Good morning, friends, and happy Friday. We hope you’re enjoying the long weekend, it is the last one until mid-September.
Tonight, the eyes of mns around the world will turn to the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris, which promise an unprecedented level of organization. As for us, we’ve prepared a comprehensive guide with everything you need to know about this year’s Olympics and the chances for our Egyptian athletes to shine on the podium.
LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-
ENERGY-
#1- Your fuel bill is going up again: The Madbouly government raised fuel prices on Thursday, according to decisions published in the Official Gazette. Prices of fuel has hiked by 10-15% at the pumps as of yesterday morning:
95-Octane is EGP 15 per liter, up 11% from EGP 13.50;
92-Octane is EGP 13.75 per liter, up 10% from EGP 12.50;
80-Octane is EGP 12.25 per liter, up 11% from EGP 11.0
Diesel prices rose by 15% to EGP 11.50 per liter from EGP 10.0.
The price of Kerosene oil also rose by 15% to EGP 11.50 per liter.
#2- Power cuts continued on the first day of scheduled break as electricity usage peaked: The beginning of an expected summer break from power cuts started not with a bang but a whimper Sunday, with widespread reports of continued outages despite government promises to halt cuts until mid-September. On Monday, the Oil Ministry announced that energy consumption reached its highest level ever on Sunday at around 165 mn cubic meters of fuel equivalent.
AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-
The quadrennial drama of the US presidential elections once again stole international headlines this week as Joe Biden finally heeded the calls of many in his party to end his reelection bid for the White House. Biden immediately endorsed VP Kamala Harris, who quickly saw much of the Democratic Party coalesce around her in the hours after Biden’s announcement.
Harris is well on her way to locking up the nomination, having secured pledges of support from a majority of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, paving the way to securing the nomination at the convention in Chicago from 19-22 August. Her team also announced Monday that the vice president had raised a record-breaking USD 81 mn in the first 24 hours after Biden’s announcement — a substantial war chest for the would-be nominee.
About 100 days til showtime: If Harris secures the nomination, she has only a little over 100 days to mount a challenge against Trump, whose campaign has already begun to attack Harris as “dangerously liberal,” according to the Washington Post. Trump has already spoken out, saying he thinks Harris will be “easier to beat” than Biden.
And in news from Gaza, Israel ordered civilians to evacuate Khan Younis as it relaunched attacks against Hamas, sending hundreds of thousands to the humanitarian area in Al Mawasi by the coast and killing 70 Palestinians in the meantime.
US officials are saying ceasefire negotiations are “in closing stages,” with Reuters reporting that Netanyahu and Biden are set to iron out the gaps today. How many times have we heard that in the past six months?
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☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND- It’s just another hot weekend with highs of 38°C and lows of 26°C today and tomorrow in Cairo. It’s a bit cooler in Sahel with highs of 32°C and lows of 26°C during the weekend.
HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-
Marwan Moussa, Afroto, DJ Nooriya, and Bubblegum Kollectiv are preparing to deliver an unforgettable evening at Cairo Jazz Club Sea Shore in Ras El Hikma. The event will begin at 9pm tonight. Find your tickets here.
You can still catch Ahmed Helmy on stage in Memo. If you missed the Egyptian comedy icon’s first few shows of his original play, he will be performing once again today at the Grand Nile Tower. (tickets)
Witness a lineup of emerging talent, or take to the stage yourself at Rawabet Art Space’s open mic. Hosted by Abd El Rahman Magdy, the event, which will take place tonight at 8pm, will give you the chance to break into the scene or spot stars-to-be. Get your tickets here.
Pop icon Tamer Hosny is performing at the festival tonigh at 10pm. Find tickets here.
Musical maestro Hany Shenouda is bringing his revived pop band El Masryeen to the New Alamein Festival tomorrow at 10pm. Get your tickets here.
HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND-
Superstar Mohamed Ramadan will perform a concert at Porto Golf in the North Coast on Friday, 2 August at 10pm. Grab tickets here before they sell out.
For the love of poetry. Don’t miss poet Mostafa Ibrahim’s Live Podcast at Rawabet Art Space. Hosted by radio presenter Zahra Ramy, this is an opportunity to experience the poet’s work live. (tickets)
Paris returns to host the Olympics for the third time in its history, after 100 years since it last hosted the Summer Games. Once again, fans are eager to watch the games after the Tokyo Olympics, which took place just three years ago behind closed doors amid the pandemic. The official opening ceremony kicks off tonight and will continue for 16 days until Sunday, August 11. However, some events have already started as usual before the opening.
