On a wonderfully slow news day for Egypt in the international press, The Economist takes note of our emergence as a regional energy hub: The Economist had an interesting analysis piece on the economic prospects of Egypt’s plan to emerge as a natural gas export hub globally. “Not long ago it was Israel, not Egypt, that was tipped to become the region’s gas giant,” notes the publication. Egypt’s edge: Infrastructure, for starters, in the form of existing LNG terminals.

“If Egypt keeps finding new reserves … it will need those terminals to export its own gas. New finds seem inevitable,” the Economist notes. Furthermore, Egypt is not short on buyers as demand looks set to grow in both China and Europe, which is looking to wean itself off of Russian gas supplies. “Revenues from future exports will not turn the country into a flashy Gulf emirate. But they should keep the lights on in Egyptian hospitals—and perhaps pay for some new ones, too,” it concludes.

Also worth noting in brief this morning:

• The NYT’s Declan Walsh looks into belly dancing as an art form in Egypt, and the controversy surrounding foreign dancers performing in the country.
• The Christian population in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries is “dwindling” amid anti-Christian terror attacks, according to AFP.