The majority of the talking heads were still off enjoying the last days of summer, leaving us with yet another evening of miscellany.

The resumption of the Bright Star military exercises after its eight-year suspension is an indicator that US-Egypt ties are warming up significantly and returning to pre-2011 levels, Gen. Nasr Salem, a professor of strategic sciences at Nasser Military Academy, told OnLive. The fact that the exercises will resume just a few short weeks after the US decided to withhold some of its aid to Egypt is further proof that the aid is not the only barometer of relations between the two sides (watch, runtime 6:05).

Defending Dabaa: Over on Sada El Balad, Hussein El Shafie, the head of the Egyptian-Russian Foundation for Culture and Science, defended the Dabaa nuclear power plant, saying the plant’s reactors will be operational and Egypt will be selling the power produced from the plant by 2023, while the first installment of the loan is not due until 2029. The four reactors are also expected to reel in USD 264 bn for state coffers over their 60-year lifespan. El Shafie says operating the plant will require no more than 5% of the fuel that would normally be required for gas-fired power plants (watch, runtime 9:03).

And, of course, folks commented on the national team’s World Cup qualifier victory last night, none of them holding a candle to football superfan and Chief of Bombast Amr Adib, who remains on vacation.