One fundamental building block in the Standard Model is the muon, a particle similar to an electron but 200 times more massive. However, that doesn’t make sense this time, because it is becoming increasingly unclear which Standard Model of particle physics prediction we should compare the result with. These could modify the 2020 value, potentially bringing them closer in line with the Standard Model. This could mean that the Standard Model ultimately fails – needing an update. Or, the updated predictions close the gap, which would be a massive boost for the Standard Model.

The Housing and Development Bank (HDB) achieved strong and exceptional growth rates in the first half (1H) of 2023. The independent business results showed a 150.4% growth in net profits to EGP 3.015bn in 1H 2023, compared to EGP 1.204bn during 1H 2022. He highlighted the strong financial results represented in the exceptional growth of both revenues and net profits. All of that led to an increase in income by 103% to EGP 5.6bn during 1H 2023. In addition, the bank achieved a growth in total loans to deposits by 44.6% in 1H 2023, compared to 42.6% in 2022.

Russians spoke in whispered tones of their “August curse” to explain the unusually high number of deadly accidents, terrorist attacks, or outbreaks of war. For a long time now that curse seemed to have been lifted and almost forgotten, reducing the month to just another hot summer interlude. In the Black Sea, Russia’s military and commercial fleets have come under attack from Ukrainian naval drones this month, threatening Russian supply and trade routes. There has been a strict crackdown on dissent in Russia, particularly around criticisms of the war in Ukraine. Russia’s August curse is back indeed.

The death toll from the Islamic State (IS) attack on a Syrian military bus on early Friday rose to 33, a war monitor reported Saturday. The IS militants attacked the bus in the desert region of al-Mayadeen City in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour before daybreak on Friday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army was on alert in the desert region, searching for soldiers who had gone missing, while the attackers disappeared into the desert, as reported by the observatory. The Syrian military confirmed the incident in a statement without giving the death toll. As the IS has intensified its attacks in the desert region, 420 people, mainly soldiers, have been killed since the beginning of 2023 by the IS in the area, according to the war monitor.

Two Ukrainian missiles attempting to attack the Crimean Bridge have been shot down by the air defence system in the Kerch Strait, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday. Ukraine on Saturday launched two S-200 missiles to strike the Crimean Bridge, but they “were detected in a timely manner and were intercepted in the air by Russian air defence systems,” Russia’s Tass news agency reported, citing the country’s defence ministry. The failed attack caused no damage or casualties, said the ministry. However, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency said that two explosions were heard on Saturday near the bridge, citing Ukraine’s Center of national resistance. The 19-km Crimean Bridge that links Crimea to Russia consists of two parallel routes for automobiles and trains over the Kerch Strait.

The companies were selected through a global auction held jointly with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Suez Canal Authority, and the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCzone). The licenses do not just include seaports but also vessels navigating the Suez Canal within both the northbound and southbound convoys. Minerva Bunkering has an annual physical delivery capacity of 25 million metric tonnes of fuel, operating at 30 ports located across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. As for storage, the company controls 1.9 million cubic meters of storage capacity as it owns two purpose-built storage terminals in Fujairah and Las Palmas. Naval Institute, the Suez Canal carries 12 percent of global trade.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Politburo Chief of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ismail Haniyeh on Thursday discussed ending the internal split and proceeding with internal reconciliation. In a statement, Hamas said that Abbas and Haniyeh agreed on the need to expedite the formation of the committee. “The agreed-upon committee will discuss all files so that it can present the outcomes of its discussions before the next meeting of the secretaries-general (of Palestinian factions),” the statement said. The two leaders stressed the need to move forward to bring the Palestinian people closer and achieve internal unity “to strengthen the common national stance to confront the current challenges,” it added. The internal Palestinian division started in 2007 after Hamas forcibly took control of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people.

The dramatic and rapid Taliban offensive in the spring of 2021 culminated in its takeover of Kabul on August 15. It comprises somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters, including former regime officials and members of ethnic minorities opposed to the Taliban regime. Taliban’s fear and intimidation at home and abroadAfter two years of Taliban rule, Afghanistan, is a different – but not a lesser – problem. This has not, however, stopped international efforts to engage with the Taliban regime. While these efforts do not imply recognition of the Taliban regime – even by its closest neighbours – they suggest a slow but inevitable trend in that direction.

