Trump urges Iran to “get smart soon”

Good afternoon, ladies and gents, and happy almost weekend. It’s another quiet day on the homefront as we near the week’s finish line. In today’s issue, we’re taking a close look at how AI is changing education and how Egyptian educators are responding. Looking for an emotional, introspective read? We’ve got you covered with a short story collection you won’t be able to put down. That and more.

First up, the news…

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 Front pages remain dominated by US-Iran tensions and reactions to the UAE’s announcement of its exit from Opec, effective 1 May. US President Donald Trump urges Iran to “get smart soon” and finalize an agreement, while signaling an extended naval blockade of Iranian ports. With the blockade, Trump aims to squeeze Iran’s economy and oil exports and pressure Tehran into nuclear concessions. Oil prices rose, with Brent up 3% to USD 114.6 per barrel and WTI up 3.6% to near USD 104 per barrel at the time of publication.

Elsewhere in Trump-land, the US president said King Charles — whose address to the US Congress yesterday reportedly included subtle jabs at Trump — “agrees” with him on banning Iran’s nuclear program.

^^Read more on: Bloomberg, CNN, CNBC, Reuters, and the Wall Street Journal.

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** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

• Cairo has banned the issuance of new café and restaurant licenses in Heliopolis, Maadi, Zamalek, and Garden City. The decision was spurred by mounting complaints over noise, congestion, and the encroachment of businesses into residential areas;
• The Madbouly gov’t is lining up 40 LNG cargoes for May and June to cover increased power consumption during the summer months. Officials expect demand to rise as much as 6-7% y-o-y starting in June;
• The New Urban Communities Authority is slashing retroactive land assignment fees by up to 50% for North Coast projects allocated before February 2024. The authority will instead calculate the levies based only on the built-up area.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Temperatures are back on the up, with Cairo in for a high of 30°C and a low of 18°C, according to our favorite weather app.