On celebrities and political activism

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THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Banque du Caire is hitting the stock market

☀️ Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and happy weekend. This month’s Long View looks at what it costs to take a public stance on Palestine in the entertainment industry, using Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour as the starting point.

Elsewhere: We also have A Few Good Men for your Friday night — still one of Hollywood’s sharpest courtroom dramas three decades on — along with a new breakfast spot in New Cairo that found us before we found it, and a podcast about the design decisions behind everything we take for granted.

But first, your weekly recap…

🗞️ LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

CAPITAL MARKETS-

Banque du Caire is going public. The state-owned lender announced this week it plans to float 30% of its shares on the EGX. Parent Banque Misr will sell 4.575 bn existing shares in a fully secondary offering and pocket all proceeds. The notice expects subscriptions to close toward late October and trading to start in November, subject to the Financial Regulatory Authority approval of its public subscription notice, plus EGX sign-off.

AND- Foreign institutional investors have flocked to MNT-Halan’s IPO on the Egyptian Exchange. The fintech wrapped up subscriptions yesterday with the biggest order book the EGX has seen in years, a sign that investor appetite for the right stock is very much alive. Retail and institutional investors placed combined orders for 16x more stock than was on offer, with total demand coming in at EGP 125.9 bn (c. USD 2.4 bn) for an EGP 7.84 bn offering, by our math based on preliminary data from brokerage Thndr’s app. That’s triple what this year’s other two IPOs, Gourmet and Korra Energi, drew combined, according to our calculations.

ALSO- The EGX30 etched out a modest gain in 3Q, closing the quarter up 2.79% at roughly 51.9k points, against an 11.4% rally in 2Q. September slowed the overall gain, with the index shedding 5.4% over the month, dragged down by building materials stocks.

ECONOMY-

Annual urban inflation eased for a second straight month to 13.9% in September, down from 14.5% in August and its lowest level since February. Monthly prices rose 1.3%, the fastest pace since May, after falling 0.4% in June and barely moving in July and August. However, the annual relief was driven largely by a favorable base effect: prices had jumped 1.8% m-o-m in September 2025, so this year’s smaller rise was enough to pull the annual rate down.

AND- S&P Global Ratings affirmed Egypt’s sovereign credit at B/B and Fitch Ratings set it at B, both with a stable outlook. Both agencies credited the flexible exchange rate, record reserves, and multilateral support for their assessments. S&P noted foreign portfolio outflows reached USD 9.5 bn and the EGP depreciated up to 15% before stabilizing; Fitch said outflows exceeded USD 6 bn and the currency lost over 14% before recovering.

NBFIs-

Non-bank lenders Aman Holding, Bokra, and Erada Finance signed on to pilot venture debt (VD) for Egyptian scaleups under the Scale It Forward program, with 30 scaleups set to be selected this month. Co-developed by German development agency GIZ and enpact, the program gives each selected scaleup EUR 5k in non-repayable de-risking support to make lenders comfortable taking the risk.

DIPLOMACY-

Egypt and South Korea upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership, with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung launching negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and signing 12 cooperation documents. The agreement is meant to cover trade in goods and services, economic cooperation, and supply chain resilience.

REAL ESTATE-

Hassan Allam Holding is the latest Egyptian developer to cross the Gulf into Oman. The group’s real estate arm Grova Developments signed two agreements yesterday with state-owned Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group) to launch the first residential phase at Madinat Al Irfan in Muscat. The agreements cover a USD 75 mn residential neighbourhood and a USD 40 mn branded residences project, roughly USD 115 mn combined.

AND- Hyde Park Real Estate Development bought 415 feddans in the eastern expansions of 6th of October City (the historic Dream Land site) from the Egyptian Company for Real Estate Asset Management and Investment (Ecrami). The sale covers about half of Ecrami’s 818-feddan Dream Land portfolio. The price was not disclosed.


Will AI eventually replace lawyers? In the third installment of our mini-series on AI, Lamyaa Gadelhak, Cairo-based partner at Baker McKenzie and chair of its Global Project Finance Group, refutes that claim.

Listen to the episode on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anghami | YouTube

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🌍 AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

This week’s headlines were dominated by a Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire that may or may not exist, a fresh Iran blockade action, and the IMF warning that the global economy could soon “test the limits of resilience.” Here’s the rundown.

US President Donald Trump announced an immediate Russia-Ukraine “energy ceasefire”, saying both sides had agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said he was still waiting for the specifics. Moscow did not confirm. The announcement followed days of US pressure on Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil refineries and came alongside a separate Putin-Trump agreement releasing 500k tons of Russian diesel into international markets — partially lifting Moscow’s export ban.

On the Iran front, US Central Command disabled a Panama-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman for allegedly attempting to run the naval blockade — the first such action in more than a month — after the vessel departed an Iranian port and ignored warnings. Two Singapore-registered container vessels were subsequently struck by unknown projectiles while crossing the strait — one caught fire and sank, the other sustained hull damage. No injuries were reported.

The IMF raised its 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1% from 3% but warned that the world economy “could soon test the limits of resilience” as oil stocks run dangerously low, AI investment distorts capital allocation, and government debt accumulates across major economies. The Fund projects global inflation at 4.7% this year, assumes oil averages USD 96/bbl, and sees no return to the 2025 growth pace of 3.5% until 2027 — and only if Hormuz reopens and AI demand cools.

IN THE BUSINESS PRESS- Amazon is negotiating a USD 7 bn acquisition of Decart AI, whose software simplifies switching between AI chips — the latest big-ticket AI infrastructure transaction of the year. Nvidia is in early-stage talks to acquire or take a bigger stake in open-weight AI startup Reflection AI, possibly through an acqui-hire that would bypass regulatory hurdles — it has already invested USD 800 mn in the firm. AND- US authorities arrested a Saudi OpenAI employee for allegedly planting a recording device inside the company’s San Francisco headquarters — hidden behind a TV in an executive meeting room. OpenAI said it found no evidence that customer data, source code, or model weights were compromised.

ALSO- The US Treasury fined Bank of America more than USD 1 bn for violating anti-money laundering and sanctions laws, including failing to report over USD 5 bn in suspicious transactions linked to Chinese money laundering networks and trade-based laundering.

☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND-

Bring out the sweaters, folks, it’s time. We’re in for a cool and breezy weekend, with temperatures peaking today at just 28°C, before dropping to an overnight low of 20°C. Tomorrow offers more of the same, with a high of 28°C and a low of 20°C, according to our favorite weather app.

🎤 HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-

Caught between “Narein”? Tul8te knows a thing or two about that. Tonight, the beloved masked Egyptian singer — hailed as this generation’s Amr Diab — will be taking the stage at Al Manara Arena to perform his biggest hits and late-summer releases. If you haven’t had the chance to see him live yet, consider this a sign. Tickets are available on TicketsMarché.

Legendary composer and pianist Omar Khairat will take the stage at the second edition of the Fustat Festival in Masr El Qadima tonight, accompanied by Maestro Nayer Nagui. Expect an evening of sweeping orchestral arrangements and beloved compositions. The concert starts at 10pm, and tickets are selling fast — get yours on TicketsMarche.

Due for some family quality time? The Grand Egyptian Museum is back with another GEM Family Weekend celebrating Egypt’s living heritage today and tomorrow. This edition brings a packed weekend of fun, from ancient Egyptian-inspired pottery, jewelry, and crafts workshops to El Aragoz hand puppetry shows, a special interactive play, sing-alongs, baladi bread baking, a spread of Egyptian street food, and much more. The event runs from 11am to 8pm — you can get tickets for you and your family through TicketsMarché.

The real coffee enthusiasts among us know that coffee isn’t just a morning caffeine fix; it’s a complete experience. The Egypt Coffee Festival is bringing that experience to life again this year at Kamelizer in District 5, returning for a two-day run today and tomorrow. This year’s theme, Common Grounds, serves up the endless ways coffee can bring us together, from the maker-dedicated Roaster Village to workshops, talks, tasting experiences, and a design competition in collaboration with SYNC. The experience starts at 9am and ends at 8pm — you can grab your tickets on TicketsMarché.

Renowned pianist Amr Selim is taking the stage at New Cairo’s Teatro 90 tomorrow. If you’re looking to unwind during the weekend, Selim’s melodies and stage presence promise a relaxing evening of music. Catch the concert at 8pm, with tickets available on TicketsMarché.

