? ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-
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The depths of tragedy in The Asunta Case. This six-part new true crime thriller on Netflix delves into the shocking murder of Asunta Basterra, a young girl killed by her adoptive parents shortly before her 13th birthday in 2013 — offering a compelling and chilling exploration of the real-life tragedy that shook Spain to its core.

From the moment Asunta is reported missing to the harrowing discovery of her lifeless body beside a country road, the series meticulously follows the police investigation that unravels the disturbing truth behind her death. With a blend of fact and fiction, the drama skillfully navigates through the complexities of the case, leaving viewers gripped with suspense until the very end.

The series explores possible motives behind the crime. Through flashback scenes and courtroom drama, viewers are presented with two stark theories: one implicating Asunta's mother acting alone, and another suggesting a joint effort between both parents. The ambiguity surrounding the true events of that fateful night adds an extra layer of intrigue, echoing the unanswered question posed at the beginning of the series: "Why would a mother kill her daughter?"

The performances by the cast are riveting, particularly in portraying the complex dynamics within the Basterra-Porto family. The portrayal of Rosario Porto (Candela Peña) and Alfonso Basterra's (Tristán Ulloa) troubled marriage, coupled with their individual struggles and psychological issues, offers a glimpse into the underlying tensions that may have contributed to Asunta's tragic fate.

You’ll be left pondering the chilling reality of the case and the devastating aftermath. The tragic fate of Asunta, coupled with the subsequent events involving her adoptive parents, serves as a sobering reminder of the complexities of human nature and the darkness that can lurk within seemingly ordinary lives.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the series on Netflix or catch the trailer (watch, runtime:1:41)

⚽ Who will Dortmund face in the Champions League final? We’ll find out tonight when Real Madrid hosts Bayern Munich at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium at 10pm for the second leg of the Champions League semi finals. The first leg at Allianz Arena ended with a 2-2 draw.

Tonight’s aggregate winner will face Borussia Dortmund, who defeated Paris Saint-Germain once again with a 1-0 score last night.

? EAT THIS TONIGHT-

Good Turkish restaurants in Cairo are few and far in between but Ozel fills that gap. Located in Garden 8, the restaurant is going for more of a fine-dining experience but still has all the Turkish classics while catering a unique selection on their menu. By having two Turkish chefs, you can tell that the food is authentic.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner: No matter what time of day you go — whether it’s at 9am or as late as 11:30pm — you’ll have some tasty options to choose from. Running until 2pm, Ozel has a set breakfast menu for two or four people, or you can order whatever you want on your own. The serving sizes for breakfast were filling and provided a lot of variety including a good amount of cheese, eggs, sausage, fresh bread including simit, and more. Our personal favorite was the grilled soujouk, but we enjoyed having options to choose from.

If you’re going later in the day, we’d say their grilled menu is the standout. The Kebap plates made to share are great if you’re there with a group and want to try more than one thing or any of their tenderloin options will hit the spot. If you’re not feeling carnivorous, you can go for the classic mezzes and wrap it up with a delicious dessert — the baklava and dessert tray don’t disappoint.

? OUT AND ABOUT-
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HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

The Goethe Institute in Cairo is hosting a screening of Certified Mail tonight at 7pm. This is part of the institute's new weekly initiative, Der Projektor, in which they showcase highlights from the independent Egyptian film scene every Wednesday. No entrance fee is required.

To commemorate the anniversary of the passing of the musician of generations, Diwan’s original branch in Zamalek will host a seminar to discuss the book Memoirs of the Great Musician Mohammed Abdel Wahab tonight, at 7 pm. No entrance fee is required.

Experience true culinary discovery at Flavor Republic’s Cairo Food Week. The week-long event being held at Downtown District is starting tomorrow and will continue through to Thursday, May 16. You can follow the event itinerary here and grab tickets for each of the individual events here, but expect prices to make a dent in your bank account. You can get to know the co-founders of Flavor Republic, Hoda El Sherif and Sherif Tamim, in this edition of Founder of the Week.

The Sleeping Beauty on the Grand Stage: The Cairo Opera Ballet Company and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra will be performing Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty over four nights at the Zamalek Opera House, from tomorrow to Monday, 13 May. Grab tickets for the first, second, third, and fourth productions from Tazkarti.

Spend a spring day with Tamer Ashour and Mahmoud El Esseily. The singers will perform at Family Park in Rehab this Friday, 10 May. Doors open at 7pm. You can find tickets here.

HAPPENING LATER-

Rawabet Art Space is hosting Turning Tables, which looks at human relationships and the complexities of the past that shape our identity and personalities. The play is written and directed by Hani Iskandar and is performed in English. The performances will run over three days from Thursday, 16 May through Saturday, 18 May from 8pm.

The RiseUp Summit returns again from Thursday, 16 May through Saturday, 18 May at the Grand Egyptian Museum. The summit focuses on bringing together the most prominent investors, leaders, and entrepreneurs in the region to network with promising startups in Egypt and the Arab region. Get your tickets here.

Techne Summit is back too: This year’s Techne Summit will be held in the halls of the CairoInternational Stadium, from Saturday, 25 May till Monday, 27. The summit focuses on investment and entrepreneurship. Register your attendance.

To celebrate 40 years of musical excellence, the legendary Omar Khairat will be taking the stage at Abdeen Palace. Dress to the nines for this event, which is taking place on Friday, 7 June. Tickets can be found here, ranging from EGP 1.5k to EGP 5k.

? UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

Henrietta Lacks is a name you should know. Another victim of unrecognized contributions to science, she is the reason much of modern medicine is what it is today. In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, Lacks’ role in science is revealed and leads into a discussion of medical ethics, negligence, and non-consensual procedures.

Named HeLa by scientists, Lacks was a poor tobacco farmer whose cancer cells were taken without her knowledge. These were then to become the first “immortal” human cells, still alive long after her death, to be used for developing groundbreaking science like the polio vaccine, cancer breakthroughs, progress for in vitro fertilization, gene mapping, and much more.

And yet, she is given no credit. Left behind by the scientists who used her cells, Lacks’ family had no knowledge of the events until two decades after her death despite her pivotal role in modern science. Although responsible for multimns in profit, none was shared with the family, who ironically cannot afford their own medical bills or a lawyer to rectify the situation, opening up a conversation of neglect in healthcare in regards to African Americans.

Skloot takes it beyond analysis to share the stories of the Lacks family. Left with many questions but no answers, the family was completely in the dark. The author documents their troubles with their newfound knowledge and the consequences of prioritizing scientific discovery over people.