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Friday, 21 Mar 2025

The Week In Review
The Enterprise Guide
From The Bookstore
Hot And Fresh Out Of The Kitchen
Pass The Controller
What To Listen To
The Enterprise Entertainment Calendar

Eid prep

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Today at a glance

1

THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE

Your guide to the best kahk for Eid.
2

Last Week in 3 Minutes

Egypt is set to resume natural gas imports in April.
3

From the Bookstore

What would it take to change you?
4

Hot and Fresh Out of the Kitchen

Craving Turkish manti? Forget the dumplings, use pasta.
5

PASS THE CONTROLLER

Type for your life
6

WHAT TO LISTEN TO

A dive into the world of diseases.

Friday, 21 Mar 2025

The Week In Review
The Enterprise Guide
From The Bookstore
Hot And Fresh Out Of The Kitchen
Pass The Controller
What To Listen To
The Enterprise Entertainment Calendar
1

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Valu to debut on EGX in June

Good morning, friends, and happy Friday. Before we jump into the issue, make sure to wish all the wonderful moms in your life a very happy mother’s day.

Eid is all about the fun, but kahk is very serious business. If you want the best of the best, you’ll have to get your hands on them early. Not sure where to start looking? Paralyzed by too many options? Don’t worry, we’ve done the research for you in this weekend’s guide.

LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

CAPITAL MARKETS-

Valu could hit the EGX as soon as June: Regional financial services giant EFG Holding has gotten preliminary approval from the Financial Regulatory Authority to restructure its ownership of consumer finance platform Valu ahead of its hotly anticipated EGX debut, which could come as soon as this June. EFG Holding will distribute a 20.5% stake in U Consumer Finance — which owns and operates the Valu brand — to its shareholders as a dividend in lieu of a conventional cash-payout for 2024, sidestepping the traditional IPO route.

We unpacked the details of the unique transaction in a conversation with EFG Holding Group CEO Karim Awad. You can read the full story here.

TAX-

FinMin is working on amending the VAT Law: The Finance Ministry is moving to reducetax exemptions under the Value Added Tax (VAT) Law, with the government looking to review goods currently exempt from the law and limit goods subject to special tax treatments, either higher than the standard VAT rate — such as telecommunications and cars — or lower at 5%.

The measure comes as part of our reform program with the International Monetary Fund and follows long-standing demands from the business community for unifying the 14% VAT rate across most goods.

ENERGY-

#1- Fuel bills could go up again next month: The government is expected to raise fuel prices in April as it works to phase out fuel subsidies. The anticipated move is part of the government’s plan to have energy prices reach cost recovery levels by the end of the year. The fuel pricing committee last raised fuel prices in October, bumping up bills by 8-17% in what was the third and final fuel hike of 2024.

#2- Egypt is set to resume LNG imports in April thanks to lower global gas prices and waning European demand. The country is expected to receive four LNG shipments by April as it looks to build up a strategic gas reserve, leveraging its newly secured infrastructure to sustain operations and meet growing demand. The country is also expected to receive five or six shipments per month over summer to meet rising demand during the period.

#3- Scatec inked a 25-year power purchase agreement with EgyptAlum for its 1.1 GW solar plant and 200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Naga Hammadi. The Finance Ministry will back EgyptAlum’s financial commitments with Scatec under the newly signed agreement, after the decision was greenlit by the House in January. The renewables player is hoping to break ground in the next 12 months.

PRIVATIZATION WATCH-

The state has appointed an advisor to value Banque du Caire, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said during his weekly presser. “The last valuation has become outdated,” Madbouly said, adding that work on the process has begun. The state is yet to decide on the stake to be sold. Emirates NBD is reportedly conducting its own due diligence of the state-owned lender as it looks to acquire an undisclosed stake in the bank.

INVESTMENT-

#1- A plethora of Indian companies expressed plans to invest in Egypt over a series of meetings with Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib during his trip to New Delhi this week. Among these plans:

  • Sterlite Power is mulling a USD 5-6 bn electricity grid for green hydrogen projects aimed at enhancing Egypt’s energy infrastructure and supporting the country's transition toward clean energy.
  • TCI Sanmar wants to invest an additional USD 300 mn here, bringing its total investments in the country to around USD 2 bn.
  • Lulu Group wants to open more branches, while Ocior Energy is looking to ramp up its investments in Egypt over the coming period.

#2- China’s SBH Kibing Solar New Energy is looking to set up a USD 700 mn solar panel glass manufacturing facility in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The plant — which will be built over two phases — is expected to produce 1.5 mn tons of solar panel glass and 1.1 mn tons of high-purity silica sand — a component used in the production of solar glass — annually. The majority of output will be exported.

LOGISTICS-

The US launched an investigation into global maritime chokepoints, including the Suez Canal, to assess whether foreign governments or shipping operators are creating conditions unfavorable to US shipping and trade. The Suez Canal is a focal point of concern for the US because of its narrow width, shallow depth, and security risks stemming from ongoing conflicts, including Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is seeking comments until 13 May regarding the causes of constraints across the checkpoints.

AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

A renewed war and a partial peace agreement dominated headlines this week, with Israel shattering its fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas after bombarding Gaza, Trump nudging Russia and Ukraine toward a partial truce, and the US launching strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Israel launched a limited ground operation in Gaza on Wednesday, with troops reoccupying areas outside population centers. Troops have expanded their control over parts of the Netzarim Corridor, which runs east to west across the strip “in order to expand the security zone and to create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza.” Israeli War Minister Israel Katz issued a “final warning” just before the operation began, saying residents in battle zones would soon be evacuated again unless Hamas freed the remaining hostages and was removed from power.

The operation came after Israel resumed strikes on Gaza earlier this week, killing hundreds of Palestinians and marking the deadliest day in the strip in over two months as well as the collapse of January’s ceasefire agreement.

In the meantime, Trump continued to push for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine: An anticipated phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended with Putin agreeing) to halt strikes on Ukrainian energy and infrastructure facilities for 30 days but rejecting a full ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also agreed to a partial ceasefire against energy infrastructure during a subsequent phone call with Trump, with plans to dispatch technical teams to Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss extending the ceasefire to the Black Sea.

The US launched large-scale military strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, following an order from US President Donald Trump, in retaliation for the Iran-backed militant group’s repetitive attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

The Trump administration is considering broad travel restrictions affecting citizens from over 40 countries. The draft proposal would impose full or partial visa suspensions on citizens from 43 countries, but the final version is still subject to approval by the administration.

AND- The Fed kept rates unchanged: The US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, as policymakers grapple with heightened economic uncertainty amid the Trump administration’s tariff-heavy trade policies.

☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND-

Expect windy and cloudy weather in the capital this weekend. The mercury will climb to 19°C today before settling to 11°C at night, and is expected to be the same tomorrow, according to our favorite weather app.

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-

Early Bird Club is staying up to accommodate night owls. The popular pop-up restaurant is back tonight to offer a curated suhoor menu by artisanal cooks Mufasaa and Peri Saleh, freshly made drinks and tea, and bread baked to order. Night Owl by Early Bird Club will start at 10pm at Bellies En-Route in Downtown Cairo. There are no admission fees to attend, but food is pay-as-you-go. You can register through the link in their Instagram bio.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Saad El Oud live on stage. Share the experience of good music with your mother tonight at Majarrah, starting 10pm. You can grab the entertainment-only ticket if she’s all about the music, or the suhoor entertainment ticket if you’d like to spoil her with a delicious meal, both available on Ticketsmarche.

Make Mother’s Day special this year with a special night of music by Tablet El Sitt at Theatro Arkan tonight from 9pm. Tickets are available on Ticketsmarche.

Wust El Balad gears up for a special performance: The band will take the stage at Al Gomhoria Theater as part of the Egyptian Opera House’s Ramadan celebrations tonight at 9:30pm. You can grab your tickets from Tazkarti.

Skrew takes over the Boom Room: Have you hopped on the latest game night craze? Get ready for a night of strategy and competition as the Skrew Official Tournament kicks off tonight at 9pm. Tickets are available on Ticketsmarche.

Break your fast with a cultural tour. Qahrawya are organizing a traditional Egyptian Iftar followed by a tour of City of the Dead where attendants get to witness the vibrant streets of Cairo. The Iftour will take place tomorrow. Book your spot by messaging them on Instagram.

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2

THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE

Your guide to the best kahk for Eid

? As Ramadan we enter the last ten days of Ramadan, allow us to wish you an early Eid Mubarak — may it be a time for joy, rest, and lots of kahk. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise one week ahead is never too early to start stocking up — the ads are up, the orders are being placed, and the Eid staples are about to sell out. Here are our picks for the best kahk dispensaries the city has to offer.

#7- JUST KA7K: For the third year in a row, this family-owned local business is putting their sought-after bakes on the market for those pining after the homemade kahk of yore. Soft and sensibly sweetened, this option is as traditional as it gets.

HOW TO ORDER IT- You can find Just Ka7k boxes in Seoudi branches in Beverly Hills, Sheikh Zayed, Dreamland, Waterway, El Sherouk, Madinaty, and City Stars, or order online through Just Ka7k’s Instagram page. The prices range from EGP 320 to EGP 700, depending on the quantity and the filling.

