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2024 Nobel Prize in Physics and Medicine winners

2024 Nobel Prize in Physics and Medicine winners

PLUS: Old Mutual launches MVNO service on Cell C network

Innovation Village
October 09, 2024

Today’s Menu ☕️

🤖 Nobel Prize in Physics 2024: John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for AI and Machine Learning
📱Egypt’s telecom giants Vodafone, Orange, and e& secure 5G licenses following state-operated company’s initiative
📲 Ghana introduces CitizenApp for streamlined access to government services
⚕️2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine: Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for Discovery of microRNA
💰 Egyptian fintech startup Bokra unveils $207K fund to support student entrepreneurs
📱Old Mutual launches MVNO service on Cell C network amid sector growth

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2024 NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS WINNERS

Nobel Prize in Physics 2024: John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for AI and Machine Learning

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to two groundbreaking scientists, U.S. physicist John Hopfield and British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton, for their pioneering work in machine learning. Their discoveries have laid the foundation for the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), a technology that is transforming industries across the world.

Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the “godfather of AI,” has been instrumental in advancing the field of deep learning. His development of methods that allow machines to autonomously learn from data has revolutionized industries such as healthcare, finance, and beyond. Hinton’s methods enable machines to identify patterns in data, such as recognizing specific elements in images, making AI a powerful tool for solving complex problems.

John Hopfield, the 91-year-old physicist from Princeton University, also contributed to the field by developing associative memory models. These models allow machines to store and reconstruct images and data patterns, further advancing AI capabilities.........continue reading

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📱 TELECOMS

Egypt’s telecom giants Vodafone, Orange, and e& secure 5G licenses following state-operated company’s initiative

The Egyptian government has successfully concluded agreements with three major mobile operators—Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, and e& Egypt—for the second phase of issuing 5G licenses. This announcement was made by Amr Talaat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, who emphasized that these agreements are set to significantly enhance 5G services, improve communication quality, and increase network capacity to ensure peak performance.

Talaat affirmed Egypt’s readiness to adopt and implement the latest 5G technologies, aiming to boost service quality and expand mobile network capabilities. This step is crucial for Egypt’s ambition to offer its citizens cutting-edge technological services.

From the sale of 5G service licenses to the nation’s four telecom operators, which include Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, e& Egypt, and the state-owned Telecom Egypt, the government has reportedly generated approximately $675 million.......continue reading

📲 GOVERNMENT

Ghana introduces CitizenApp for streamlined access to government services

Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has unveiled “CitizenApp,” a comprehensive mobile application that integrates all digitized public services in Ghana into a single digital platform. The Citizen App is tailored to serve as a one-stop personalized platform for Ghanaians, with the goal of streamlining access to a variety of government services, enabling users to report issues, and providing up-to-date information on public affairs.

The app is designed to facilitate a range of transactions directly from users’ mobile phones, including the payment of utility bills, settling local assembly fees, acquiring digital addresses, booking intercity transportation, and updating personal records such as name changes following marriage.

Dr. Bawumia confirmed that CitizenApp’s data interoperability framework is part of a broader initiative to create a digital ecosystem that links all government agencies in Ghana. This interconnected system is expected to allow for the smooth exchange of data between agencies, thereby enhancing the sharing of information and improving the efficiency of government services.........continue reading

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2024 NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE WINNERS

2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine: Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for Discovery of microRNA

U.S. scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their revolutionary discovery of microRNA, a tiny molecule that plays a critical role in gene regulation. Their work has greatly expanded our understanding of how multicellular organisms grow and develop, explaining how cells, despite having the same genetic material, can differentiate into specialized types like muscle and nerve cells.

The Nobel Assembly praised Ambros and Ruvkun for uncovering “a completely new principle of gene regulation,” which is fundamental to the development and function of complex organisms. MicroRNA is now recognized as a key player in this process, acting as a communication network among genes that allows cells to create complex structures and functions. Ambros, a professor at UMass Chan Medical School, and Ruvkun, a professor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, worked together closely in this research, forming a deep partnership that has lasted for decades..........continue reading

💰 FUNDING

Egyptian fintech startup Bokra unveils $207K fund to support student entrepreneurs

The Egyptian fintech enterprise Bokra, which commenced operations in 2023 with a vision to democratize finance by ensuring it is inclusive, transparent, and socially beneficial, has forged a strategic alliance with the Canadian International College (CIC). This collaboration has resulted in the establishment of a substantial fund amounting to EGP10 million (equivalent to approximately US$207,000).

The purpose of this fund is to provide financial support to Egyptian students who possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit and aspire to become innovators in their fields.........continue reading