Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to the almost-weekend. A relaxed week in the news cycle is coming to a close, with a few main stories continuing to dominate the headlines.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

📍The country’s efforts to boost its outsourcing industry are bearing fruit, with 23 global digital services companies planning to use Egypt as their main base of operations, a senior government official told EnterpriseAM.

ICYMI- The Madbouly government inked 55 MoUs with local and international companies in the field of outsourcing and digital exports during the Global Outsourcing Summit this week. The agreements are expected to create over 70k jobs, and come as Egypt pushes to cement its position as a leading global outsourcing hub, backed by USD 6 bn in digital infrastructure upgrades and a growing pool of talent.

The sector is at a “pivotal moment” as it witnesses an uptick in the interest of foreign companies and big-ticket investments, Information Technology Industry Development Agency CEO Ahmed El Zaher told EnterpriseAM. In 2025, annual digital export revenues are expected to double from where they were in only 2022 to USD 4.8 bn, he told us.

** Want to know more? We will have the full rundown of the story in tomorrow morning’s edition of EnterpriseAM.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 It’s a quiet afternoon in the global press in what is potentially the calm before the storm as the US House of Representatives reconvenes after a seven-week hiatus. The House is set to vote today on a legislative bill that, if passed, would see the longest federal government shutdown in US history ended. If approved, the funding agreement would only require US President Donald Trump’s signature to go into effect. While the bill is expected to pass, analysts expect a narrow margin. (Guardian | Washington Post | CNN | New York Times)

ALSO- With the House now back in session, the Epstein files are back in conversation. Prior to voting to end the government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson is set to swear in representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, who has made clear her intent to sign a discharge petition to force a vote on the full release of the Epstein files. Grijalva’s signature would effectively complete the petition, setting into motion a sequence of events that would see the House vote on the files’ release before year’s end. (Politico | Financial Times)

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- It seems the week will be ending on a cooler-than-usual note, with the mercury set to peak at just 27°C before cooling down to 17°C, according to our favorite weather app. Friendly tip: keep an umbrella handy.

Tags: