United States and the Taliban and has been assisting with repatriation efforts from Afghanistan. News Brief