#6- GRANVILLE ST: This one’s for our healthy homies. Made with all-natural ingredients, Granville St. is a great option if you’re looking to indulge responsibly. The kahk comes either plain or with Belgian dark chocolate. The dark chocolate complements the taste of the almond flour and coconut butter used in making the kahk perfectly.

Buyer beware: Because the kahk is made with organic ingredients, it doesn’t taste like traditional kahk, they taste more like coconut macaroons — still delicious, but not your regular kahk flavors. Our one issue is that the kahk doesn’t come with powdered sugar, though we’re sure it was a conscious, health-driven choice.

HOW TO ORDER IT- You can order Granville St.’s boxes from Gourmet, with prices ranging from EGP 615 to EGP 645.

#5- FLEUR: This chocolatier is trying their hand at Eid’s signature bake, with seven flavors of kahk. In addition to the traditional plain, malban, or agamiyya, and agwa, you also have the option of picking between walnut, pistachio, and cinnamon fillings.

HOW TO ORDER IT- You can head to Fleur’s branch in Garden8 or order from their website. You can grab a 22 piece box for EGP 350 — though you’re limited to one flavor — or a 36 piece box with assorted flavors for EGP 685.

Looking to expand your biscuit horizon (or, god forbid, cater to someone who doesn’t like kahk)? There are assortments of other delicious bites including petit fours, ghorayiba, sablé, and tea biscuits priced between EGP 490 to EGP 2.2k, depending on the weight.

#4- SEDRA: Known for selling high quality, fresh oriental desserts, Sedra provides expertly crafted kahk made with the finest ingredients, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. This is a tried and true staple of our yearly sweets.

HOW TO ORDER IT- You will have to head to one of Sedra’s branches in New Cairo, Madinaty, Sheikh Zayed, 6th of October, or Sherouk to grab your box of kahk, as delivery is unavailable. Box prices range from EGP 425 to EGP 1.3k.

#3- SIMONDS: Simonds ’ kahk has long been a beloved go-to for many. From perfectly baked kahk pops to the real deal in all its traditional variations, along with a pistachio-stuffed version, not many people would be able to say they couldn’t find what they were looking for.

HOW TO ORDER IT- You can pick up a box (or two) from Simonds’ branches in New Cairo, Maadi, Zamalek, Sheikh Zayed, Dokki, Downtown, or Mohandessin, or order online through their website. Prices for kahk boxes range from EGP 475 to EGP 725, with more extravagant assortment boxes ranging between EGP 485 to EGP 10.5k.

#2- CHOCO CHOCOLA: For those looking to impress, Choco Chocola is the place to go — this isn’t a box you buy just to keep at home. Their elaborate quality packaging — which also comes in a variety — makes these boxes the perfect gift, and the great taste is the cherry on top.

HOW TO ORDER IT- You can visit any of Choco Chocola’s branches in Mohandessin, Palm Hills, Zamalek, Downtown Mall, Heliopolis, and Sheikh Zayed to take your pick, but you better hurry, because their quantity runs out quickly. The price of 1kg of their plain kahk is EGP 1.5k, and many reserve theirs days in advance.

#1- MIRACLE: In first place for the second year in a row is what we would call the best kahk in Cairo. Tucked away in Agouza, Miracle is the place to go if you want the perfect box of kahk. Walking into Miracle doesn’t feel like walking into a bakery, but looks can be deceiving — what they lack in packaging they more than make up for in craftsmanship. While we feel the need to gatekeep it, sharing something this good would probably qualify as a crime of some kind — just promise to leave some for the rest of us.

HOW TO ORDER IT- Prices start from EGP 525 for 1kg of plain kahk, but you can also order them in halves in case you want to have room to try different flavors.

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3

From the Bookstore

What would it take to change you?

? Khaled Khalifa’s No One Prayed Over Their Graves is a wild ride through friendship and faith. Khalifa dives into the complex history of Syria’s early-20th-century, providing a blend of dark humor and emotional depth to an elaborate narrative as the readers are introduced to two childhood friends, Hanna and Zakaria — both quite youthful and ambitious and rebellious, dreaming of opening their own high-end nightclub. That dream quickly becomes intangible when a flood wipes out their village, killing most of the people they know.

To these young men, this is a wake up call. Their lives shift completely — Hanna becomes a spiritual leader, and Zakaria begins taking a more rational approach to life. This theme brings attention to the cultural and political rift that Syria has been experiencing for centuries.

It’s a challenging read. The narrative jumps around between past and present with a very intricate plot. Readers may oftentimes get lost, but once the plot unfolds, they’ll appreciate the twists and turns as much as the powerful writing and attention to detail that the book provides.

WHERE TO FIND IT- No One Prayed Over Their Graves is currently sold out at Diwan, but you can find the ebook on Amazon.