Looking to nurture your child’s talents? Steps Summit is taking over SODIC Eastown’s Sports Club tomorrow for a full day of family-focused activities designed to support children’s learning, development, and future potential. The summit brings together different youth development programs from Central Dance Studio and Theater & Movement to camp program Blooms. Expect workshops, exhibitions, panel talks, and plenty more activities. The day kicks off at 11:30am, with tickets available on TicketsMarché.

🎤 HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND-

Sorry seems to be the hardest word, but come next weekend, English boy band Blue will be singing it for all to hear at the New Capital. The internationally acclaimed stars are paying Om El Donia a visit as part of their 25th anniversary tour on Saturday, 24 October. Expect high-energy performances, Y2K classics, and a whole lot of fun — you can secure your tickets through Ticketsmarché.

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THE LONG VIEW

The price of taking a pro-Palestine stand in Hollywood

🎙️ Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, taking a side in public has come with a steep bill in the entertainment business. Hollywood split within weeks, and stars on each side signed rival open letters. Pro-Palestinian actors and musicians have lost roles, agents, and tour slots, while pro-Israel stars have mostly lost followers. The latest bill was handed out to Macklemore on Ed Sheeran’s stage, and it opened the conversation up for debate once again.

💡 The Long View is EnterpriseAM Weekend’s monthly space for the essay — a take on something worth sitting with. Not news, not a how-to. Just a question the week left behind.

The Macklemore debacle, explained

Macklemore learned the hard way that stadiums have owners, and these owners quite dislike the words “genocide” and “FreePalestine.” On Friday, 4 September, he opened for Ed Sheeran at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, called for a “FreePalestine,” and played Hind’s Hall, his 2024 song named after Hind Rajab. Within days, he was off the rest of the US leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, where he still had eight shows to play of the 10 remaining dates.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft confirmed he barred Macklemore from Gillette Stadium over his MetLife remarks and what Kraft called a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Promoter Messina Touring Group also said venue owners on the coming dates refused to host a show with Macklemore on the bill. Sheeran — who calls himself apolitical — later put the decision on the promoter.

But things didn’t pan out well for Sheeran. Following the backlash from Macklemore’s departure, Sheeran’s supporting acts all abandoned their tour stops; Aaron Rowe, Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Irish folk band Beoga — which also served as Sheeran’s touring band — quit, taking every scheduled opener with them.

The stand-off then turned into a fundraiser, with Macklemore later taking to his own stage to make a stand. Macklemore pledged the USD 1 mn he netted from the tour to Palestinian organizations and challenged Kraft to match it. Kraft said Sheeran had asked him to match a USD 2 mn donation for aid in the region, and he agreed. Later in September, Macklemore announced a three-city “FreePalestine” tour, with all proceeds pledged to Palestinian causes; the dates, set for the last week of October, were immediately sold out.

But not everyone got lucky

Macklemore’s case was maybe the loudest in a three-year struggle, but it definitely wasn’t the only one of its kind. In November 2023, Spyglass Media Group fired Melissa Barrera from the Scream franchise over Instagram posts that called for a ceasefire, including a repost accusing Israel of genocide. Spyglass said its zero-tolerance policy on antisemitism covers “false references to genocide.”

The same month, United Talent Agency dropped Susan Sarandon after she stated that Jewish Americans afraid for their safety were getting a taste of what Muslims in the US live with, later apologizing for the remark. At Creative Artists Agency, Maha Dakhil lost her post as co-head of the motion picture department over an Instagram post on genocide denial. She stayed on as an agent, however, with her biggest client Tom Cruise in her corner.

Other cases brought the issue into context a little more: Hacks actor Poppy Liu said a six-year TV contract was pulled without explanation, and she believes her activism is the reason. Ashlee Margolis, founder of PR firm The A-List, sparked outrage after telling staff to refrain from working with anyone who is pro-Palestine; she later emphasized this by stating that talent who accuse Israel of genocide is “someone we will pause on working with.”

Mark Ruffalo, known amongst Marvel fans for playing the Hulk, also ruffled some feathers for his unyielding support of Palestine. Ruffalo came under fire in May 2021 for posts suggesting Israel was committing genocide; the star later apologized for these posts, calling them inaccurate and inflammatory. Four years later, he was among thousands who signed the Film Workers for Palestine pledge, which commits its signatories to avoid Israeli film institutions implicated in genocide and apartheid.

