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Thursday, 15 Aug 2024

What We’re Tracking Tonight
For Your Commute
Enterprise Recommends
Go With The Flow
Science
Enterprise Entertainment Calendar

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Shaping the future of education in Egypt

Today at a glance

1

The Big Story Today

Egypt’s green hydrogen strategy.
2

Science

A brief history of sleep.
3

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

The premier league’s newest referee: the iPhone.
4

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

The mpox threat grows.
5

ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

The first woman to climb Everest — 10 times.
6

Sports

The European leagues kick off.
7

OUT AND ABOUT

Clock in some quality time this weekend.
8

Ears to the Ground

Unexpected questions with Wild Card.

Thursday, 15 Aug 2024

What We’re Tracking Tonight
For Your Commute
Enterprise Recommends
Go With The Flow
Science
Enterprise Entertainment Calendar
1

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

Cabinet unveils plan to produce and export green hydrogen

Good afternoon, friends, and happy Thursday. We might be gearing up for a restful weekend, but the news cycle shows no sign of slowing down.

THE BIG STORY TODAY

Egypt unveils its green hydrogen strategy: The government announced the National Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy today, aiming to transform Egypt into a global hub that targets 5-8% of the global green hydrogen market, according to a cabinet statement.

A phased approach: In the initial phase, the strategy focuses on establishing Egypt as a global destination for low-carbon production and export, involving launching pilot projects to develop a local green hydrogen economy and overseas market. Over the next decade, the strategy will move into securing Egypt’s position in the growing industry by leveraging low production costs and promoting carbon reduction efforts, in addition to scaling up renewable energy capacities to serve these projects. By 2040, the strategy will transition to maintaining Egypt’s position, as well as expanding domestic decarbonization efforts and the nation’s use of green hydrogen in industry and transport.

The greener scenario: A more optimistic outlook hopes that the strategy will raise investments totalling USD 60 bn to produce around 8% of the global low-carbon hydrogen market.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

Ukraine has taken a page out of Russia’s book, advancing on a village on the border region of Russia. In a seemingly urgent press conference on Monday, Russian President Valdimir Putin discussed Ukraine’s surprise incursion into the country’s Kursk region last week that left 130k people displaced. Putin blamed the attack on the West, claiming that they were moving against them “with the hands of the Ukrainians.” Putin has not yet detailed how he plans to respond to the attack beyond regaining control of Kursk, a mission that a Russian commander reported fulfilled today. This is seen as the biggest foreign attack against sovereign Russian territory since WWII. (NYT | CNN)

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

  • Thanaweya Amma gets a facelift: Education Minister Mohamed Abdellatif yesterday unveiled a plan to restructure high school education and Thanaweya Amma by extension for the 2024-2025 academic year, which is set to begin on 21 September. The plan, which aims to reduce student workload while maintaining educational quality, was approved after public consultation with educational stakeholders over the past few weeks.
  • It was another busy Wednesday at the cabinet, with the country’s ministers approving a raft of new decisions, including a resolution regarding the issuance of executive regulations for the hospital privatization bill — which allows private entities to set up, manage, and operate healthcare facilities and public hospitals.
  • USD 11.6 bn in foreign investments incoming: Trade offices have attracted USD 11.6 bn in investments across different sectors. Most of the funds are destined for the energy sector, in addition to food industries, engineering, medical supplies, IT, banking, real estate, communications, ready-made garments, and textiles.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- The mercury is peaking at a high of 37°C before simmering to a moderate low of 26°C by nightfall, according to our favorite weather app. Sahel and Alexandria are seeing cooler weather, with a high of 32-33°C and a low of 24-28°C.

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2

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

The iPhone 15 Pro might be the Premier League’s new ref

Hey Siri. Was that an offside? The Premier League has partnered with Genius Sports to use iPhones set up with machine-learning models to determine offside calls, reports The Verge.

We’ve seen the debates. It isn’t always clear whether or not a play had an offside violation, since the positioning of the players may be blocking both officials and cameras. That’s where the video assistant referee (VAR) has been coming in for years.

Machine learning tracking technology was introduced in the 2022 World Cup, tracking 29 limb points in the players’ bodies. But according to Wired, there’s limits in the system that could cause “extensive delays and human process errors” and “concerns about the precision of in-game calls.”

What will the new technology do? Genius’ Semi-Assisted Offside Technology (SAOT) will create 3D renders of the players to determine where they are in relation to the offside line.

4K cameras are pricey and this system required many. “We wanted to see if we could move to a more off-the-shelf mobile phone,” said Matt Fleckenstein, Chief Product Officer. This is where the iPhones came in, seeing as they are what employees were most familiar with.

Minimized room for error. These iPhone 15 Pros will be placed in custom rigs, each holding two phones all around the pitch for full coverage, giving Genius “between 7k and 10k” data points to generate their 3D visuals. Lighting issues and obstacle players will therefore not impact the system.

The World Health Organization has once again declared Mpox an international health emergency, responding to a severe resurgence of the virus across Africa. The numbers are staggering: over 15k cases and 537 deaths this year, topping last year’s toll, The Washington Post reports.

What’s Mpox? Once called monkeypox — but changed for deflecting racial blame — can cause flu-like symptoms and painful rashes. It spreads through contact with infected animals and skin-to-skin contact — and this new variant is hitting harder and faster.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is bearing the brunt of this outbreak, with most of the cases concentrated there. To make matters worse, a new, more dangerous variant called clade 1b has popped up in eastern DRC, and has even started spreading to nearby countries including Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

A global response is needed: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus didn’t mince his words, stressing that a global response is crucial to handle the situation.

The focus now is on funding and resources: The WHO has freed up USD 1.45 mn to tackle the crisis but says it needs USD 15 mn more to boost surveillance and response efforts. Experts are urging quick action to prevent the virus from spreading further, particularly in areas dealing with conflicts and inadequate healthcare.

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3

ENTERPRISE RECOMMENDS

Meet the Everist summit queen Lhakpa Sherpa

? ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-
(all times CLT)

The woman who conquered Mount Everest 10 times. Lucy Walker, a two-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, shares a name with a 19th-century alpinist who was the first woman to summit the Matterhorn in 1871 and the Eiger in 1864. In her new documentary, Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa, Walker tells the story of Lhakpa Sherpa, a native of Nepal who has etched her name into the mountaineering record books by summiting Mount Everest an astounding ten times, more than any other woman.

It begins in 2022, portraying Lhakpa Sherpa as a humble worker at a Whole Foods in Connecticut, living in a small apartment with her two daughters. The narrative quickly transports viewers back to 2000, when Sherpa became the first Nepali woman to summit Everest, a remarkable feat considering her lack of formal education and literacy. Despite her grandmother’s attempts to deter her with tales of Yetis, and the patriarchal culture that denied her an education, Lhakpa’s determination never wavered. She disguised herself as a boy to work as a porter, eventually climbing the ranks to reach her goal.

The documentary vividly recounts her journey, including surviving an abusive marriage to climber George Dijmarescu, with whom she had two daughters. The film captures a harrowing moment of domestic violence recorded on camera, showcasing the immense personal obstacles she faced. Walker's direction brings Lhakpa Sherpa's story to life with sensitivity and respect, highlighting not only her incredible accomplishments but also the significant cultural impact of her journey.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the documentary on Netflix or watch the trailer (runtime:2:13).

⚽ The European leagues are back today, with La Liga. We’re also seeing the kick-off in the English Premier League tomorrow, and Serie A on Saturday.

The Spanish League matches begin tonight with Athletic Bilbao going head to head with Getafe at 8pm, followed by Real Betis and Girona at 10:30pm. Barcelona, last year’s runner-up, begins its journey with a match against Valencia at 10:30pm on Saturday, while Mallorca hosts champions Real Madrid at the same time on Sunday.

The Premier League: Manchester United kicks off the English Premier League by facing Fulham at 10:00pm tomorrow, while the newly promoted Ipswich Town is meeting Liverpool on the pitch at 2:30pm on Saturday. Last year’s runner-up, Arsenal, faces Wolverhampton at 5:00pm on Saturday, while West Ham will be facing Aston Villa at 7:00pm.

** Don’t forget to buff up your Fantasy Football team before the deadline tomorrow, and make sure to join the Enterprise Fantasy League by using this code dlrxz4 or by clicking here.

Saturday will be seeing a host of matches at 5:00pm:

  • Everton vs. Brighton.
  • Newcastle vs. Southampton.
  • Nottingham Forest vs. Bournemouth.

The most prominent matches in European competitions are:

  • Le Havre vs. PSG (Ligue 1, 9:45pm on Friday).
  • Genoa vs. Inter Milan (Serie A, 7:30pm on Saturday).
  • Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart (DFL Supercup, 9:30pm on Saturday).
  • Milan vs. Torino (Serie A, 9:45pm on Saturday).

The last round of the Nile League concludes this weekend:

  • Smouha vs. Ismaili (Friday).
  • Pharco vs. ENPPI (Saturday).
  • Al Ahly vs. Modern Sport (Saturday).
  • Baladiet El Mahalla vs. Zamalek (Saturday).

