Hamas's political bureau elected Khalil al-Hayya as its new chairman on July 20, 2026, beating former leader Khaled Meshaal in a run-off by one vote; al-Hayya, a Gaza-based veteran negotiator and one of a five-member interim leadership council since 2024, succeeds Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza
Africa's third-most-populous country and the Arab world's most populous state, Egypt manages US$164 billion in external debt under an IMF program while controlling the Suez Canal and anchoring Gaza diplomacy.
Trump courts El-Sisi at the G7 over Gaza reconstruction and the Iran deal; at home inflation, a weak pound and lost Suez revenue still bite