Good afternoon, wonderful people. It’s the last few hours of the week before we (happily) jump headfirst into the first long weekend of the year.
**EnterprisePM will be off tomorrow in observance of Police Day and the 25 January revolution. EnterpriseAM Egypt will also be off, and will be back at the usual hour on Sunday morning. Look for the Weekend Edition in your inboxes tomorrow.
THE BIG STORY TODAY
New mining tender in March? The Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority is reportedly planning to issue a new mining tender for three minerals in March, Asharq Business reports, citing an unnamed government official. The tender will cover an unspecified number of areas for mining mineral raw materials, as well as minerals associated with phosphate, sulfur, and potash, according to the source.
THE BIG STORY ABROAD
As was the case when we last wrote to you this morning, Donald Trump’s victory over Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary is leading the conversation in the international press. After his decisive victory in Iowa, this second one all but solidifies his imminent rematch with Biden. No candidate who has landed a victory in the first two primaries has ever failed to make it as the presidential nominee. The next primary in South Carolina, Haley’s home state, isn’t looking too bright for her either, possibly signifying her time to follow in Ron DeSantis’ footsteps and drop out of the running despite her insistence that the race is “ far from over.” (Bloomberg | Financial Times | Associated Press | Washington Post | Reuters | Wall Street Journal)
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More investments in the SCZone: The Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) has inked five framework agreements with private industrial players to invest c. USD 235 mn, split between FX commitments totalling USD 195 mn and local currency investments totalling EGP 1.2 bn.
There’s nothing micro about microfinance company Tasaheel’s bond issuance: MNT-Halan microfinance subsidiary Tasaheel Finance has issued EGP 3.8 bn worth of securitized social sustainability bonds — the first such bonds in Egypt and Africa.
EU welcomes in “golden age of EU-Egypt relations” with pledge to invest EUR 9 bn: Following the meeting of the EU-Egypt Association Council, EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi told the press that their Economic and Investment Plan will mobilize EUR 9 bn to invest in “growth and jobs in Egypt in areas that are the most critical, food, water, energy for any sustainable economy.”
?️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Expecta mostly cloudy day with a high of18°C and a low of 12°C in the evening along with some potential drizzles, according to our favorite weather app.
Could this finally settle the Barbenheimer duel? Barbie and Oppenheimer — which have been pitted against each other as the two biggest films of 2023 after being released on the same day — have done well for themselves, with 21 Oscar nominations and USD 2.4 bn in ticket sales between them, according to Entertainment Weekly. But so far, Oppenhemer Oppenheimer is coming out ahead, having raked in more Golden Globes and being the frontrunner for the Oscar for Best Picture.
History was made: Lily Gladstone is the first Native American nominee (for Best Actress) and could be the first-ever Native American nominee in any category after suspicions of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s (1983 Best Song winner) ancestry have come to light. Martin Scorcese, director of Killers of the Flower Moon, is now the most nominated living director with a 10th Best Director nomination under his belt.
With every nomination comes a snub: Barbie took a couple of hits with director Greta Gerwig missing out on a nomination for Best Director and Margot Robbie being overlooked as a Best Actress contender for her role as the titular character. Leonardo DiCaprio, who knows a thing or two about an Oscar snub, also missed out on Best Actor for Killers of the Flower Moon. (Hollywood Reporter | The Guardian | Variety)
Google is rolling out their AI features onto Chrome for users based in the US.It’s no secret that Google is placing all their chips on AI. But rather than make Bard a built-in part of their browser, Google is rolling out a few of the AI chatbot’s features to make Chrome better to use.
THE FEATURES-
#1- Tab organization: Google’s new Tab Organizer will suggest tab groups based on your open tabs and create them for you. If you’re working on multiple tasks at the same time, clicking on the Organize Similar Tabs will make the browser automatically group the tabs based on task.
#2- Personalized themes: Last year, Google introduced generative AI wallpapers to Pixel 8 and phones running Android 14. The same text-to-image model has been added to Chrome so that you can customize your browser to your liking. You can do this by clicking on Customize Chrome in the side panel, Change Theme, and choosing Create with AI.
#3- Writing aid: Not sure how to word something? In next month’s Chrome release, this facet of Google’s experimental AI features will help you write whatever you’re posting online — be it a restaurant review, an email, or maybe even social media posts. You’ll be able to right-click within any text box and select Help Me Write. After entering a prompt, the AI will kickstart the writing process for you.