? OUT AND ABOUT-
(all times CLT)

The Bond-Firewill strengthen family ties. The day will start with diverse activities for artistic souls, thrill-seekers, or rhythm lovers and end with a cozy bonfire experience where families can tell stories, laugh, and develop closer relationships. The event will take place on Saturday, 24 August at D-Bay, starting 2:00pm.

Learn all about how to get your message across with this Media and Advertising Workshop. The two-day workshop is hosted by Sara M. Fouad, and will take place at MQR - The Greek Campus from tomorrow to Saturday, 17 August.

Dogs Day Out: Beach edition. Eastwind is hosting another of their iconic DogsDay Out where anyone can come and spend a fun day with their fluffy friend, surrounded by like-minded pet owners. The event will take place tomorrow at Playa Beach and the theme is pirates, so dress accordingly… that goes for your four-legged friends too.

Enjoy a night of good music tonight with Disco Misr’s nostalgic tunes at KIKIS Setup, Sidi Heneish. Get your ticket here.

Or catch a foreign film screening: The Spanish comedy film Neighborhood Heroes will be screened at the Spanish Cultural Center (Instituto Cervantes) in Cairo tonight at 8:00pm with no attendance fees until capacity is reached.

Have a need for speed? You can feel the thrill of exotic car racing at Roads & Rides in OneEleven Track in Alamein tomorrow. Snag a ticket here.

HAPPENING LATER-

End Sahel season on a high note with Adriatique at AHM Club in Silversands, where you can dance the summer away. Or what’s left of it. The event will take place on Saturday, 31 August, and you can get your tickets here.

None other than Wegz to close out the iconic new Alamein Festival. The concert will take place Friday, 30 August at the U-Arena and you can grab your tickets here.

Prepare for the sixth edition of The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon. Pick your race of choice and start training, because the marathon will take place on Saturday, 14 December. Note: The price to register is going to keep increasing. So sign up now through this link for the lowest price guarantee.

? EARS TO THE GROUND-

Doling deep conversations in Wild Card with Rachel Martin. NPR’s Rachel Martin turns every interview into a game of chance, chatting with fascinating guests while drawing cards that spark quirky, unexpected questions, each episode chock full of insights and surprises.

Episode highlight: David Lynch 's creative secrets. The legendary director discusses his journey from a childhood filled with creative dreams to directing iconic productions like Twin Peaks. Thanks to Rachel’s playful question cards, Lynch dives into some pretty deep stuff. One moment he’s reminiscing about his early influences, and the next, he’s sharing mind-bending stories about his Transcendental Meditation experiences. For example, he describes a meditation breakthrough as “like an elevator suddenly being cut loose” — a vivid glimpse into his creative psyche.

The mix of game-show spontaneity and deep, personal revelations keeps things fresh and exciting. Rachel’s knack for guiding her guests through unexpected twists makes each episode a fascinating listen. So, if you’re up for some entertaining and insightful conversations, give this podcast a spin — you never know what intriguing thoughts or stories an industry icon might offer up next.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can listen to the podcast on NPR, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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4

GO WITH THE FLOW

What are the markets doing on 15 August 2024

The EGX30 rose 0.2% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 4.4 bn (23.4% above the 90-day average). Local investors were net buyers. The index is up 19.0% YTD.

In the green: Palm Hills Development (+5.7%), Credit Agricole (+5.1%), and Fawry (+4.8%).

In the red: E-finance (-6.3%), Orascom Construction (-4.3%), and Edita (-4.2%).

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This publication is proudly sponsored by

5

Science

A brief history of time (spent in bed)

Catching Zs is a fact of life, but it didn’t always mean dimming the lights, popping some melatonin, and turning the white noise machine on. In fact, even sleeping through the night is a relatively modern development. Sleep as we know it has transformed from era to era and culture to culture — what works for us now may not have been practical or effective for our ancestors, and vice versa…

…Maybe. It may just be that sociological and technological advancements have forced us to restructure how we spend our time in bed.

People have been philosophizing about the reason behind and benefit of a good night’s sleep since at least 450 BC. The first recorded instance came from Alcmaeon, an ancient Greek physician, who believed that our need for sleep was due to a poor circulation to the brain. Over 600 years later, another Greek philosopher, but this time one who was also a physician, (correctly) suggested that it was the brain that was responsible for consciousness (or lack thereof).