OPENING CEREMONY- The ceremony will begin at 7:30 pm Paris time (8:30 pm Cairo time) and is expected to last for over three hours. Paris aims to organize a completely different opening ceremony from anything the world has seen before. For the first time ever, the opening ceremony will not take place inside a sports stadium but rather along the Seine River. Approximately 326k spectators will line the riverbanks to watch athletes and performers sail from east to west along a six-kilometer route, passing famous landmarks of the French capital, starting from the Austerlitz Bridge, through Notre-Dame Cathedral, and ending near the Eiffel Tower.
WHERE TO WATCH- BeIN Sports holds the exclusive rights to broadcast the Olympic Games in the Middle East and North Africa.
TOP SECRET- Organizers have imposed strict secrecy around the details of the opening ceremony, but a few small hints have emerged. Rumors suggest that Canadian-French singer Celine Dion will perform Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” during the opening ceremony, despite her recent battle with stiff person syndrome, Le Parisien reported. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Dion’s presence in the opening ceremony, if it happens, would be “ fantastic news,” without confirming her participation. Lady Gaga was also spotted in Paris a few days ago, fueling speculation about her performing in the event.
The Olympic Torch on its way to the Seine banks: The Olympic torch continues its journey across France toward the capital city. Tonight, after a trip lasting over two months and involving around 10k torchbearers, it will finally settle along the Seine. Among those who have already carried the torch are former French football star Thierry Henry and Korean pop sensation Jin. Today, American rapper Snoop Dogg and the world’s longest rowing boat are expected to participate in carrying the torch.
FLAG BEARERS- Following tradition, the flag parade will start with Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Next comes the refugee team, represented by Syrian taekwondo athlete Yahya Al Ghotany and Cameroonian boxer Cindy Ngamba. French discus throw champion Melina Robert-Michon and swimmer Florent Manaudou carry the French flag. Basketball legend LeBron James and tennis player Coco Gauff will bear the flag for the United States. Egypt has chosen silver medalist at Tokyo and modern pentathlete Ahmed Elgendy, along with bronze medalist at Rio, weightlifter Sara Samir, to carry their flag. Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate as “neutral individual athletes” due to the ongoing doping-related sanctions imposed on both countries since 2020.”
POLITICS AND SECURITY CHALLENGES- The Olympic Games are coming after a few weeks of the French legislative elections, which did not result in a decisive majority for any of the political parties in the country. This prompted President Macron on Tuesday to announce that a new government would not be formed until the end of the Olympic Games. The current government faces a significant challenge in securing the games, which will host many outdoor sports events at Paris’s famous landmarks. France is preparing to deploy around 45k police officers, 10k military personnel, and 22k private security personnel. Additionally, Paris has reportedly received foreign security reinforcements, estimated at about 2k police and military forces, to secure the City of Light, which is experiencing heightened security measures not seen since World War II, The Guardian wrote.
BY THE NUMBERS- 10.5k athletes will participate in 32 sports, comprising 329 events. The competitions will take place at 41 venues, including the Palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower Stadium, Grand Palais, Place de la Concorde, and Pont Alexandre III Bridge. In addition, the surfing competitions will be held on Tahiti Island in French Polynesia, south of the Pacific Ocean, approximately 15k kms from Paris.
FOR THE FIRST TIME-
Breaking enters the Olympics as an official sport for the first time in history.
The Olympic events will conclude for the first time with the women’s marathon on August 11, rather than the men’s marathon as usual.
Also for the first time, more than 20,000 amateur runners will be allowed to participate in a marathon race along the same official route, scheduled for the evening of August 10 after the men’s marathon concludes.
Gender parity will be fully achieved for the first time ever, with nearly a 50-50 participation ratio among the 10.5k athletes.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME: Paris 2024 was supposed to witness the first participation of men in artistic swimming after World Aquatics approved the inclusion of a maximum of two men in women’s teams participating in the Olympics, which consist of eight female athletes. American artistic swimmer Bill May, aged 45, was slated to make history being part of the US team. However, the US team’s coach decided last month to exclude him for technical reasons, leaving American participation and that of all other teams in the Paris Olympics limited to women.
MEDAL TABLE BATTLE- After snatching the top spot in the medal table from China on the last day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, expectations point to the United States reclaiming the lead. According to a study by Nielsen Gracenote, the United States is expected to win 39 gold medals and a total of 112 medals, followed by China with 34 gold medals and 86 total medals. Britain, France, and Australia follow in order.”