The beginning of the AI browser takeover. This is just the start of the features Google plans on adding to Chrome. No specifics have been mentioned beyond integrating Gemini into the browser later this year, but we expect more sophisticated persians of Chrome’s article summarization.
Google’s experimental mode is available to use on personal accounts now — you can enable it by going to settings and turning on the Experimental AI switch.
There are thousands and thousands of cooking channels on YouTube, but Epicurious has a little something extra: Popular cooking channels are popular for a reason — they offer delicious or convenient recipes. Epicurious does the same, but their ingenuity and entertainment makes it a fun watch even if you don’t intend to cook.
Epicurious has plenty of variety, and not just when it comes to recipes. There’s a genre out there for all its viewers, all centered around food. You can find 101 videos teaching the basics of cooking and how to make the most popular foods, watch the chaos of professional and amateur chefs swapping ingredients, watch traditional dishes being made by members of the community the recipe comes from, or watch the chefs try out viral kitchen gadgets so you don’t have to. Think of the channel’s playlists as a grocery store whose aisles you can meander through.
Our favorite playlist?4 Levels. The series brings four cooks of different levels of experience to cook the same dish. You watch and compare an amateur cook, an experienced home cook, and a professional chef create recipes like pasta carbonara, garlic bread, hot chocolate, and anything you’d like to make. So what’s the fourth level? The fourth person involved is a food scientist who reviews each cook’s dish.
Besides being entertaining and educational, 4 Levels can be inspirational — showing you where you can end up if you hone your skills. One of our favorite episodes is the Frittata. Like most of the recipes on the Epicurious channel, this recipe is accessible and within most people’s skillset. This particular dish is vegetarian-friendly too (and vegan-friendly, if you can get your hands on some egg substitutes).
Not the recipe video-watching type? We get it. If you’d rather follow a traditional recipe, head over to Epicurious’s site, where you can find all kinds of delicious recipes to try.
Related
⚽It’s a fateful day in Afcon: Today's matches will determine who will play against Egypt in the next round of the championship, as well as the final list of teams that are qualifying to the Round of 16 — and who will be sent home.
Group E: It’s going to be a tight competition for Tunisia, which has one point to its name as it faces off against second-place South Africa (3 points) at 7pm tonight. At the same time, Namibia (3 points) will be pushing for a victory to overtake Mali, who will be defending its top spot with 4 points.
Group F: At 10pm, the Atlas Lions — who have secured their qualification to the next round with 4 points — will go head-to-head with Zambia, which currently has 2 points. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania will hit the pitch at the same time, with DR Congo defending its 2 points and Tanzania trying to bump up its solitary point.
QUALIFICATION REFRESHER- These are the teams who have secured their spots so far:
Equatorial Guinea
Nigeria
Cape Verde
Egypt
Senegal
Cameroon
Guinea
Angola
Burkina Faso
Mauritania
Mali
Morocco
NOTE- Nigeria vs Cameroon will be the opening match for the Round of 16 on Saturday at 10pm.
Tonight in EFL matches: Liverpool will be going head to head against Fulham in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final tonight at 10pm. This comes after Liverpool's 2-1 victory in the first leg. The victor will qualify to play against Chelsea, who beat Middlesbrough with a devastating 6-1 score last night.
Quarter-final matches in the Copa del Rey:
Mallorca vs Girona (8:30 pm tonight)
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona (10:30 pm tonight)
Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla (10pm tomorrow)
The fourth round (round of 32) of the FA Cup commences tomorrow, and continues until Monday. There will be several top-notch matches, especially the clash between Tottenham and Man City on Friday at 10pm, as well as Chelsea against Aston Villa on Friday at 9:45pm.
Notable FA Cup matches this weekend:
Bournemouth vs Swansea (9:45pm Thursday)
Bristol City vs Nottingham Forest (9:45pm Friday)
Everton vs Luton Town (5pm Saturday)
Sheffield United vs Brighton (5pm Saturday)
Fulham vs Newcastle (9pm Saturday)
Significant matches from the European league this weekend:
Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin (Bundesliga — 9:30pm Wednesday)
Barcelona vs Villarreal (La Liga — 7:30pm Saturday)
Juventus vs Empoli (Serie A — 7pm Saturday)
Milan vs Bologna (Serie A — 9:45pm Saturday)
Augsburg vs Bayern Munich (Bundesliga — 4:30pm Saturday)
Leverkusen vs Mönchengladbach (Bundesliga — 7:30pm Saturday)
Marseille vs Monaco (Ligue 1 — 10pm Saturday)
? EAT THIS TONIGHT-
Related
Kazlak will feed you steaks to your heart’s content. Located in Mivida,the self-proclaimed “first locally sourced grillhouse and smokery” has every cut of beef you can imagine on its menu. Whether you’re more into a lean cut, or a fatty cut, there’s something for everyone.