But the price to pay now reaches beyond Hollywood. Normal People author Sally Rooney and her publisher, Faber, agreed on Wednesday, 14 October to stop selling her books in the UK in any format lest it be qualified as a “serious criminal offence” under current UK legislation. The UK had declared direct-action group Palestine Action a terrorist organization in July 2025, and Rooney has said she will keep funding it, so Faber says it has no lawful way to pay her UK earnings. That shuts her out of a market where she has sold about 2.3 mn books, over a third of her 6 mn worldwide.

The other side

Pro-Israel stars have mostly paid the price in followers and boycott calls. Noah Schnapp posted in October 2023 that “you either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism,” before appearing in a video that made the rounds on social media with “Zionism is sexy” stickers. He also liked a video mocking Palestinian victims, which led to calls for a boycott of Stranger Things’ final season. He later posted a since-deleted video on TikTok saying that his views on the issue had been misconstrued. His Netflix contract stayed intact, and he finished the series as one of its central characters.

Jerry Seinfeld was also one of the artists Hollywood didn’t exactly punish for his pro-Israel views, even though he drew protests at his stand-up shows and a student walkout at Duke University. Seinfeld later turned a heckle into a punchline; at a show in Chicago on Friday, 9 October, protesters in the audience called him an apologist for genocide. When one shouted that 74k Palestinians had been killed, Seinfeld shot back, “I am racist; it’s a genocide; I’m into it.” He danced on stage as security removed one protester, and told another he would find out what their ticket cost and send the money to Israel. Several Portuguese artists had already pulled out of the Lisbon International Humour Festival over his support for Israel, as the comedian is still booked to close it on 1 November.

The closest thing to a contractual hit on that side came from hosts worried about protests. Brett Gelman had book signings canceled over safety concerns tied to his pro-Israel advocacy. No studio or agency has acted against a pro-Israel star the way Spyglass and United Talent Agency did, and no promoter has so far done what Messina did to Macklemore.

The road ahead

One word keeps splitting both sides: genocide, with gatekeepers using it as a breach of their antisemitism policies. Critics of Israel say the word describes the war, and that those policies treat criticism of Israel as hatred of Jews, while supporters say the term fuels antisemitism. Only one side’s critics have been able to cancel contracts over it. Pro-Israel stars have faced petitions, walkouts, and unfollows, and kept working.

… But the list of people saying the word keeps growing. Adam Brody, who is Jewish and plays a rabbi on Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, told GQ last month: “Put me down as thinking it’s a genocide,” ahead of the show’s third season. Steve Leder, the rabbi who consulted on the first season, called him an “ignorant Jew”.

AND- More big names have kept their contracts intact despite their pro-Gaza stance. Ruffalo still appeared as Bruce Banner in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Nicola Coughlan returned as Penelope in Bridgerton’s fourth season. Florence Pugh leads Netflix’s latest series East of Eden, even though she lost hundreds of thousands of followers over her stance. Javier Bardem will be honored with an award at the Rome Film Fest, returns in Dune: Part Three in December, and has landed a new HBO series.

So, should artists be political at all? Caught between the tough choice of speaking out or staying complicit, today’s artists face that choice with a contract on the line and an industry that continues to fight against freedom of political expression only where it serves it.

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FOR YOUR HOME THEATER

Revisiting classics: 1992’s A Few Good Men

🍿 Duty and conscience: Directed by Rob Reiner in 1992, courtroom classic A Few Good Men stands as one of Hollywood’s sharpest courtroom dramas, even three decades following its release. Despite relying almost entirely on dialogue, it holds audiences spellbound with far more tension than most action flicks can muster.

The plot: Two US Marines stationed at Guantanamo Bay face murder charges following a brutal disciplinary hazing incident gone wrong. Assigned to their defense is Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), a brilliant but complacent Navy lawyer who has never seen the inside of a courtroom, preferring quick plea bargains over trial combat. Pushing him out of his comfort zone is Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway (Demi Moore), who spurs him to fight for his clients with teeth and claws. As the duo digs deeper, they suspect the Marines were merely following orders from high-ranking officers — specifically the unyielding base commander, Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson). But proving it means taking on a military establishment built to protect its own.

