A thousand ways to be lame

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

ACUD to offer second phase of New Administrative Capital’s development in March

Good afternoon folks, and happy Wednesday. Despite a relatively slow domestic news day we have a packed issue for you today, with juicy morsels on ACUD, neo-noir, and the gender wars’ latest front — the “ick.”

THE BIG STORY TODAY

Second phase of new capital’s development to be offered in March: The second phase of the New Administrative Capital’s development will be offered to an international consortium in France in March, Administrative Capital for Urban Development (ACUD) chairman Khaled Abbas told Asharq Business. Abbas also noted that the new capital’s airport will complete its international upgrade in April.

Better late than never: Abbas said last March that ACUD planned to start construction on the second phase of the new administrative capital (NAC) early this year at a cost of EGP 240 bn (c. USD 4.8 bn at the time). ACUD had previously penciled in a 2Q 2024 or 3Q start at the latest, with the second phase originally set to cost over EGP 300 bn.

We haven’t heard much about the project’s second phase since last March, when we got word that three industrial developers had submitted offers for 1 mn sqm plots included in the project’s second phase. ACUD also that month signed a shareholders’ agreement with French IT giant Atos to set up a JV to manage and operate smart tech services in the new capital.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

The global economy is front and center in the int’l headlines this morning, with news that US president Donald Trump’s administration is finalizing reciprocal tariffs on countries that respond to US tariffs with higher trade barriers of their own, ratcheting up fears of a trade war and higher US inflation. US stock index futures were subdued this morning, as traders awaited the release of January’s US consumer price index (CPI) data later this afternoon. The reading is set to be the last before Trump’s tariffs enter the measure’s calculus, marking the jumping-off point for assessing the impact of Trump’s trade policies in the coming months.

Closer to home, there are more rumblings that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas may be breaking down. The Israeli government has reportedly remobilized army reservists ahead of a Trump-imposed deadline on Saturday for Hamas to release all Israelis still held by the group. Hamas has not agreed to the Saturday release date, with mediators currently conducting urgent shuttle diplomacy to hammer out a solution before the deadline.

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

Egypt will propose a plan to rebuild Gaza: Egypt plans to “present a comprehensive vision for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in a manner that ensures the Palestinian people remain in their homeland and aligns with their legitimate and legal rights.”
Gov’t to establish two industrial zones in Libya: The government is moving forward with plans to set up two industrial zones in Libya with investments of USD 250 mn.
USD 130 mn in fresh energy investments? Two consortiums of international energy players are set to invest a total of USD 130 mn over the next five to eight years in drilling 10 oil and gas exploration wells in East Port Said and the Western Desert.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Temperatures are maintaining their recent chillier low this week with tomorrow’s mercury rising to a mere 19°C in the morning before dropping to an even chillier low of 9°C in the evening, according to our favorite weather app.

Unpacking the “ick” phenomenon

The unspoken impact of the “ick.” From a particular way of talking to an odd mannerism, little eccentricities have always had the ability to put us off our fellow humans. A younger generation of women, however, has put a new name to that feeling — now known as the “ick” — spawning a discourse that may be harming young men’s mental health, The Telegraph reports.

What is the “ick”? Originating as a slang term in the UK, the “ick” describes feelings of repulsion toward specific — and usually pretty trivial — behaviors exhibited by the opposite gender, mostly young men. While the largely women-dominated discussions around the “ick” can be relatively harmless, the discourse has been known to take on a mocking tone, complete with social media “ick” lists highlighting things as banal as drinking milk or running for the bus.

Experts say this language can cause a lot of anxiety for young men: The “ick” offers the “kind of language that can cause men and young boys to really lose self-worth,” UK men’s mental health charity founder Dan Somers told the outlet. The level of granular detail that goes into describing “icks” can have the effect of making young men feel as if everything they do is being judged, prompting them to “become more battle hardened,” Somers explained.

But this isn’t a simple story of girls heaping scorn on boys. Rather than a case of young women actively trying to bully young men, the harsher elements of “ick” culture are often fuelled by girls seeking a defence mechanism against the bad behavior of their male counterparts, London-based therapist Charlotte Melki told the Telegraph. This is especially critical as young women face intense scrutiny about their appearance, high rates of sexual harassment and assault, and institutionalized sexism across social media, academic institutions, and the workplace from a very early age.