But don't worry, if you’re not up for a carnivorous meal, there are vegetarian and pescatarian options as well, although we’d personally go for the steak. There are even pasta and salads on their menu should you choose not to go for their specialties. Otherwise, we’d recommend trying the rib-eye for something extra tender or a burger if you want to play it safe. Any cut you choose will come cooked as desired, which is rare considering the Egyptian affinity for well-done meat.
Meat isn’t the only thing they do well — there’s also a surprisingly creative beverage menu,with options that are not too sweet if you’d prefer less sugary beverages. We enjoyed the sparkling black chai and felt that it was a unique addition to the menu.
PRO TIPS- This is a good spot for a big group. Vegans might be better off somewhere else, but otherwise, there’s something for everyone without the menu being too big and overwhelming. You can also count on finding a table rather than waiting to be seated.
Related
? OUT AND ABOUT- (all times CLT)
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.
FOOD-
Why go to Dubai Village when the Walk of Cairo has a day of street foods. This one-day street food and tasting event is starting at 12pm this weekend on Friday, 26 January and will bring together artisanal, farm and comfort food from all of the best bites around. There will also be activities and entertainment for the kiddos — all you have to do is bring yourself.
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, everyday except Fridays until 5 February. That’s sooner than you think, so head on over tomorrow or mark it down.
EVENTS-
Take the kids and head on over to Theatro Arkan on Saturday for the Circus Show. If you get there at 1:30pm you’ll find a variety of acts to enjoy, including a clown performance, a magician show, bicycle balance feats, and a host of activities to keep you entertained. Book your spot here.
Photographers, videographers, and cinematographers: The Nikon Z-series camera is making its debut in Egypt. The Nikon Festival is taking place at The Warehouse this Saturday, giving you the chance to check out their newest hardware. Step into their Experience Zone to try the camera in different settings. All you need is your SD card, so you can take your creations home with you. You can bring your own Nikon, but other brands won’t be allowed into the venue. Register here.
BOOKS-
The Cairo International Book Fair opens its doors today, 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.
FOOD-
If you missed the cheese fondue brunch at Villa Belle Epoque you can plan to be there 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.
Indulge your Mexican cravings at Cairo Jazz Club’s Taco Tuesday next Tuesday, 30 January from 7pm. Gather your work buddies or friends and enjoy a night of unlimited tacos and cool drinks. For reservations message their Facebook page.
ART-
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.
PHOTOGRAPHY-
The Fujifilm festival starts next 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 on 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 next Wednesday, 31 January from 9pm. The night will have Riffs sha’bi tunes, El Waili with his top hits, and Donia Wael for soothing wrap up. Message their Facebook page for reservations.
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.
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.
That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally runs through two parallel narratives, both equally perplexing and gripping. The first protagonist, Mary, wakes up on the side of the road with no memory. When an officer finds her, another man shows up claiming to be her father — and although he has evidence to prove it, something doesn’t feel right. The other protagonist, Drew, searches for his girlfriend who disappeared as everyone around him believes he’s responsible for her disappearance.
Not everything is as it seems: Mary struggles with her identity as her memories start to come back and starts to wonder why they don’t match her “father’s” account of her life — and why these memories were ever gone in the first place. Meanwhile, in a seemingly unrelated storyline, Drew is fighting to prove his innocence.
Perfectly paced and easily bingeable: This book is a page turner and doesn’t have any lulls in the middle. That’s probably thanks to the alternating perspectives which keep you on your toes — it’s hard to get bored when there are so many cliffhangers. The characters themselves also draw you in with their realistic flaws, making you root for them and hate them at the same time.
The EGX30 rose 0.3% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 5.0 bn (55.6% above the 90-day average). Regional investors were net buyers. The index is up 11.1% YTD.
In the green: TMG Holding (+8.4%), CIRA Education (+2.6%) and Credit Agricole Egypt (+1.9%).
In the red: Palm Hills Development (-2.4%), GB Corp (-1.9%) and CIB (-1.8%).
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