Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to the last day in October. Don’t forget to turn back your analog clocks by 60 minutes tonight and enjoy an extra hour of sleep.
THE BIG STORY TODAY
Government kicks off EGP 50 bn loan program for hospitality players: The tourism and finance ministries have officially launched an EGP 50 bn program offering subsidized loans at a 12% interest rate to tourism players, with the aim to increase the nation’s existing hotel room capacity, according to a joint statement.
Refresher: The cabinet approved the program back in July, stating that it will prioritize the areas of Luxor, Aswan, Greater Cairo, the Red Sea governorate, and South Sinai. Companies will have 16 months from the initial disbursement to access the funds, with the final deadline for the program set for 30 June 2026. Companies have to exchange no less than 40% of their hard currency revenues through the banking system to benefit from the program.
Get Enterprise daily
The roundup of news and trends that move your markets and shape corporate agendas delivered straight to your inbox.
** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:
More manufacturing news: On a day busy with manufacturing news, the cabinet greenlit a new Sidpec project and DP World signed an MoU to explore the possibility of developing a public freezone in the new capital.
Egyptian construction tech startup Elmawkaa has been acquired by Saudi-based real estate appraisal platform Ayen in a SAR seven-figure transaction that will see Ayen integrate Elmawkaa’s construction materials marketplace into its property evaluation platform.
☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- It’s getting cooler and cooler with a high of 26°C and a low of 18°C in the capital tomorrow, according to our favorite weather app.
AI future virtual teachers or another tech fad? Once upon a time Steve Jobs envisioned a technology that could make him Aristotle's favorite student. His dream was to capture someone’s “underlying set of principles” to guide future generations, a prophecy that generative AI has brought closer to reality. But as much as AI tools like ChatGPT can imitate the responses of historical figures, achieving the depth of a real teacher is still a far-fetched dream.
AI tutors have generated plenty of buzz lately, with big names like Sam Altman and Sal Khan suggesting that AI could change the methods of children's learning, Axios reports. Altman, Open AI’s CEO, predicts that soon, students could access “ personalized instruction in any subject, in any language,” directly from virtual tutors. Khan Academy founder Sal Khan is already embracing this vision with Khanmigo, an AI study partner that helps students solve problems without directly giving answers.
Egypt is getting on the bandwagon soon, as the Education Ministry said earlier this week that it is working on an integrated education platform that utilizes AI and features educational content as part of its efforts to wean students off using external sources.
AI advocates see this as a game-changer, believing it can tackle education’s ongoing struggle with personalization. Instead of trying to teach 25 students the same day, AI could adapt to each student’s learning style, speed, and preferences. It’s beneficial for families and teachers working to support different learning needs or languages, as seen with Buddy, which helps kids practice English through conversations.
There’s a fair amount of skepticism about AI’s potential to fill educational gaps. Personalized learning tech has been tried before with mixed results, and some educators remain unconvinced that AI alone can deliver on the promise of one-on-one, human-like guidance. Robbie Torney, an AI program manager at Common Sense Media and former educator, recalls a similar hype cycle in the mid-2010s around “ student-centered ” and “ blended learning.” Many of these initiatives promised transformation but fell short of lasting change, leading some to worry about AI’s potential for overpromising.
There’s also the issue of regulation and ethical use. Tech aimed at children faces high probing, especially regarding voice data collection and exposure to screen time, as Ivan Crewkov, Co-founder and CEO of Buddy points out. A lot of teachers and parents are afraid that could make existing differences in learning styles worse or weaken student-teacher relationships if not implemented carefully.
? Which is worse — a dying marriage or the actual undead? Outside blends a story of marital strife with the zombie apocalypse genre. This Filipino horror film offers major psychological tension and some traditional zombie thrills. Set at an eerie farmhouse, the film follows the Abel family — Francis (Sid Lucero), his wife Iris (Beauty Gonzalez), and their two sons.
The film opens up with Francis discovering the bodies of his deceased parents— and that’s only in the first few moments. Francis, initially portrayed as a protective figure, slowly devolves into an unbearable person, reflecting the long-term impacts of trauma and toxic masculinity.
Iris, a character brimming with complexity, grapples with the need for survival and her moral dilemmas, her internal conflict adds a thick layer of tension to the movie. The ethical dilemmas she’s put in encourage the audience to interpret their relationship in different ways, which ultimately leaves viewers questioning the dynamics of love, loyalty, and betrayal.