What worked: The writing is breathtakingly sharp, fueled by dialogue that makes complex courtroom maneuvering deeply engaging. Every line is carefully calibrated to drive the plot forward, while Reiner directs with a steady hand, turning conversational exchanges into thrilling, high-stakes suspense. Cruise shines as a man forced to step up and challenge an entire system, Moore serves as the film’s moral compass, and Nicholson commands despite relatively limited screen time. The iconic courtroom climax between Cruise and Nicholson — home to one of the most famous lines in cinema history — remains an absolute high-water mark for the genre.

The verdict: The film follows a familiar narrative structure, making its overall arc fairly predictable from the start. Yet that hardly detracts from the experience. The true joy comes from watching legendary actors execute a script written by a master of his craft at the peak of his powers, raising a timeless question: Where does loyalty lie when blind obedience to authority collides with basic human morality?

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the movie on Apple TV. Check out the trailer on YouTube (watch, runtime: 2:26).

This publication is proudly sponsored by

The Luxury of Certainty
From OUR FAMILY to YOURS
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From the Bookstore

Empty Vessel traces four decades of global economic transformation through the history of a single ship

📚🛳️ The global economy, told through one ship. In Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge, historian Ian Kumekawa traces the life of a vessel built in Sweden in 1979 — one that went on to house North Sea oil platform workers, shelter British soldiers during the Falklands War, accommodate German factory workers, detain prisoners in New York, and house oil industry workers in Nigeria. Four decades, one ship, and a front-row seat to the forces that remade the global economy.

What to expect: The book uses the ship’s history as a way into maritime economics — where international trade intersects with shell companies, permissive regulations, and the relentless pursuit of lower costs and higher margins. By tracking the vessel’s changing ownership and uses across different countries, Kumekawa connects its story to broader shifts: the decline of traditional industries in Europe and North America, rising dependence on automation and technology, labor market transformations, and the expansion of privatization and mass incarceration.

The throughline is how companies and governments exploited legislative loopholes and the gaps between national regulatory systems to repurpose assets and sidestep restrictions — as when the ship became a floating jail in New York in 1989, providing additional detention capacity without the procedural complexity of building new facilities.

What we liked: Rather than treating globalization, financialization, and privatization as separate concepts, the author anchors them in a physical trajectory: the ship’s changing function becomes the lens through which commercial interests and public policy reveal their entanglement, and crises become opportunities for redistributing resources and responsibilities. The book also refuses to separate economic structure from human experience. It keeps returning to the workers, the prisoners, and others who passed through the vessel — and to the costs that cross-border financial and legal arrangements can obscure. The picture of the global economy it builds isn’t only about the movement of capital; it also documents the lives shaped by its shifts.

The verdict: A ship’s history turned into a narrative about the transformation of the global economy — offering a different angle on what globalization and economic openness actually cost, and who ends up carrying the weight of a system in which gains and responsibilities are not evenly distributed.

WHERE TO GET IT- The book is available digitally on Amazon. You can place a special order for a physical copy through bookstores such as The Bookspot.

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Hot and Fresh Out of the Kitchen

New Cairo’s Whispering Brew is all about laid-back rendezvous and classic dishes

🍴 Sometimes you just grow tired of the usual breakfast spots — it’s human nature. On such days, it can also prove tiresome to search for new culinary purveyors in lieu of your tried-and-trues. Thankfully, we didn’t have to search hard, seeing as New Cairo’s Whispering Brew seeped its way into our algorithm and stayed there until we budged.

First impressions: Located in New Cairo’s Vogue Mall, Whispering Brew is a relatively new entrant to the Cairene F&B scene. It promises great coffee, expertly brewed matcha, and signature bites — most importantly, it promises a quiet experience. We paid the burgundy-clad spot a visit on a Thursday morning and were surprised to find a full house up and early — a good sign, we thought. The space itself offers a cozy experience; you’ll find solo desks and couch seating inside, and a more vast seating arrangement outside for larger groups. We opted for the latter to soak up the autumn sun.

