Good afternoon, friends, and happy Thursday. The weekend is finally here, but we’ll keep our phones close, as we are still waiting for the outcome of the Central Bank of Egypt’s monetary policy meeting later this evening.
THE BIG STORY TODAY
No, we are not getting USD 22 bn for Ras El Hekma: Two government and industry sources Enterprise spoke with denied media reports and social media rumors alleging that the Egyptian government and Emirati investors are closing in on an agreement to sell a huge piece of land in North Coast’s Ras El Hekma. The rumors, which have been circulating across the country since yesterday, claimed we will get USD 22 bn in exchange for the land, with a good chunk of it to be paid upfront to help end our FX woes.
THE BIG STORY ABROAD
Ukraine receiving a EUR 50 bn aid package from the EU is leading the conversation in the international press this afternoon. In an emergency EU summit, Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán rescinded his December veto after the bloc’s leaders — who are worried about the continent’s stability — threatened Hungary’s voting rights and funds. (Financial Times | Wall Street Journal | CNBC)
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Goldman, Pictet are upbeat about Egypt’s USD bonds: Egypt’s USD-denominated bonds are being touted by Goldman Sachs and Pictet Asset Management as they brush away concerns about defaulting and low credit rating.
Erdogan is coming to town: Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan is reportedly coming to Egypt on 14 February to meet with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Bloomberg reported yesterday, citing Turkish officials it says are familiar with the matter.
HELP GAZA-
Want to support relief efforts in Gaza, but don’t know how? We’ve got you. More than 1 mn people in Gaza have been thrown from their homes and every human being there lacks access to food, water, and fuel amid the most intense bombardment any population has endured this century.
The folks at Talabat are processing donations for a range of Gaza relief appeals by charities including the Egyptian Food Bank and Misr El Kheir. Pay in EGP using your credit card.
Or check out our list of charities to which you can make direct donations via bank deposit and / or Fawry.
? CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
Thinking of studying abroad? The New Zealand government is offering a full scholarship for postgraduate degrees in food security and agriculture, climate change and the environment, renewable energy, and good governance. The application closes on 29 February and you can find it here.
?️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Look out for another cloudy day in the capital city with a high of 17°C before dropping down to a low of 12°C, according to our favorite weather app.
Between deep fakes, SEO tactics, and fake news, AI’s grip on the internet is getting out of hand: AI-generated content is dominating real estate on the internet, leaving human-made content and real photographs in the dust. This growing problem has seen incidents such as one website spewing out AI-generated content and filling Google to the brim with fake celebrity photos, while others are using AI to generate articles that are riddled with hallucinations, Vice says. This type of content is so ubiquitous that it’s spamming the internet and altering Google search results, a recent study showed.
Tech companies and lawmakers are trying to play catch-up and quash fake AI-generated content: Google recently tightened up its spam policy and tweaked its search algorithms for better-quality results, Vice notes. Meanwhile, a bipartisan US senator crew dropped a bill aiming to outlaw AI-generated explicit content without consent. Targeting the recent wave of Taylor Swift deep fake provocative images on X.
Meanwhile, on the benevolent side of the AI-sphere: An AI tool is thwarting AI’s ability to steal art. University of Chicago researchers have developed Nightshade, an AI tool that makes it impossible for AI crawling the internet to steal art without artists’ permission, according to VentureBeat. The tool, which is offered without charge, racked up around 250k downloads in just five days.
How does it work? Nightshade, which is designed to be an “offensive” tool, essentially prevents AI training models from correctly identifying images by “subtly [altering] the image at the pixel level so other AI programs see something totally different than what’s actually there.” For example, if an image or artwork depicts a cow in a green field, Nightshade applies a layer of shading that makes it unidentifiable for AI — or might make an AI model “see a large leather purse lying in the grass.”
Social media execs are under fire for the risks their products pose to teens.Yesterday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, Snap, Discord, and X testified before the US Senate, coming under fire for what the committee calls an online child safety crisis.
The families of teens harmed by social media took to the stands to demand accountability and regulation. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg apologized for the bullying, harassment, and facilitated drug purchases that led to the deaths of many young people, but was ultimately nullified in the eyes of the attendees when exposed internal Meta documents estimated teen users’ life value at USD 270.
What changes were being discussed? A proposed bill hopes to stop harmful ads and posts discussing addiction, eating disorders, and self-harm from appearing on children’s feeds. Another act called for criminal prosecution of people circulating others’ private images online without their consent. Lawmakers also hope to pass a bill to force social media companies to crack down on the increasing child abuse material on their platforms.
Despite the publicity and the grand speeches, there are no signs that the hearing will yield tangible regulations. While this was a uniting issue for both the Republican and Democratic senators, it seems that the hearing only produced tears rather than meaningful action from the US Senate. Still, child-safety and anti-big tech advocates hope that the hearing will kickstart efforts to regulate social media firms.