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4

Hot and Fresh Out of the Kitchen

Craving Turkish manti? Forget the dumplings, use pasta

? DECONSTRUCTED TURKISH MANTI PASTA-

INGREDIENTS:

  • 250g (or 2 cups) of any kind of dry pasta

For the meat sauce:

  • 200g of ground lamb
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 chilli pepper (optional)

For the yoghurt sauce:

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt to taste

For the butter sauce:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried mint

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and boil for 5-7 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
  • In a frying pan, heat olive oil and add the chopped onion, and sauté until soft.
  • Add the ground lamb, salt, black pepper, tomato paste and spices. Cook until browned and fragrant.
  • Prepare the yogurt sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
  • Prepare the butter sauce by melting the butter in a pan over low heat. When melted, add the paprika and dried mint. Stir for 30 seconds.
  • Assemble the dish by mixing the boiled pasta with the meat sauce, then spoon the garlicky yogurt on top. Drizzle with the warm, spiced butter. Garnish with more dried mint or sumac and serve.
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5

PASS THE CONTROLLER

Type for your life

? What if you combined Resident Evil with your high school typing class? In a gaming landscape dominated by complex controllers and intricate key bindings, Blood Typers that question with delightful weirdness, delivering a survival horror experience where your WPM (words per minute) matters more than your aim. You may laugh at the concept now, but the panic will set in when your fingers fumble during a crucial moment.

Blood Typers transcends basic mechanics of traditional typing tutorials, instead layering them onto a fully realized survival horror reminiscent of Playstation-era classics. While it may initially evoke memories of Sega’s campy Typing of the Dead, released at the start of the millennia, Blood Typers offers something far more substantial — a complete action-adventure experience where your typing skills determine your survival.

Navigation through the game’s atmospheric environments is accomplished by typing words scattered at key points in your surroundings, automatically moving your character to those locations. Combat requires typing longer words that appear above enemies to attack them with your equipped weapon. More challenging foes demand multiple successful word inputs, with some armored enemies requiring repeated typing of the same word before you can proceed.

The weapons in Blood Typers feel uniquely designed for typing gameplay. You begin each scenario with a basic melee weapon (a steel pipe), but soon gain access to various firearms that change how you engage with the typing mechanics. The shotgun delivers powerful single-word attacks against larger enemies, while the SMG allows you to type just the first few letters of each word for a rapid-fire effect. Perhaps most satisfying is the flamethrower, which sets groups of nearby enemies ablaze, making subsequent attack words shorter and faster to type.

What makes Blood Typers truly exceptional is how it transforms the simple act of typing into a source of genuine tension, especially when an ill-timed typo leaves you vulnerable to enemy attacks.

? Rating: 9/10 on Steam

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 4 hours for the main story

? Replay value: 10/10

? Platforms: Steam for PC

? Price: USD 6, unpaid demo available

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6

WHAT TO LISTEN TO

A dive into the world of diseases

? Do you know all the diseases you can catch? This Podcast Will Kill You is a blend between humor, science, and storytelling that discusses some of the world’s most common diseases and famous outbreaks. The hosts, Erin and Erin, are both epidemiologists with a passion for public health. From modern-day viruses to historical plagues, this podcast will make sure you know about everything.

Contrary to the name and the context, this is actually a fun listen. The hosts balance out the serious topics like viruses and pandemics with humor and banter. Whether they’re explaining the actual science behind the disease or how they impacted history — like the Black Plague — these hosts know how to keep their listeners hooked.

Each and every episode of this podcast is clearly well researched, weaving in personal stories and pop culture references to make the content feel more relatable.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart.

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THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

MARCH

21 March (Friday): Mother’s Day.

21 March (Friday): Saad El Oud at Majarrah.

21 March (Friday): Tablet El Sitt at Theatro Arkan.

21 March (Friday): Medhat Saleh at the Cairo Opera House.

22 March (Saturday): Iftour in City of the Dead with Qahraweya.

24 March (Monday): Mazeek live at Boom Room.

APRIL

1 April (Tuesday): Annual Flower Exhibition at the Agricultural Museum.

2 April (Wednesday): Cairokee at CUBIX, El Gouna.

12 April (Saturday): She Can event at Creativa Innovation Hub, Giza.

25 April (Friday): Tamer Ashour concert at ZED Park, Sheikh Zayed.

MAY

3 May (Saturday): Enrique Eglesias at the Rixos Radamis in Sharm El Sheikh.

21-31 May (Wednesday-Saturday): Disney On Ice at Cairo International Stadium.

30 May (Friday): Adam Port at the New Administrative Capital’s Green River.

OCTOBER

16-24 October (Thursday-Friday): Gouna Film Festival.

30 October - 22 November (Thursday-Saturday): Forever is Now at the Great Pyramids of Giza.

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