Good afternoon, wonderful people, and happy humpday. We have reached the midweek point as we approach the upcoming weekend and end of January (already).
THE BIG STORY TODAY
The EGX30 is now in bull market territory for 2024, with its year-to-date return rising to 21.9% after the index closed up 3.8% today, according to market data. The index also surpassed the 30k point threshold for the first time in its history.
THE BIG STORY ABROAD
The aftermath of the drone attack on a US base in Jordan is still dominating the international presswith preliminary reports suggesting that the drone may have been mistaken for a US one. Washington made it clear they plan on retaliating, but fears of expanding conflict in the region will determine how extreme of a response it will be as US President Joe Biden meets with national security to set a plan. The group responsible for the attack has yet to be identified. Iran already distanced itself from the attack, but US officials strongly suspect “the Iraq-based, Iran-backed” Kataib Hizbollah as being behind it. (Financial Times | Associated Press | Washington Post)
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Real-estate-for-FX scheme revised: Real estate developers met with a number of government officials to discuss incentives for Egyptian expats and foreigners in Egypt who are willing to pay in FX to purchase properties in Egypt from private-sector developers.
More silo funding coming our way: MPs yesterday gave their final approval on a EUR 56 mn grant from the French Development Agency to help us expand the storage capacity of our wheat silos.
⛅TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Look out for a partly cloudy day with a high of 15°C before dropping down to a low of 8°C in the evening, according to our favorite weather app.
Are you more sleepy in the winter? Until recently, it was thought thathibernationwas unique to certain animals, but a February 2023 study found that seasons have an impact on humans’ sleeping patterns too, reports CNN. So it’s not unusual to feel like you wake up more tired than usual during the colder months, even when you sleep just as many hours as you normally would.
Scientists have the stats to prove it: The sleep study, conducted at Berlin’s St. Hedwig Hospital, found that the 188 participants got an extra hour of shut-eye during the winter, which despite not being statistically significant, meant 30 more minutes of REM activity — an “essential stage of sleep” which is when our body gets a chance to regenerate.
Our circadian rhythm might be to blame: Our bodies are told when to be active and when towind down based on sunlight. When it’s time for bed, we release melatonin but with more darkness during the winter that happens earlier and induces sleepiness. The quality of our sleep is also affected with less sunlight causing more REM sleep in your body’s attempt to make up for it.
Okay, maybe we don’t really need to hibernate in a literal sense,but the winter months call for more sleep. Lots of light exposure to avoid the winter blues and longer slumbers are researcher and professor Carleara Weiss’ recommendations. In tandem, neuroscientist Viviana Greco told the Washington Post that she recommends wearing an eye mask to bed to make sure you’re in as much darkness as needed for a good night of rest. These two changes could make you more alert throughout the day.
But don’t get caught up in the gimmicky sleep-inducing concoctions though — like the viral “sleepy girl mocktail.” Gendered-naming aside, this beverage that claims to have sleep-inducing qualities is a mix of magnesium, seltzer, and tart cherry juice and has been taking the internet by storm — but experts aren’t so convinced, says the New York Times. Tart cherries do contain melatonin, but nowhere near the amounts our regular gummy or pill sleep aids have. The effectiveness of magnesium is also debatable, shares the article.
On The Rocks captures a father-daughter relationship that’s, well, on the rocks. Directed by Sofia Coppola, the plot follows Laura (Rashida Jones) and her playboy father Felix (Bill Murray) who reconnect when Laura suspects that her husband is cheating on her. Knowing a thing or two about that, Felix eggs on the speculation and the two of them pair up to get to the bottom of it.
Coming of age while chasing a cheater: Their journey ends up being an exploration of family ties, growing up, and the nuances of marriage. Laura discovers that she might have more to learn from Felix than she thought amidst the chaos of their manhunt. She might even start to understand him and his failed marriage with her mom better now that she’s seeing how hard married life can be.
Coppola x Murray: The pair team up again — and while this movie does not come close to the masterpiece that is Lost in Translation — it’s a fun watch. The best part of the film is how well-rounded the characters are. They each have fully developed personalities, are funny, and maintain relatability even though the plot might be a satirical take on romcoms. It can be slow at times considering it is a comedy, but the emotional aspect will keep you hooked. It’s a feel-good movie overall.
⚽The last deciding round for the Afcon quarter-finals is taking place tonight. By the end of the day, we expect to have a complete list of all the teams that have qualified for the quarter-final round of the cup. The teams going head to head tonight for a spot at the quarter-finals are Mali and Burkina Faso at 7pm, and Morocco and South Africa at 10pm.