The “ick” may even have its upsides: “Ick” discourse may reflect a growing sense of agency within women’s relationships with young men, since it provides women a way of identifying and describing a strong gut reaction to a male counterpart’s behavior or values. Being able to name what puts one off someone else — and seeing other women do the same — could index a greater degree of “trusting your gut” among young women, a critical skill for choosing reliable and responsible life partners.

Still, the triviality of many common “icks” makes it hard to champion the discourse as purely a move toward female empowerment. Indeed, some experts believe that the “ick” really just indexes our deep dissatisfaction with…ourselves. “The ick is a projection of our own shame, through criticism,” psychotherapist Jo Nicholl told The Guardian. At the end of the day, if there are a thousand ways to be lame, you’re probably lame too.

An homage to noir — with a twist

? Neo-noir is undeniably having a moment, and AppleTV+ series Sugar stands out from the pack, featuring lush atmospherics, solid cast performances, and plethora of winks to classic noir films. Despite a slow start, the show’s eight episodes cover significant ground — with a controversial twist near the midway point that will throw viewers for a loop.

Here’s the sitch: John Sugar (Colin Farrell) is an American private investigator living in Los Angeles who is deeply influenced by his love for old movies and haunted by personal trauma. When he's hired by legendary film producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell) to find Siegel’s missing granddaughter, Olivia (Sydney Chandler), Sugar dives into a case far more complicated than he might ever have imagined.

Sugar works his way through a wider cast of characters, including Olivia’s half-brother David (Nate Corddry) and her stepmother Melanie (Amy Ryan), searching for the truth behind Olivia’s disappearance. Still, the investigation is less straightforward than it initially seems, forcing Sugar to confront his own demons as he pieces together a mystery that stretches back decades.

The series is a game of two halves: The first half of the show is essentially an uninterrupted callback to the classic noir, complete with voice-overs of Sugar’s thoughts and snippets of archival footage from noir classics cut into the episodes. Slightly after the series’ midway point, things take a plot- and genre-bending turn — one that will either make you cheer, or turn off the TV entirely.

Worth the watch? Noir lovers will appreciate screenwriter Mark Protosevich’s callbacks to classic noir, while strong performances from Colin Ferrell and Amy Ryan help sell the show’s central conceit. Still, the noir element can come across as overbearing at times — leaving viewers hankering for more realistic character and plot development.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the show on AppleTV+ or catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:16).

For the Mexican lovers

? Chips and guac, anyone? Con Todo — which means “with everything” in Spanish — brings all the fresh Mexican flavors you could ask for to Cairo. We’re talking burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas — and even more.

We love a good steak burrito bowl. Con Todo’s version features smoked paprika steak with rice, beans, and fajita veggies topped with your choice of guacamole, melted cheese, sour cream, or shredded cheese. We went for the cilantro lime white rice, which was the perfect base for all the colorful components.

Pro tip: Order some extra chips and use your bowl as a dip — it’ll add a whole new experience to the meal.

Grab a quesadilla to share. While enough to make up a meal on its own, the quesadilla made for a great side dish for the whole tale. The grilled chicken quesadilla included a mix of cheddar and mozzarella with some chicken marinated in chipotle adobo. Served with pico de gallo, sour cream, and salsa, it was absolutely delicious.

What to avoid: While it tasted perfectly fine in the bowl among the other ingredients, the guacamole as a dip was a bit of a miss for us. On its own, it lacked the strong earthy flavors we were expecting.

WHERE TO FIND- Con Todo currently delivers to Sheikh Zayed and 6th of October residents through Talabat and Botit, and is in the process of opening up a branch in Twin Towers, Sheikh Zayed City.

Merseyside Derby at Goodison + more Champions League playoffs + an Egyptian Premier League nail-biter

⚽ Buckle up for another Merseyside Derby: Liverpool will be taking on Everton at Goodison Park tonight at 9:30pm in their rescheduled Premier League clash from matchweek 15. The Reds currently sit top of the table with 56 points, holding a six point lead over second placed Arsenal, while Everton is just two places above the relegation zone in 16th position. A victory tonight would stretch Liverpool’s gap at the top to nine points.

