With no single story dominating coverage of Egypt in the foreign press, the Cold War on the Nile, Russia’s growing ties with Egypt and human rights issues continue to guide the narrative on Egypt in the global press.

Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia are “close to armed conflict over a Nile dam project” and so far the US is ignoring the issue, Steven A Cook writes for Salon. “It is also a potential conflict that involves a number of important American allies against each other. Turkey, a NATO ally, and Qatar, which hosts the largest American military base outside the United States, have aligned themselves with Sudan and by extension with Ethiopia, another American ally. On the other side we have Egypt, a longtime partner of the United States in the Middle East, and Eritrea. The United Arab Emirates, a critical player in the Persian Gulf and beyond, would also likely be involved given its ties to Egypt and Eritrea… This is a situation that calls out for American mediation … Perhaps sensing another opportunity to reinforce the idea that Russia, not the United States, is a broker of security and stability, Vladimir Putin might step in and stave off the conflict over water that finally seems to have ripened.”

Russia, meanwhile, is “cozying up to Egypt” in bid to grow its influence in the Middle East, Lamont Colucci writes for US News. Colucci lists the recent agreement allowing both countries to use each others’ airspace and air bases, arms transactions, and the Dabaa nuclear power plant as examples of just how warm ties have become.

Amid a continuing regional realignment, there are reports of closer ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Herbert London writes for The Washington Times. “If the Saudi-Israeli alliance yields some form of regional stability,” London writes, many of the regional issues, including the war against Daesh in Sinai, could be resolved. “That is why the alliance is the harbinger of hope and the insurance policy for the moment,” he writes.

Closer to home: The acquittal of Egyptian activist Mahienour El Massry is a “rare moment of justice” that may pave the way for the release of more political prisoners, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Campaigns for North Africa, Najia Bounaim, said yesterday.

Another foodie piece about Egyptian cuisine: Egyptian eats have captured the attention of the international press. After yesterday’s story from the Independent on Cairo turning into a premier foodie destination, Tim Carman writes a glowing review of Egyptian restaurant Fava Pot in Falls Church, Virginia, for the Washington Post. Owned by Egyptian immigrant Dina Daniel, the restaurant offers all of our cuisine’s classics with the expected modern take — and a hand-picked list of ingredients which Daniel publishes on her website.

Also worth a quick skim this morning:

• Haaretz likes comedian Mohamed Andeel’s online satirical show mocking the political climate in Egypt.
• Nine people have been arrested for debauchery after accusations of homosexuality were leveled against them by neighbours, according to Pink News.
• A DNA test solves a century-old mystery about a pair of ancient Egyptian mummies, Science News reports.
• Egypt and Belarus are looking to bolster ties between their respective parliaments, Belarus News reports.
• Sight Magazine takes a look at how one Egyptian doctor promotes religious dialogue between Muslims and Christians through health work.
• Sabe’ Gar is a progressive series that “gives new view of Egyptian women,” writes Maha El Nabawi for The National.