Interestingly, the apocalypse almost seems like just a backdrop, adding a dark gruesome atmosphere layer to the story, but it almost seems like they could’ve avoided that part altogether.
WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the movie on Netflix or watch the trailer (runtime: 2:03)
Related
SPORTS-
⚽ The first round of the Nile League began yesterday, will resume today and conclude on Saturday — in its new (temporary) format. The most prominent matches are Zamalek hosting National Bank at 8pm tomorrow, and Al Ahly — the title defender — hosting Ceramica Cleopatra at 8pm on Saturday.
The rest of the round's matches:
Gouna vs. Zed (5pm today)
Modern Future vs. Enppi (8pm tonight)
Pharco vs. Al-Ittihad (5pm Friday)
Pyramids vs. Petrojet (5pm Friday)
Ismaily vs. Ghazl El-Mahalla (5pm Saturday)
Stay tuned for the excitement happening on Saturday: The tenth round of the Premier League kicks off on Saturday with seven matches, starting with Newcastle against Arsenal at 2:30pm. At 5pm, Brighton will play against Liverpool, Bournemouth will clash with Man City, and we’ll end the day with Wolverhampton and Crystal Palace face off at 7:30 pm.
City took the lead in the Premier League last week with 23 points followed by Liverpool (second with 22 points), and Arsenal (third with 18 points) with goal difference ahead of Aston Villa in fourth place.
The rest of Saturday's Premier League matches start at 5 pm:
Ipswich Town vs. Leicester City
Southampton vs. Everton
Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham
** Don't forget to join our Enterprise Fantasy League using this code dlrxz4.
Other major matches in European leagues today and during the weekend:
Roma vs. Torino - Serie A (10:45 pm)
Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart - Bundesliga (9:30pm Friday)
Bayern vs. Union Berlin - Bundesliga (4:30pm Saturday)
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lens - Ligue 1 (6pm Saturday)
Udinese vs. Juventus - Serie A (7pm Saturday)
Dortmund vs. Leipzig - Bundesliga (7:30pm Saturday)
Monza vs. Milan - Serie A (9:45pm Saturday)
Related
OUT AND ABOUT-
? Got the moves? The 16th edition of Cairo International Jazz Festival kicked off yesterday and will run until Friday, November 8, 2024 at the American University in Cairo campus in Tahrir. Tickets available on Ticketsmarche.
The Cairo Opera Ballet Company is bringing back One Thousand and OneNights after a 17-year hiatus. Accompanied by the Cairo Opera Orchestra and conducted by Nader Abbasi with music from Fikre Amirov, the show started its run Monday and will continue until Friday, 1 November — with two additional shows on Tuesday 5 November, and Wednesday, 6 November. Tickets are available on Tazkarti.
The largest collection of prints in the country.Cairopolitan is bringing together a collection of artwork from over 180 local and regional artists to display in the Cairo Prints Exhibition. The gallery is open everyday until Monday, 18 November in Garden City.
Glowing puppets swimming across a stage.The Book of Neptune is a great family event to attend. Theater group Ledpuppets will transform the Rawabet Art Space stage into an underwater wonderland with glowing puppets dancing around and acting out stories. Tickets are available on Ticketsmarche for tomorrow and Saturday, 2 November.
HAPPENING LATER-
Masked viral singer Tul8te is taking the stage at ZED Park as part of The Cocktail Tour on Thursday, 5 December. Tickets are available on Ticketsmarche.
Time to dust off basketball shoes and jerseys, Double Dribble League is back. Starting Friday, 8 November at Maadi Sports Club, guys and gals who play ball will get together in twelve teams and battle it out every Friday for the next 12 weeks. Stay tuned for more details.
Shop for the winter at the next edition of the Cairo Flea Market. CFM is back on Saturday, 9 November at the Fish Garden in Zamalek, starting at 10am and ending at 7pm. The flea market boasts beautiful artisan crafts, vintage items, and pre-loved clothes.
Attention, fitness fanatics. The ELFIT Championship features 1.2k athletes from over 55 countries competing for the ELFIT Champion title. The event will take place from Wednesday, 13 November till Saturday, 16 November at the New Capital Sports City. Grab your tickets from Ticketsmarche.