Over in the Champions League, all eyes are on the playoff round. Here’s tonight's lineup:

Club Brugge vs. Atalanta (7:45pm)
Feyenoord vs. AC Milan (10pm)
Celtic vs. Bayern Munich (10pm)
Monaco vs. Benfica (10pm)

The Egyptian Premier League could see another top-of-the table switch up tonight: Pyramids will go head-to-head with Haras El Hodood as part of matchweek 13 tonight at 7pm. The home team needs a win to return to the top of the league after Al Ahly grabbed the top spot yesterday with a win against Ghazl El Mahalla. The Red Devils currently have 29 points to Pyramids’ 27 points, though Pyramids also has a game in hand. Third-placed Zamalek is hot on the league leaders’ heels, sitting on 26 points after their win yesterday against Pharco.

More matches today:

El Gouna vs. Ismaily (4pm)
Al Masry vs. National Bank (7pm)

Amira Selim sings about love

A Valentine's Day that hits all the high notes: Soprano Amira Selim will host a special Valentine's Day concert, performing a selection of classic romantic songs in French, English, Italian, and Egyptian Arabic, accompanied by pianist Pascal Rozier. The concert begins at 8pm tomorrow at the Cairo Opera House in Zamalek. Get your tickets from Tazkarti.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to external sources.)

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

Massar Egbari’s album release party. Be among the first to listen to Massar Egbar’s new album, Mabaetsh Akhaf, tonight at EDNC by Sodic, New Cairo. Book your spot by calling the number in Grand Theatre ’s Instagram bio.

A Red Bull-fueled dance off — with one big twist. Red Bull Dance Your Style is back, offering you the opportunity to watch Egypt’s top 16 freestyle dancers battle it out tomorrow at 7pm at El Malahy. Get ready for beats, insane moves, and a twist — you’re the judge. Grab your tickets at Ticketsmarche.

Act Theatre Group are back with a new edition of the Famous For Fifteen Minutes Festival. Under the name of Twisted Ties, the festival will feature a number of short plays from Egyptian and American writers taking place at Rawabet Art Space tomorrow and Friday, 14 February at 8pm. Tickets for the first and second nights are available on Ticketsmarche.

A romantic movie night under the stars. Attend a screening of the movie Me Before You this Valentine's Day, Friday, 14 February, at The Wadi Degla Proctorate in Maadi starting at 5:30pm. Book your spot through the Proctorate’s website.

An Argentinian night of jazz and tango: In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Argentinian show Tango After Dark is coming to Egypt for the first time. Enjoy a night of jazz music and tango as part of the Layali Misr chain of events. The show will take place at the Waldorf Astoria Theatre in Heliopolis on Friday, 14 February at 9pm. You can also catch the show at the Cairo Opera House on Saturday and Sunday, 15 and 16 February at 8pm. Tickets for the first, second, and third shows are available on Tazkarti.

The weekend of love. Head to The Grand Theatre in EDNC by Sodic for Cupid’s Theatre. Taking place on Friday, 14 February and Saturday, 15 February, these nights will feature burlesque shows, live performances, and DJs to get you on the dance floor. Book your spot by calling the number in The Grand Theatre’s Instagram bio.

Craving a taste of Asia? The Thai Food Bazaar will have top Thai chefs preparing their signature dishes live — so you can watch, savor, and maybe even steal a secret or two. The event will take place at Al Horreya Park in Zamalek for four days, starting tomorrow and continuing till Sunday, 16 February, with the event set to run from 12pm to 8pm each day.

HAPPENING LATER-

The Animatex Festival is back for its fifth edition. It’s bringing a packed program including screenings of both short and feature animated films, discussions, panel talks, and workshops for animation enthusiasts — and those looking to network with local and international industry leaders. The festival will take place at the AUC Tahrir campus from Thursday, 20 February until Tuesday, 25 February. You can grab your tickets from Ticketsmarche.