Why sleep once when you can sleep twice? In 2001, historian Roger Ekrich published evidence that our ancestors slept in phases instead of the long uninterrupted stretch we’ve come to know (and love). Biphasic sleeping was noted in Homer’s 8th century BC epic Odyssey, where the poet referred to “ the first sleep.” The period between the first and second stages of sleep (which took place from 9pm-11pm and then 1am-6am) were used for socializing, taking part in hobbies, or just lounging around. References to biphasic sleeping were found in literature from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, suggesting that this was the norm for millenia across Europe, Africa, South East Asia, and Australia.

Thomas Edison, inventor, businessman, enemy of sleep. For whatever reason, Edison thought sleep was bad for us, and a mark of laziness. “The person who sleeps 8 or 10 hours a night is never fully asleep, and never fully awake,” he said. So he had no problem whatsoever watching our natural rhythm of sleep change drastically, and perhaps permanently.

In 1879, artificial light made its way into people’s homes, and ushered in the extinction of biphasic sleep. The widespread use of the lightbulb allowed people to stay up, work, or socialize during hours of darkness that otherwise would have immobilized those activities. To test the effect of artificial light on our sleep cycles, psychiatrist and scientist Thomas Wehr conducted a sleep experiment in 1992, wherein volunteers were placed in an environment that was dark for 14 hours of the day. Wehr found that by the fourth week, the subjects slept an average of eight hours a night, but in two separate cycles, concluding that we have an inherent inclination for biphasic sleep patterns, and that artificial light interrupted it.

More light, more work. Thanks, Edison. But the industrialized world thrived on this invention, which allowed people to work long after the sun had set, and ultimately changed our attitudes toward sleep. As the workday ate into our sleep schedule, even six hours a day became unattainable for the working class, who — without labor laws in place to account for this advancement — experienced a workday that stretched to no official end. This fueled labor movements in the early 19th century, most notably by the Welsh, who called for eight hours of labor, eight hours of recreation, and eight hours of rest. And thus was the introduction of the eight-hour sleep cycle rule of thumb.

Is it enough as it is? The 20th century saw a focus on the improvement of sleep quality, which had been steadily declining on a worldwide scale. Ekrich is convinced that the amount of people experiencing sleep disorders aren’t experiencing a disorder at all, but “remnant[s] or echoe[s] of [our] earlier pattern of sleep.” The first sleeping pill, Barbital, was introduced in 1903. By 1930, just 27 years after its introduction, experts estimated that the US alone had collectively ingested over 1 bn of them. Today, the pharmaceutical sleep industry is estimated to be worth USD 32 bn.

I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Author of Wild Nights: How Taming Sleep Created Our RestlessWorld, blames capitalist work ethics for the idea that sleep is wasted time indulged only by the laziest of us — an idea we have yet to shake off, judging by the number of executives that swear by a five-hour night. It’s no coincidence that “when it became more efficient to routinize work and have large numbers of people showing up on factory floors and doing as much work [as] possible” is when the grind became the marker of success, wrote Reiss.

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ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

AUGUST

16 July-15 October (Tuesday-Tuesday): In the Company of Mahmoud Said exhibition at Aisha Fahmy Palace.

11 June-2 September (Tuesday-Monday): Afashat w Aflam exhibition at Bibliothek.

11 July-30 August (Thursday-Friday): New Alamein Festival at North Coast.

11 July-30 August (Thursday-Friday): Paramotor Ride at North Square.

12-24 August ( Monday-Saturday): I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Rawabet Art Space.

15 August (Thursday): Disco Misr at KIKIS Setup, Hacienda Heneish.

16 August (Friday): Roads and Rides at One Eleven Track, Alamein.

16-17 August (Friday-Saturday): Media and Advertising workshop at MQR, The Greek Campus.

16 August (Friday): Eastwind’s Dogs Day Out at Playa Beach.

22 August (Thursday): Gen Z Festival at D-Bay

23 August (Friday): Cairokee at New Alamein Festival.

24 August (Saturday): The Bond-Fire Vol 1 at D-Bay.

30 August (Friday): Wegz Live at New Alamein Festival

31 August (Saturday): Adriatique at AHM Club in Silversands

SEPTEMBER

1-4 September (Monday-Wednesday): International Food, Beverage & SuperMarket Equipment Exhibition 2024 at Cairo International Convention Centre.

15 September (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (TBC).

OCTOBER

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

10-12 October (Thursday-Saturday): EVs Electrify! Expo & Conference 2024 at Egypt International Exhibition Center.

29-30 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Intelligent Cities Exhibition & Conference (ICEC) at Waldorf Astoria.

NOVEMBER

14-16 November (Thursday-Saturday): Raabta Wellness Festival at El Gouna.

DECEMBER

14 December (Saturday): The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon.

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