Until substantial measures are taken to enforce child safety online, here is how you can ensure your little ones’ safety online.
The story of the only woman Pablo Escobar ever feared:Griselda. The Cocaine Godmother’s reign of terror in 1970s and 80s Miami — and her murderous streak — is the topic of this six-episode series, which delves into the true story of how she became one of the top and ruthless cartels in history.
The series begins in 1978, when Griselda (Sofía Vergara) fled her drug-dealing husband in Colombia with her sons to seek refuge in Miami with the help of her old friend Carmen (Vanessa Ferlito).
Despite promises to leave her cartel life behind, Griselda falls prey to the allure of easy moneyand the need to provide for her sons — which pushes her to continue her drug operations in Miami while evading federal charges.
WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch Griselda on Netflix.
Related
⚽ Today marks the end of gameweek 22 in the Premier League.The concluding matches will see West Ham go head to head against Bournemouth at 9:30pm, and Wolverhampton challenge Man United at 10:15pm.
Saturday marks the beginning of the 23rd week. Here’s what to expect:
Everton vs Tottenham — 2:30pm
Newcastle vs Luton — 5pm
Brighton vs Crystal Palace — 5pm
Burnley vs Fulham — 5pm
Sheffield United vs Aston Villa — 7:30pm
Today in the Egyptian League Cup quarter-finals: Ceramica Cleopatra will be facing off against Smouha at 4:30pm, followed by Al Masry vs Pyramids at 7:30pm.
Could this be Real Madrid’s chance to climb back to the top? If Los Blancos draw or defeat Getafe tonight at 10pm, they’ll knock Girona off La Liga’s top spot. It’s been a long time coming — Real Madrid’s match against Getafe was originally scheduled for the 20th week of the league.
Other anticipated European league matches taking place over the weekend:
Alaves vs Barcelona — Saturday, 7:30pm (La Liga)
Girona vs Real Sociedad — Saturday, 10pm (La Liga)
Frosinone vs Milan — Saturday, 7pm (Serie A)
Heidenheim vs Dortmund — Friday, 9:30pm (Bundesliga)
Darmstadt vs Leverkusen — Saturday, 4:30pm (Bundesliga)
Bayern Munich vs Mönchengladbach — Saturday, 4:30pm (Bundesliga)
Strasbourg vs Paris Saint-Germain — Friday, 10pm (Ligue 1)
Both the African and Asian cups are kicking off their quarter-final matches this weekend.The qualified teams are playing over Friday and Saturday in these times:
AFRICA-
Nigeria vs Angola — Friday, 7pm
Democratic Republic of Congo vs Guinea — Friday, 10pm
Mali vs Côte d’Ivoire — Saturday, 7pm
Cape Verde vs South Africa — Saturday, 10pm
ASIA-
Tajikistan vs Jordan — Friday, 1:30pm
Australia vs South Korea — Friday, 5:30pm
Iran vs Japan — Saturday, 1:30pm
Qatar vs Uzbekistan — Saturday, 5:30pm
Related
? OUT AND ABOUT- (all times CLT)
TODAY-
MUSIC-
Don’t miss the Egyptian Mawlawi Sufi group, AlMawlaweya AlMasreya, singing and Sufi chanting on the Theatro stage in Arkan tonight. Doors will open at 7:30pm and the event will begin at 8pm. Click here to book your tickets.
PHOTOGRAPHY-
The Fujifilm festival starts today, and runs until this 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.
THIS WEEK-
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 next Monday, 5 February.
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 until tomorrow. Click here for more information.
FOOD-
Catch the cheese fondue brunch at Villa Belle Epoqueevery 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-
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 next Tuesday, 6 February from 10am to 10pm.
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.
BOOKS-
The Cairo International Book Fair doors are open and will be running until next 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.
The Grand Egyptian Museum will be hosting Tunisian songstress Emel Mathlouthinext Friday, 9 February, giving you plenty of time to grab a ticket. The Voices of Hope concert will start promptly at 9pm.
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.
LATER-
MUSIC-
Hamza Namira will be dropping his album at a concert hosted by ZED parknext 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.
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.
Amr Diab is back on stage for the first time this year. El Hadaba’s first 2024 performance is taking place in Manara Arena on Friday, 16 February. Grab your tickets while you can.
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.
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.
Egyptian independent artist and multi-instrumentalist ASH will be performing at Le LacDu Caire on Friday, 9 February. Hosted by CRCL, the event will start at 1pm and doors will close at 4pm. Get your tickets here.
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-
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.
The Gray Area podcast will fill you in on culture, politics, and a bunch of other stuff. Host Sean Illing will make you think and establish a dialogue about each topic in episodes that run about an hour. He doesn’t claim to know all the answers, but he will get you to wonder about what they could be.