TOP ATHLETES TO WATCH- From the thrilling comeback of Simone Biles to the last dance of Ma Long, and from the unprecedented glory of Ledecky and Eliud Kipchoge to the anticipated rise of Erriyon Knigton and Noah Lyles, media outlets are curating their lists of top athletes to follow at Paris 2024. For some, it will be their debut on this grand stage, while for others, it marks their final bow. Read more about top athletes to watch at Paris 2024. (CNN | Olympics official website | Independent | Yahoo Sports)
MADE TO BE BROKEN- Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis has been breaking world records time after time. For the pole vaulter with a 6.24 m world record under his belt, breaking the 6.03 m Olympic record in Paris will be like a walk in the park. In fact, track and field and Olympic pool are waiting for many records to be broken, some have stood for more than 30 years. Learn more about Olympic records that experts think they are at risk (here, here, and here)
OUR CHANCES AT PARIS- Egypt is sending its largest-ever delegation, a 164-strong athletes competing in 22 sports. Among them are 5 athletes who have previously won Olympic medals: Alaa Abouelkassem, Sara Samir, Ahmed Elgendy, Seif Eissa, and Mohamed Ibrahim Kisho. Officials hope to achieve 6 or more medals, but we believe that achieving 4-6 medals would be a commendable accomplishment based on the following considerations:
WEIGHTLIFTING- Sara Samir may have the best chance of securing a gold medal — or at least a bronze — in the 81 kg weight category if she repeats her personal best. Karim Abokahla in the 89 kg category and Neama Said in the 71 kg category also have very good chances to compete for a bronze.
FENCING- The Egyptian team includes several qualified fencers who could clinch one or two medals if the draw favors them. With Ziad Elsissy, Alaa Abouelkassem, Mohamed Elsayed, Mohamed Hamza and the rest, the prospects are promising.
HANDBALL- After finishing fourth in Tokyo, hopes are renewed for Egypt’s handball team to win our first team medal in history. However, these hopes largely diminished after the team fell in the “group of death”.
TAEKWONDO- We hope that the draw and world rankings favor Seif Eissa to repeat his Tokyo achievement and secure a new medal.
WRESTLING- Despite winning bronze in Tokyo, Mohamed Kisho’s chances in the 67 kg weight category appear lower this time. As for Abdellatif Manea, he might contend for a medal if the draw smiles upon him.
MODERN PENTATHLON- Ahmed Elgendy, with his high world ranking and international experience, is once again a contender for a medal. Mohanad Shaban could also surprise us.
SHOOTING- Egypt is sending 12 shooters, led by Azmy Mehelba, who is always a strong candidate. Chances are low but winning a medal would be the most delightful surprise for the Egyptian delegation.
KEY COMPETITIONS DAY BY DAY-
SATURDAY, 27 JULY
Don’t miss:
Diving: Women’s 3-meter synchronized springboard final (12:00 pm).
Tennis: First round of men’s and women’s singles (1:00 pm).
Cycling (Road): Women’s individual time trial final (3:30 pm) and men’s individual time trial final (5:30 pm).
Football: Argentina vs. Iraq (4:00 pm), and Morocco vs. Ukraine (6:00 pm).
Skateboarding: Men’s street final (6:00 pm).
Rugby Sevens: Men’s final (8:45 pm).
Swimming: Four finals, first starting at 9:42 pm.
Fencing: Women’s saber final (9:40 pm) and men’s saber final (10:05 pm).
Shooting: Omar Khaled in the men’s 25m air pistol qualifications (10:00 am)
Handball: Egypt vs. Argentina (12:00 pm)
Fencing: Men’s team foil (12:50 pm).
MONDAY, 5 AUGUST
Don’t miss:
Triathlon: Mixed relay final (9:00 am)
Artistic Gymnastics:Men’s parallel bars final (12:45 pm), women’s balance beam final (1:38 pm), men’s horizontal bar final (2:33 pm), women’s floor exercise final (3:23 pm)
Football:Men’s semifinals, two matches at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM
Athletics: Men’s pole vault final (8:00 pm), women’s discus throw (9:30 pm), women’s 5000m run (10:10 pm), women’s 800m (10:45 pm)
3×3 Basketball: Women’s final (11:00 pm) and men’s final (11:30 pm)
Good news for horror fans — Longlegs is absolute nightmare fuel. Oz Perkins’ addition to horror has been stirring up fans since day one of its release. If you’re a staunch traditionalist, this genre-defying horror film may stir up less exciting emotions than fear.