Medhat Saleh and Reham Abdelhakim are headlining a charity concert in the Royal Garden of the El Qubba Presidential Palace. On Friday, 15 November, the doors will open for attendees — who will be required to be dressed formally — at 6pm, with the concert slated to start at 8pm. You can grab tickets on Tazkarti.
Watch a blind date happen live. Binge Circle are hosting the first ever The Blind Date Show:Live on Stage. Two strangers will meet and converse from behind a curtain and decide whether it will be a night to remember — or a date they’d rather forget. The event will take place on Friday, 8 November at Trivium Square. Tickets are available at Collard Tickets.
Related
EARS TO THE GROUND-
?Sports, laughs, and friendly competition — who's winning? If you’ve ever wondered what happens when trivia meets athletic ambition, Quite a Good Sport might just be the podcast for you. Brought to you by Anna Ptaszynski and James Harkin — hosters of No Such Thing as a Fish podcast.
In each episode, Anna and James dive into different sports, chatting with top athletes while mixing in their signature humorous innuendo. Their competitive spirit shines through, making it feel less like a traditional sports podcast and more like a lively chat among friends. It’s a fun and informative experience that caters to both die-hard sports fans and those who might not know a cricket bat from a football.
A niche and refreshing addition to the podcast landscape, merging the worlds of trivia and sports in a way that feels both engaging and entertaining. It’s a clever way to bridge the gap between professional perspectives and genuine human experience, making sports feel accessible and engaging.
The EGX30 rose 0.9% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 4.0 bn (6.3% below the 90-day average). International investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 23.2% YTD.
In the green: Emaar Misr (+4.8%), Ezz Steel (+3.6%), and Abu Qir Fertilizers (+3.4%).
In the red: Juhayna (-1.1%), Egypt Kuwait Holding - USD, and Eastern Company (-0.7%).
Now that constant stimulation is just a click away, the art of boredom has become non-existent. We scroll through endless feeds, binge-watch entire seasons, and fill every moment with mental engagement, all to escape the perceived discomfort of doing nothing. Perhaps it’s time to reconsider our relationship with boredom and see it as a potential ally.
Nowadays, we have lost the ability to handle boredom. In the past, what was once considered a luxury has become a source of anxiety, as people now seek constant stimulation. The thought of doing nothing and sitting with your thoughts makes people uneasy. This discomfort drives people towards unhealthy coping mechanisms — from binge eating to more extreme actions like giving themselves electric shocks or viewing distressing images, all just to get themselves out of the dull state. Those who constantly crave stimulation are more likely to develop addictive behaviors like drug abuse and gambling, or as Blaise Pascal said: “All humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
“The more entertained we are, the more entertainment we need to feel satisfied. The more we fill our world with fast-moving, high-intensity, ever-changing stimulation, the more we get used to that and the less tolerant we become of lower levels,” said Dr Sandi Mann, the author of The Upside of Downtime: Why Boredom is Good.
And contrary to popular belief, life doesn’t always need to be exciting. Mastering the art of doing nothing opens the eyes to life’s simplest pleasures. While it may seem like a rebellion against the adrenaline-charged lifestyle promoted today to continuously chase new goals, taking time to simply exist may allow individuals to observe their own thoughts and practice mindfulness.
Boredom can lead to your most brilliant ideas. In a TEDTalk, Manoush Zomorodi explained the meaning behind her project: Bored and Brilliant. She started it after realizing that her best ideas came at the times when she was bored. This was an app that gave daily challenges encouraging people to take time away from their phone. The reviews showed that the time of boredom ignited creative thoughts in the users’ brains and decreased the feeling of guilt for wasting time scrolling. One of the users described the feeling as “waking up from a mental hibernation.” Zomorodi concluded her TEDTalk by saying: “By doing nothing, you are actually being your most productive and creative self.”
People can learn to be bored through exposure therapy. While the discomfort of boredom is not necessarily a disorder, exposure techniques will teach a person to tolerate it, improving their focus and pushing them to success. Firstly, the aspects of discomfort must be identified and listed, people can begin pairing that feeling with a relaxing technique and working their way through the list. By keeping track of how long they can stay in the situation without the discomfort becoming intolerable, the period can grow longer each time, according to Psychology Today.
Egypt Edition 
UAE Edition 
Saudi Edition 
MENA <> India Corridor 
Logistics (MENA) 
Climate (MENA) 
Share Issue