Egypt’s annual urban inflation rate rose to an all-time high of 36.5% in July, up from 14.6% in the same month a year earlier, the country’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced Thursday. The record year-on-year increase was mostly driven by price hikes of grains, hotels, alcohol and cigarettes, and healthcare. Food and drink prices registered a 68.2% increase compared to that of July 2022, the CAPMAS said in a statement. The previous record of annual inflation rate rise was registered last month at 35.7%. Meanwhile, Egypt’s annual core inflation inched down slightly to 40.7% in July down from 41% in June, according to the Central Bank of Egypt.

In a recent report, the British “The Independent” website highlighted some of the best tourist activities for tourists to do to get the most out of their visit to Egypt. The article noted the increasing demand for Egypt as an attractive tourist destination. According to the report, one of the most enjoyable activities for a tourist in Egypt to do is taking a Nile cruise in a floating hotel between the cities of Luxor and Aswan. And no trip to Egypt is complete without visiting the pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, the report continued. Finally, the report discussed the culinary activities tourists can partake in to learn more about Egypt’s unique menus, including culinary courses.

Speaking to MENA, he said these recommendations, that were raised at one of the sessions of the National Dialogue held at the National Academy for Training, will be referred to the Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue before submitting them to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. He said the session was attended by 15 experts in financial and monetary policies and investments. The session tackled four axes; improving investment climate, legislative environment of investment, small and medium-sized enterprises and merging unofficial economy into official one. The participants lauded efforts exerted by the Egyptian State and the Supreme Council for Investment over the past period to improve investment climate. He clarified that all agreed recommendations are meant to overcome bureaucracy, digitalize services offered by the Egyptian State, set up strong portal to address investors both at home and outside and draw up an investment plan featuring Egypt's resources and investment opportunities.

This phase runs throughout August and may last till September. She stated the campaign, which is carried out in cooperation with the Health Ministry, aims to issue an additional one million integrated services' cards for persons with disabilities, especially for women. Around 1.5 million cards were issued in the campaign's first and second phases, the minister said. Qabbaj noted her ministry hopes to have an audited database on people with disabilities at the end of this campaign. Disabled people who have the integrated services card can conduct free medical check-ups in hospitals and get an adequate government housing unit, in addition to receiving discounts on means of transportation and subscribing to youth centers and sports clubs.

London CNN — Natural gas prices have spiked again this week, just as Europe prepares for the heating season. The price of Dutch natural gas, the European benchmark, has jumped 24 percent to €40 ($44) per megawatt hour since Tuesday on news of potential industrial action at liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Australia. US natural gas prices have climbed 18 percent so far this month. “As much of the spare LNG supply comes from the US, natural gas prices there have also jumped higher,” he added. The sudden rise in gas prices follows a recent run-up in oil prices, driven by production cuts by major exporters such as Saudi Arabia and Russia.

At least 53 people have been confirmed dead in the devastating hurricane-driven Hawaii wildfire, authorities said on Thursday. “As firefighting efforts continue, 17 additional fatalities have been confirmed today amid the active Lahaina fire. This brings the death toll to 53 people,” Hawaii’s Maui Island County wrote in a statement posted to the county website. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, as US officials anticipate that Hawaii wildfires will become the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1961 tsunami killed 61 people on the Big Island, AP reported. More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires, that was fueled by dry conditions and strong winds from a passing hurricane.

Persistently high inflation, elevated interest rates, and a slumping and volatile Zimbabwe dollar have combined to fuel a cost of living crisis for households and battered business activity. In the years following the switch to the US dollar, inflation receded until 2019 when the Zimbabwe dollar was re-introduced. In many ways, the return of the Zimbabwe dollar evokes bad memories of the inflation crisis of 2008 which still loom large for many people. The following reforms are crucial for addressing these structural weaknesses:Fiscal governance reforms to strengthen the budgetary process. Central bank governance reforms to promote autonomy of the bank’s operations, including monetary policy independence which is important for preserving price stability.