The film, set in the 90s, follows federal agent Lee Harker whose powerful intuition — which borders on the supernatural — helps her solve her very first case. With all eyes on her success, Harker (Maika Monroe of It Follows) is assigned a new one alongside Agent Carter (Blair Underwood). They are tasked with the impossible — catching Longlegs (Nicholas Cage), a serial killer active since the 70s. The harder Harker works, the more victims fall.
The case and film both unfold slowly, Perkins’ vision for a complex and intricate tale as crisp as the winter air present in the film. The weather, alongside gothic imagery of crosses, possessed dolls, bright bloody reds, snowy whites, and suffocating grays pulling you in whether you like it or not.
Cage’s imposing presence and Monroe’s impeccable performance dictate the tone of the film, which starts off with a scene we witness through a little girl’s eyes that tells us that the enemy Harker is facing is no traditional killer.
If you’re expecting a terrifying, fast-paced film rife with jumpscares and dramatic fight scenes, Longlegs is not for you. This film transcends the need for those tropes — reminding us of the iconic The Killing of a Sacred Deer — instead focusing on a state of confusion and acute unease and discomfort that will stay with you as you exit the theater. This tale won’t grip you — it will haunt you.
This stellar film, which will no doubt be inaugurated in the halls of horror, stopped just shy of perfect. The ending seemed to try to use logic to explain the illogical, which, especially to the audience more than willing to accept the story as it has been presented, may seem like a fatal misstep just seconds away from the finish line.
Unlocking the secrets of effective communication. Charles Duhigg’s Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection is a compelling guide for anyone seeking to elevate their communication prowess. Drawing on his background as a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Duhigg masterfully distills the science and art of effective communication into practical insights and strategies.
Each chapter of the book delves into a different crucial aspect of communication, offering valuable lessons and actionable advice. From the importance of perception and storytelling, to the nuances of active listening and body language, Duhigg leaves no stone unturned in exploring the various forms of effective communication.
One of the book’s standout features is its emphasis on authenticity. Duhigg underscores the power of genuine, sincere communication in building trust and credibility. By encouraging readers to embrace their true selves, he lays the foundation for deeper, more meaningful connections with others.
Another highlight is Duhigg’s exploration of persuasion techniques. By dissecting the psychology behind persuasion and offering practical tips for implementation, he equips readers with the tools to influence others and achieve their goals effectively.
Throughout the book, Duhigg’s writing is engaging and accessible, making complex concepts easy to grasp. His use of real-life examples and anecdotes adds depth and relatability, bringing the principles of supercommunication to life.
It’s a must-read for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills, both personally and professionally. With its wealth of insights and actionable strategies, this book empowers readers to unlock the secret language of connection and achieve greater success in their interactions with others.
Head to U-BBQ for an authentic Korean BBQ experience. Yes, finally, Korean BBQ has ventured outside of Maadi. If you’re new to KBBQ, each table has its own grill at the center of the table, where you can cook all types of protein, served raw.
There’s an All You Can Eat option. Which is always the correct choice. At U-BBQ, this gives you unlimited soup, Korean pickles, rice, fries, and ofcourse, all the protein options. Our picks were beef, chicken and shrimp.
Time to grill. Some of the raw platters are served with complementary sides that will elevate your main ingredient. For example, you’ll get a dollop of butter to go with your chicken, and some fresh onions with the beef. All the proteins are all marinated and ready to cook, so don’t worry, you won’t have to work too hard for a flavorful meal.
Eat the Korean way. The diverse sides and sauces on the table are for you to create the perfect bite each time. The traditional way is by creating a “sandwich” within a leaf of lettuce. Add the protein, some kimchi, wrap the lettuce, dip in one of the sauces, and indulge. Trust us, it’s even more delicious than it sounds.
This may just be one of the oldest and most famous podcasts. This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass, has long been a beacon of storytelling excellence, shaping the landscape of podcasting as a vital medium in journalism and culture. But if you’re going to listen to just one episode of it, The Out Crowd is our top pick.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning episode was a historic milestone for podcasting. This set a high standard for storytelling that informs, enlightens, and deeply resonates with audiences worldwide.
The Out Crowd dives deep into the human stories behind the controversial Remain in Mexico policy, masterfully juxtaposes different perspectives from government officials grappling with its implementation to individuals who experienced the human toll from such policies. The episode also has a heightened focus on immigration and politics during the Trump administration.
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