Amal Maher takes on the Sound and Light theatre at the Giza Pyramids. The concert will take place on Thursday, 20 February with doors opening at 7pm. Formal attire is required. You can book your tickets through TicketsMall.

Cairokee x New Capital: Cairokee will perform in El Nahr El Akhdar Park in the New Administrative Capital at 8pm on Friday, 21 February. Tickets are available on Ticketsmarche.

Get dreamy with Ghostly Kisses. The French-Canadian pop band Ghostly Kisses will return to Cairo later this month for a performance at the Mövenpick Media City Theater in 6th of October. After their initial concert on Friday, 21 February sold out, the band announced that it will be adding a second performance date on Thursday, 20 February as part of their 2025 world tour. Get your tickets to the show on Ticketsmarche.

Massar Egbari is preparing to celebrate the release of their latest album, Maba’etsh Akhaf on Friday, 21 February at 7pm. The event will take place at El Sawy Culturewheel Theatre at Nile University in Sheikh Zayed. Tickets are available through El Sawy Culturewheel’s website.

For the gamers and the cosplayers. EGYCON 12 is taking place on Friday, 21 February at Family Park, New Cairo. The event will feature Japanese live performances, trivia games, a fire show, a merch bazaar, and a whole lot more. Grab your ticket from the link in the event description.

Attend a classic ballet opera. Sleeping Beauty will be showing at the Cairo Opera House at the end of the month. Tickets for shows on the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th of February are available on Tazkarti.

What the markets are doing on 12 February 2025

The EGX30 rose 0.3% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 3.5 bn (5.6% below the 90-day average). International investors were the sole net buyers. The index is down 0.3% YTD.

In the green: Credit Agricole (+5.0%), GB Corp (+3.5%), and Palm Hills Development (+3.1%).

In the red: Abu Qir Fertilizers (-2.6%), Fawry (-2.2%), and Juhayna (-1.6%).

THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

12 February (Wednesday): Massar Egbari’s album release party at EDNC by Sodic.

12-13 February (Wednesday-Thursday): Da Zanbokom Play at AUC New Cairo.

13 February (Thursday): Red Bull Dance Your Style at El Malahy.

13-14 February (Thursday-Friday) Act Theatre Group’s Twisted Ties at Rawabet Art Space.

13-16 February (Thursday-Sunday): Thai Food Bazaar at Al Horreya Park

14 February (Friday): Heliopolis Marathon with Cairo Runners.

14 February (Friday): Medhat Saleh Hob x Hob concert at Theatro Arkan.

14 February (Friday): Francis Mercier at The Giza Pyramids.

14 February (Friday): Me Before You movie night at The Wadi Degla Proctorate.

14 February (Friday): Tango After Dark at the Waldorf Astoria.

14-15 February (Friday-Saturday): Cupid’s Theatre at EDNC by Sodic.

16-17 February (Sunday-Monday): Da Zanbokom Play at AUC New Cairo.

20 February (Thursday): Amal Maher concert at the Sound and Light stage.

20-25 February (Thursday-Tuesday): Animatex Festival at AUC Tahrir

20-21 February (Thursday-Friday): Ghostly Kisses at Movenpick Media City.

21 February (Friday): Massar Egbari launch album at El Sawy Culturewheel.

21 February (Friday): E7kky Festival.

21 February (Friday): Egycon 12 at Family Park, New Cairo.

21 February (Friday): Cairokeeat El Nahr El Akhdar Park in the New Administrative Capital.

22 February (Friday): MENA Product Summit at Townhall by Kamelizer – District 5.

22 February (Friday): VeryNile’s The Nile Parade.

23 February (Sunday): Umm Kulthoum Tribute Concert at The Grand Egyptian Museum.

23-25 February (Sunday-Tuesday): Sports Expo 2025 at Egypt International Exhibition Center.

24 February (Monday): Umm Kulthoum Tribute Concert at The Grand Egyptian Museum.

24-27 February (Monday-Thursday) Sleeping Beauty at the Cairo Opera House.

APRIL

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

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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ACUD to offer second phase of New Administrative Capital’s development in March

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