What’s on the menu: Whispering Brew’s menu is comprehensive without being overwhelming. If you’re going for breakfast, you’ll find classic omelettes, as well as steak, bacon, spinach, and smoked turkey and apple omelettes. Benedicts are also on the menu, from the classic to the truffle variations. If you want to hold your breakfast, the joint also has a number of bagels up for grabs. Beyond breakfast, you’ll find the usual bistro selections: salads, fried appetizers, pastas, and a few main courses. The standard range of hot and iced beverages — with a few creative concoctions — round out the menu.

What we liked… and didn’t: The restaurant’s location earns it points, with an unobstructed view that made way for plenty of breeze; it also helped that the seating was comfortable. Despite the breadth of breakfast options, we felt the pull of the creamy spinach omelette, accompanied by a signature house-blend flat white. The coffee was rich, flavorful, and fired us up, and will likely warrant a repeat visit.

The breakfast, on the other hand, proved a tad underwhelming. Despite the flavor being right, the portions and presentation were a little off: the omelette itself was a tad basic, and the toppings — spinach, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes — could have used, well, more. The accompanying wedges, however, were a highlight. Given how packed the place was, service speed unfortunately took a hit. That said, our server — the lone ranger — was nice and as accommodating as possible given the rush.

The verdict: Whispering Brew shows a lot of promise, and despite a rocky first experience, we’ll likely be paying it another visit for its signature house blend. We’d wager that the unexpected rush was the culprit behind our not-so-ideal experience, and think a lighter day would yield better results. If you’re looking for an on-the-go bite with tempered expectations, or could use a killer cuppa joe, we’d say give Whispering Brew a chance.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can find Whispering Brew at New Cairo’s Vogue Mall.

💵 Per person: EGP 400-500

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🍺 Alcohol: No

🦽 Accessibility friendly: Yes

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WHAT TO LISTEN TO

From Chicago’s bricks to New York’s design, 99% Invisible explores the hidden stories behind everyday design

👂 Always been curious about the details we rarely notice? 99% Invisible knows all about that. Hosted by producer Roman Mars, the podcast explores the often-overlooked processes behind the design and architecture that shape our world. Many things we take for granted were once deliberate choices, and 99% Invisible helps listeners understand the thinking behind them, making complex design concepts accessible to everyone. It reveals how and why the world around us came to look and function the way it does.

What to expect: Across over 400 episodes, 99% Invisible truly dives deep. From the obscure history of American country music to the traditional craft of bamboo construction in Hong Kong, and fascinating stories of biomimicry, the podcast covers a remarkably wide range of subjects. On top of that, it features several standalone series dedicated to specific subjects.

Ever considered brickmaking a surprisingly compelling subject? In one episode, 99% Invisible gets into the ubiquitous building material, with a particular focus on Chicago. After the Great Fire of 1871 devastated the city’s largely wooden infrastructure, brick quickly became a defining feature of its rebuilding streetscape. Joined by architecture historian and photographer Will Quam, Mars traces the history of brickmaking across the US, explores the geography of brick, and examines the power of brick design — including why buildings are made to look like brick without using the real stuff.

What we liked: Despite the somewhat niche subject, the episode feels completely accessible and engaging even for listeners with admittedly little interest in brickmaking. Mars and his guest give excellent context to the subject, revealing a significance to bricks that we may not have fully appreciated before. We came away with a newfound appreciation for brick buildings and the meaning that brick design can convey. Overall, the show’s 30-minute episodes make for breezy yet richly informative (and bingeable) listens.

The verdict: 99% Invisible is for the endlessly curious. While the podcast leans a little US-centric, it remains an interesting, confidently eccentric listen — a must for anyone particularly interested in design, architecture, and the history of urban development. If you have a spare 30 minutes in your day, pick an episode and come away a little more educated and with a new research rabbit hole to dive into.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on Apple Podcasts | Anghami | Spotify.


🗓️ OCTOBER

6 September - 30 October (Sunday-Friday): Khayal Mareed at Theatro Arkan.

21 September - 20 October (Monday - Tuesday): International Flower Exhibition at Al Horreya Garden, Zamalek.

11 October - 2 November (Sunday-Monday): Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF).

13-16 October (Tuesday-Friday): CIB Egyptian Squash Open at Flower Park, Pyramids of Giza.

15-23 October (Thursday-Friday): El Gouna Film Festival.