Yesterday’s results, ICYMI: Côte d’Ivoire took Senegal out of the running during the penalty round while Cape Verde scored a killer goal that kicked Mauritania out of the competition.
Here’s what the quarter-finals will look like:
Nigeria vs Angola
Democratic Republic of Congo vs Guinea
Côte d’Ivoire vs the winner from Mali’s match against Burkina Faso
Cape Verde vs the winner from Morocco’s match against South Africa
In the Asian cup, Uzbekistan qualified for the quarter-finals after knocking out Thailand with a 2-1 victory. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will face South Korea at 6pm tonight.
The return of the Premier League: Gameweek 22 of the English Premier League starts today after a week-long break. Kicking off the return are these five matches:
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal (9:30pm)
Fulham vs Everton (9:45pm)
Luton Town vs Brighton (9:45pm)
Crystal Palace vs Sheffield (10pm)
Aston Villa vs Newcastle (10:15pm)
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? OUT AND ABOUT- (all times CLT)
FOOD-
Indulge your Mexican cravings at Cairo Jazz Club 610’s Taco Tuesdaytonightfrom 7pm. Gather your work buddies or friends and enjoy a night of unlimited tacos and cool drinks. For reservations message their Facebook page.
Catch the cheese fondue brunch at Villa Belle Epoque tomorrow.This takes place every Monday and Wednesdayuntil 28 February from 2-6pm. The meal is reservation only. Click here to find out how to book your spot.
SPORTS-
Watch the African Cup on the big screen: Mivida is hosting The Stadium, screening Afcon matches. The Lake District is within arm’s reach in case you need to fuel up before or after the matches. More of a doer? The Stadium is also hosting sports activities you can partake in. You can book your tickets through Ticketsmarche.
ART-
Motion Art Gallery’s posthumous exhibition for artist Mahmoud Moussa is a must-visit. The artist’s iconic sculptures are on display in the gallery in Zamalek, every day except Fridays until 5 February. That’s sooner than you think, so head on over tomorrow or mark it down.
Picasso Art Gallery has opened its doors to solo exhibitionist Hicham Rahma. Each of his paintings will exhibit “mixed tales with rich folkloric elements” with “magical strangeness and astonishing interaction.” This exhibition opens from 11am to 9pm, except for Sundays, until Friday, 2 February. Click here for more information.
Go to Bibliothek’s Art Gallery to attend Inside the Corner Pink House, an exhibition and book launch by visual artist Reem AlJeally. The artwork and illustrated book depict the ongoing war in Khartoum, blending nostalgic memories of life, events, and childhood as the artist adjusts to a new life abroad. The exhibition opened to the public on Saturday, 27 January, and will continue until Tuesday, 6 February from 10am to 10pm.
BOOKS-
The Cairo International Book Fairdoors are open and will be running until Tuesday, 6 February. The event is open to the general public from 10am to 8pm, except Thursday and Friday, when their doors will close at 9pm. The fair is taking place at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center in the Fifth Settlement, New Cairo.
MUSIC-
Warm up your vocal cords, gang. Karaoke Night is back at ROOM Art Space and Cafe. ROOM’s doors are open every Tuesday through to 27 February for you and your friends to belt out your favorite tunes, starting at 8pm and ending at 10pm. You can reserve your spot here.
Don’t miss the Egyptian Mawlawi Sufi group, AlMawlaweya AlMasreya, singing and Sufi chanting on the Theatro stage in Arkan this Thursday, 1 February. Doors will open at 7:30pm and the event will begin at 8pm. Click here to book your tickets.
The Grand Egyptian Museum will be hosting Tunisian songstress Emel Mathlouthi on Friday, 9 February, giving you plenty of time to grab a ticket. The Voices of Hope concert will start promptly at 9pm.
Don't miss out on Mohamed Mounir, Ramy Sabry, and Sharmoofers taking the stageat Family Park.The event will take place on Friday, 16 February with gates opening at 1pm and performances starting at 7pm. Get your tickets through Tazkarti.
Oud player Saad Al Oud and his band will be playing at Theatro Arkan, on Saturday, 17 February. The night of classical Egyptian music will open its doors from 7:30pm and begin at 8pm. You can get your tickets at Ticketsmarche.
