{"id":559316,"date":"2021-01-18T03:30:04","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T03:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2021\/01\/18\/what-were-tracking-on-18-january-2021\/"},"modified":"2021-01-18T03:30:04","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T03:30:04","slug":"what-were-tracking-on-18-january-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2021\/01\/18\/what-were-tracking-on-18-january-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"What we\u2019re tracking on 18 January 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, friends \u2014 we\u2019ve <\/strong>now done this together for 1,500 mornings. <\/strong>Thank you, each and every one of you, for coming along for the ride. And if you enjoy reading us each weekday morning, please join us in thanking our friends at CIB, Pharos, Sodic, Somabay, Orascom Construction and CIRA. Your morning read is available without charge thanks to their generous support.<\/p>\n

THE BIG NEWS at home this morning: Foreign holdings of EGP-denominated debt are <\/strong>creeping back up to their pre-pandemic high<\/strong>, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said yesterday. We have chapter and verse in the news well, below.<\/p>\n

<\/a> TODAY IN COVID- The Finance Ministry has set aside USD 1.5-1.6 bn to purchase <\/strong>vaccines against covid-19<\/strong>, minister Mohamed Maait said yesterday<\/a>. Meanwhile: Seasonal and day labourers started getting the second EGP 1 bn installment of the new round of stimulus payouts yesterday as the Madbouly government looks to keep people afloat amid the second wave of covid-19. The program comes as part of a EGP 100 bn stimulus package<\/a> introduced in March to protect the economy. We have more in this morning\u2019s Covid Watch, below.<\/p>\n

THE BIG NEWS ABROAD:<\/strong> It\u2019s Fortress Washington as the District of Columbia joins state capitals in preparing for possible armed violence by white racists ahead of the 20 January inauguration of Joe Biden. \u201cWashington is fortified amid fears of more violence<\/a>,\u201d reads the lead story in the FT. State capitals were braced for pro-Trump violence<\/a> yesterday, but it largely failed to materialized<\/a>. Still, \u201ctroops, blockades and an eerie quiet pervade a locked-down Washington<\/a>\u201d and state capitals are on alert ahead of the 7pm CLT inauguration on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Inside Trump\u2019s final days:<\/strong> Aides struggle to contain an angry, isolated president<\/a>.<\/p>\n

PSA- It\u2019s going to be chilly today<\/strong> with a daytime high of 18\u00b0C and an overnight low of 8\u00b0C, setting the tone for the coming 14 days, according to our favourite weather app.<\/p>\n

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IN THE HOUSE TODAY-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and his cabinet will appear before the new <\/strong>parliament today<\/strong> after being invited to the chamber by House Speaker Hanafi El Gibali. Madbouly will deliver a speech laying out the state of play with the government program and ministers will be invited to give statements briefing MPs on how their ministries have performed since 2018. Look for this to lead the news cycle this afternoon and tomorrow. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The day\u2019s proceedings were all over the airwaves last night:<\/strong> Kelma Akhira (watch, runtime:<\/a>6:48<\/a>), Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, run time: 6:27)<\/a>, Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 2:18)<\/a>, Ala Mas\u2019ouleety (watch, runtime: 3:00)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s on the House of Representatives\u2019 agenda this week?<\/strong><\/p>\n