Not a fan of chatty podcasts? No problem, this one manages to feel welcoming without going off on too many unnecessary tangents. Instead, Illing brings on guests that can offer their expert opinion on the episode’s subject matter, who know how to talk about a topic without making it seem like they’re reading out an essay. He also sticks to an academic approach that is fueled by questions any person would probably have, avoiding pretentious jargon and buzzwords.
Two of our favorite recent episodes discuss separating the art from the artist — we’re looking at you, Kanye — and moral obligations as a parent raising a child in the midst of a climate crisis. Not afraid of nuance, the host gives a developed, philosophical take with the help of the guests he invites on, while avoiding a matter-of-factness that can leave out normal, emotional human input.
The EGX30 rose 0.5% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 5.2 bn (49.7% above the 90-day average). Regional investors were net sellers. The index is up 14.2% YTD.
In the green: Delta Sugar (+8.6%), Juhayna (+6.8%) and Madinet Masr (+6.2%).
In the red: Egypt Kuwait Holding (-8.3%), CIB (-3.5%) and Eastern Company (-2.3%).
You might think that it’s 2024, but it’s actually the year 6266 in Om El Donia. At least, that’s if you follow the Ancient Egyptian calendar. Our ancestors’ calendar was a solar one, much like the Gregorian calendar we use today, and it has been contested that it is a relatively accurate indicator of seasons in our fair nation.
What does the new year look like? The years of yore began with the heliacal rising of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, which coincided with the flooding of the Nile. This means we’ll be celebrating the new year again come 11 September. It wasn’t just the new year that followed part of the Nile’s flood cycle — the whole calendar was deeply intertwined with the rhythms of nature, which influenced mythology as well.
Our first month, Akhet, signified resurrection and rebirth. The new year was linked to Osiris, whose death and dismemberment by Seth symbolized the flood’s receding waters, and resurrection and rebirth mirrored the flood’s return and following growth of crops. This cycle influenced their understanding of human birth, death, and resurrection in the afterlife too.
We are currently in Tubah, the coldest month of the year according to the ancient calendar. We’re inclined to agree. Tubah is the fifth month of the calendar and the first month of Peret. Ancient Egyptians took this time to prepare for summer crops, and much like us modern-day denizens, looked forward to the first cutting of sugarcane. And yes, they did have 3aseer Asab. Probably.
While the Egyptian calendar followed the 12 months we’re accustomed to, each month contained only 30 days. To avoid the seasons drifting out of sync over time, our ancestors did a lot of complex calculations for which we would have to burden our accounting department for an explanation, naturally earning the respect of modern mathematicians and astronomers.
The year was divided into three seasons, each lasting four months and each reflecting a different stage of the cycle. Akhet, the first season, followed the inundation of the Nile. Peret, the following season, was for planting — as the Nile receded, the land was fertile and ready to be sowed. Shemu concluded the year with the harvest.
The Egyptian calendar wasn't just a tool for timekeeping, it was an integral part of everyday life. As the Nile spilled its bounty, festivals like the Opening of the Mouth of the Nile expressed gratitude to Hapi, the god of the Nile. Fears of low floods and disrupted life spurred offerings and prayers for divine intervention. The calendar's alignment with specific constellations guided rituals and offerings to deities residing in the Duat, the underworld realm. Observing Sirius' rising aligned with Anubis, the god of the dead, offering hope for safe passage to the afterlife.
Many modern calendars borrow from theirs. The Coptic calendar was the first to rely heavily on the ancient Egyptian timeline, and the months use the same name to this day. Similar to our collective ancestors, the Coptic church determines feasts and commemorations based on similar cycles.
The Ancient Egyptians weren’t alone in developing sophisticated ways of timekeeping— our calendrical counterpart can be found in Mesopotamia. Despite originating from different regions during different time periods, the Ancient Egyptian and Babylonian calendars share some intriguing similarities — and interesting differences.
In 1900 BCE, modern-day Iraq gave birth to the Babylonian calendar. It was one of the earliest lunisolar calendars to exist — using both the sun and the moon to follow the year. While Ancient Egyptians also had a lunar calendar, it was the older of the two systems and mostly retired to cultural use once the more precise solar calendar was put into effect. But like us, the Mesopotamians used their calendar for agricultural timekeeping.
Our beliefs were tied to the Nile, and theirs were tied to the stars. Without the Nile’s cycle to inform them, the Mesopotamians relied on more contextual clues within nature to guide their calendar — namely, astronomy. Priests would have to observe the sky to determine the start of a new month, much like we do with the Hijri calendar. The Mesopotamians divided the ecliptic into 12 constellations associated with different zodiac signs — Much like modern-day astrology. They believed these signs influenced individual destinies and used them for horoscopes and predictions.
This system was eventually introduced to the Ancient Egyptians, who began using horoscopes to predict a newborn’s fate. Observing planetary movements became a way to understand the gods’ wills and interpret omens. Celestial events like eclipses and comets were viewed as powerful omens, prompting rituals and prayers to appease the gods and avert potential disasters.
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