PHOTOGRAPHY-
The Fujifilm festival starts this Thursday, 1 February, and runs until Sunday, 4 February. You’ll have four full days of activities, meetups, and talks, as well as a photography contest and an exhibition that you can partake in. You can bring your camera along to get a gratuitous CMOS and lens cleaning and check out the GFX 100 ii Studio on-site. Fujifilm X-Photographers and creators will be there too — don’t miss out on the networking potential. Check out their Facebook page for more information.
LATER-
SHOPPING-
Cairo Vintage Souq is back with more old finds for you to scavenge. Bring your thrifting skills to Al Ismaelia venue in Downtown Cairo from 12pm till 9pm this Saturday, 3 February to get the best retro and vintage finds. For more information go to their Instagram page.
MUSIC-
End the month on the dance floor at Cairo Jazz Club’s Wednesday Night Live event tomorrow from 9pm. The night will have Riffs sha’bi tunes, El Waili with his top hits, and Donia Wael for a soothing wrap-up. Message their Facebook page for reservations.
Renowned musician and composer Omar Khairat will be gracing the stage again at the Egyptian Opera House for two nights starting Wednesday, 21 February, and Thursday, 22 February at the Grand Theatre at 8pm. Get your ticket for the first night here and the second night here.
Hamza Namira will be dropping his album at a concert hosted by ZED park on Friday, 9 February at 8pm. The park’s gates will open at 2pm but the concert gates will open later at 6pm. You can get your tickets here, with the option of regular standing, VIP standing, or VIP seated.
POETRY-
Amr Hassan will be performing at El Sawy Culturewheel for their annual end-of-winter show. Alongside his band, he will perform two concerts on Friday, 16 February, one at 3:30pm and one at 7pm. Find out more here.
THEATER-
Ebni is back at Rawabet Art Space. The play is an adaptation of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and it demonstrates how two different families react when their children get into a fight,and as the play unfolds their true colors are revealed. Catch the performance on Friday, 9, Tuesday, 13, and Wednesday, 14 February at 8pm and on Saturday, 10 February at 5pm. Book your tickets here.
In another of Mahmoud Saad’s live interviews, Ashraf Abdelbaki will be featured on stage on Saturday, 17 February. Accompanying entertainment will be provided by Mai Farouk. Before you grab a ticket, keep in mind that this is a phone-free, filmed experience, meaning that you should expect to hand your phone over at the gate and be seen by friends and family on their TV screens at home.
SPORTS-
The Cairo Half Marathon is taking place in just over a month: Mark your calendars for Friday, 1 March, and start stretching. Cairo Runners is bringing back a fan favorite, offering 5km, 10km, and 21km runs as well as a Family Run. Tickets are available until 27 February, giving you ample time to convince seven of your friends to join, which will get a 10% reduction in price when you register.
DANCE-
Get your salsa groove on at Cairo Jazz Club 610’s Salsa night with Soul Motion Studio on Monday, 5 February. Just send them a message on Facebook to reserve your spot.
Dax Shepard is fascinated by people. In his podcast Armchair Expert, the actor and comedian invites all kinds of guests to talk about their lives and experiences. He’s looking for honesty on how people overcome their struggles to become better people. Having his own battle with sobriety means he has his own meaningful perspective to add and he loves listening to others share theirs.
He doesn’t claim to be an expert, hence the name of the podcast. Instead, he relies on the human connection he has with his guests to stimulate a deeply honest conversation. Because it relies on that kind of discourse, the show is undeniably chatty, and while it’s not educational in a strict sense, it’s always beneficial to hear other people’s stories.
While Shepard is the frontman, Monica Padman is also a host and happens to edit all the episodes. While she is present on air her interjections are kept to a minimum and her role is to listen and clarify when needed. Opinions are mixed on what she brings to the table, but she helps the dynamic along and acts as a mouthpiece for the audience who may not be as familiar with the guests as the frontman.
Jon Batiste’s episode was one of our favorites. The highly decorated musician and composer discusses how music can bring people together and the effects of rejection. He also talks vulnerably about his wife’s battle with cancer and delves into many more sensitive topics.
The EGX30 rose 3.8% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 7.3 bn (119.5% above the 90-day average). Egyptian investors were net sellers. The index is up 21.9% YTD.
In the green: Oriental Weavers (+15%), Talaat Moustafa Group (+14.6%), and Orascom Development (+9.3%).
In the red: Alexandria Mineral Oils Company (-2.44%), Mopco (-2.0%), and GB Corp (-1.8%).
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