Egypt

Cairo and Tehran have been at loggerheads since 1979, but the Iranian threat has always acted as a check on Israeli ambitions. If Iran is completely defeated, Israel will reign supreme.

The regional rivals aren't just fighting over freshwater supplies. Cairo sees Addis Ababa's bid for Red Sea access as part of a wider fragmentation strategy.

Half of all child refugees in Egypt are not in school despite being eligible. Experts think a new law may make things worse in a country with stretched budgets. Is the solution to let them work?

Israel wants Palestinians to leave the Strip as part of its 'depopulation and resettlement' strategy, but Egypt is fighting to give them the option to return to their homeland

Is Washington's intention genuine, or an attempt to slam the brakes on Cairo's growing assertiveness in Horn of Africa politics and debilitate its hard-won leverage?

The Cairo-born writer has reshaped Eastern memory through a Western tongue, blending the precision of a historian with the passion of a novelist

For Cairo, stability in its southern neighbour is a national security issue. After almost three years of seeking a diplomatic solution, there are signs that it is now turning to firepower.

The veteran writer is the first winner of the new BRICS Literature Award. She speaks to Al Majalla about societal changes, political Islam, and why she never re-reads her novels.

The UAE backs southern Yemenis who want secession, while Saudi Arabia wants a unified Yemen. Egypt also favours unity, but is close to both Gulf states, putting it in a difficult position.

Debt is colossal but there are promising indicators, not least in inflation, legal reforms, the sale of government assets, and monetary stability. Will these green shoots be allowed to grow and bloom?