16 October (Friday): Tul8te at Al Manara Arena.

16 October (Friday): Omar Khairat at Fustat Festival.

16 October (Friday): Cairo Vintage Souq at The Greek Campus Downtown, El Tahrir.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): GEM Family Weekend at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): Ultra Relay Run by The TriFactory at AUC, New Cairo.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): Egypt Coffee Festival at Kamelizer, District 5.

17 October (Saturday): Amr Selim at Teatro 90.

17 October (Saturday): Steps Summit at Sodic Sports Club, Sodic Eastown.

17 October (Saturday): Konnect Summit at The Greek Campus, El Tahrir St.

17-24 October (Saturday-Saturday): Turathna Exhibition at Egypt International Exhibition Center, New Cairo.

22-24 October (Thursday-Saturday): Longines Global Champions Tour at The Pyramids of Giza.

23-24 October (Friday-Saturday): Sukun’s Tulua Wellness Festival at IL Monte Galala, El Sokhna.

23 October (Friday): Ma Yatloboho El Mostame3oun with Mostafa Amar at CJC 610.

23 October (Friday): Alaa El Sheikh’s Play Crowd Vol.02 at Teatro 90.

24 October (Saturday): Blue 25th Anniversary Tour at New Capital.

25 October (Sunday): Omar Khairat at Sayed Darwish Theatre.

28-31 October (Wednesday-Saturday): Egypt’s Cheese Festival at Al Horreya Garden, Zamalek.

29 October (Thursday): Fatma Said at the GEM.

30 October (Friday): Fustat Festival: Ekhtarna Lak with Hisham Abbas, Hamid El Shaeri, Mohamed Fouad, and Ehab Tawfik.

31 October (Saturday): Aziz Maraka at E7kky Festival at Bermillan Mall, Sheikh Zayed.

31 October (Saturday): Ahmed El Haggar at CJC 610.

NOVEMBER

2-7 November (Monday-Saturday): Barbara O’Neill Wellness Journey at Sheraton Miramar Resort, El Gouna.

4 November (Wednesday): Angham at the New Opera House in the City of Arts and Culture.

5 November (Thursday): Gala De Danza at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

5 November (Thursday): Nour Hajjar Stand up Comedy show at Teatro 90.

5 November (Thursday): Meen Amin with Ahmed Amin at Al Anfoushy Theater, Alexandria.

5-7 November (Thursday-Saturday): Cairo Jazz Festival at AUC Tahrir Square.

5-7 November (Thursday-Saturday): Mohamed Fawzi’s play at The Theater, Movenpick, 6th of October City.

5-28 November (Thursday-Saturday): Mina Nader The Egyptian Tour.

6 November (Friday): Angham at the New Opera House in the City of Arts and Culture.

6 November (Friday): 20 Years of Ramy Sabry at El Arena.

7 November (Saturday): Collective Coffee Summit at East Walk Mall.

11-20 November (Wednesday-Friday): Cairo International Film Festival at Cairo Opera House, Zamalek.

12 November (Thursday): Meen Amin with Ahmed Amin at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.

13 November (Friday): Heba Tawaji at Fustat Festival.

13-15 November (Friday-Sunday): Cairo Comix Festival at Mahmoud Mokhtar Cultural Center, Zamalek.

12-14 November (Thursday-Saturday): Max Amini at St. Regis, New Capital.

14 November (Saturday): Trauma comedy special by Momos at CJC 610.

20-28 November (Friday-Saturday): Cairo Design Week.

20 November (Friday): Saad El Oud at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.

20-21 November (Friday-Saturday): Trevor Noah at UTH Festival at the GEM.

21 November (Saturday): Carerha Summit at O West Orascom Development.

21 November (Saturday): El Gouna Half Marathon.

28 November (Saturday): Shakira at The Great Pyramids of Giza.

DECEMBER

3 December (Thursday): Amr Diab at Al Manara Arena.

4 December (Friday): Ghostly Kisses at Zed Park, Sheikh Zayed.

4-12 December (Friday-Saturday): El Gouna Photo Week at Marina Abu Tig 2, Main Festival Hub.

11-12 December (Friday-Saturday): The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon at The Great Pyramids of Giza.

15 December (Tuesday): Neo Gen Conference at The St. Regis Cairo.

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