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Wednesday, 14 May 2025

What We’re Tracking Tonight
For Your Commute
Under The Lamplight
Sports
Out And About
Go With The Flow
The Enterprise Entertainment Calendar

Mind control

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Today at a glance

1

The Big Story Today

Maersk could resume Suez Canal transits.
2

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

Think different… Really different.
3

Under the Lamplight

A Palestinian Pulitzer prize-winning poet’s laments.
4

Sports

Real Madrid has everything on the line.
5

OUT AND ABOUT

Turn it up with Ehab Tawfik at Cairo Jazz Club 610.

Wednesday, 14 May 2025

What We’re Tracking Tonight
For Your Commute
Under The Lamplight
Sports
Out And About
Go With The Flow
The Enterprise Entertainment Calendar
1

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

Maersk could resume Suez Canal transits

Good afternoon, wonderful people, and welcome to the almost-weekend. Today’s light issue brings news of efforts to jumpstart Suez Canal traffic, surprising developments in US-Syria relations, and how Apple plans to integrate their devices even further in our lives through accessibility tech.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

Egypt urges Maersk to resume Suez Canal transits: Danish shipping giant Maersk is considering resuming its transits through the Suez Canal on the back of the recent introduction of a temporary 15% reduction on transit fees, Maersk Vice President, Head of Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs Camilla Jain Holtse said during a meeting with Suez Canal Authority head Osama Rabie. The authority urged Maersk to amend its sailing schedules and encourage the gradual resumption of transits through the crossing in light of the new policy decision.

Sound familiar? Rabie urged global shipping lines earlier this week to reassess their routes and consider a gradual return to the canal amid improving security conditions in the region.

REMEMBER- Transit receipts from the Suez Canal dropped 62.3% y-o-y to USD 1.8 bn in 1HFY 2024-25 on the back of Red Sea disruptions that pushed ships to reroute away from the canal.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

It’s all eyes on what appears to be a turning point in US-Syria relations: US President Donald Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa today during his visit to Riyadh, a day after he made a surprise announcement that the US would lift sanctions on Syria’s new government and look into to normalising ties with the country. The meeting — which included and reportedly followed a push from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan — signals a major shift in US policy following decades of diplomatic isolation.

Trump urged Al Sharaa to normalise ties with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords, which the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco signed in 2020. He also asked the leader to order all “foreign terrorists” to leave Syria whilst singling out “Palestinian terrorists,” as well as to help the US prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State group. Al Sharaa, who once led a branch of Al Qaeda before breaking ties with the group, was named president of Syria in January after toppling former President Bashar Al Assad.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Today’s pleasant and cloudy weather will be seeing us again tomorrow, with the mercury expected to cap at 31°C throughout the day and fall to 22°C at night, according to our favorite weather app.

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2

FOR YOUR COMMUTE

Think different… Really different

Apple’s next big breakthrough is mind control. In a press release published by Apple yesterday, the Silicon Valley tech giant introduced a plethora of upcoming iOS accessibility features catering towards users with disabilities, prime amongst them being a “new protocol to support Switch Control for Brain Computer Interfaces.”

How we interact with our devices might change forever. Apple is currently in the early stages of developing a way for users to interact with their iPhones — and other Apple devices — without physical means, using neural signals captured by “a new generation of brain implants,” the Wall Street Journal reports. This would essentially make Apple devices accessible to a staggering number of individuals with disabilities — particularly individuals suffering from ALS, severe spinal cord injuries, and other nerve-damaging disabilities — that prevent them from physically utilising a phone.

To make this happen, Apple partnered with Synchron — a brain computer interface (BCI) company and the first to have its permanent implant studies approved by the FDA. Users implanted with Synchron’s BCI will be able to control iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro devices with no physical or vocal input required. This makes Synchron the very first BCI company to have native integration with the new Human Interface Device Profile announced by Apple, according to BusinessWire.

Controlled rollouts for the new technology might start this year. BCI integration with Apple products will be offered to patients currently undergoing Synchron’s clinical trials. The device — implanted in a vein on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain — and its subsequent uses is expected to revolutionize standards of living within the disabled community, and pave the way for the rise of other revolutionary tech. “This marks a defining moment for human-device interaction. BCI is more than an accessibility tool, it’s a next-generation interface layer,” Tom Oxley, CEO and Co-Founder of Synchron told BW.

Tech like this might be mainstream by 2030, according to US investment banking company Morgan Stanley, which predicts that commercial approvals for BCI devices are likely to happen within the near future. Synchron isn’t the only horse in this race. One key player is Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which has received over USD 373 mn in funding since its founding in 2016… and killed 1.5k test animals. Neuralink has been successfully implanted in three patients as of January 2025, according to MIT Technology Review, with Musk hoping to add “20 to 30” patients to the trial throughout 2025.

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3

Under the Lamplight

A Pulitzer prize-winning poet’s laments

What does it mean to be wounded by war? In Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear, Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha’s debut poetry collection, — and the very first collection from any Gazan poet to be published in English — the Pulitzer prize-winning writer bleeds out on paper.

“When is tomorrow? What is freedom? How long does it last?” Published in April 2022 and written during the Israeli bombing of Gaza, Palestine in May 2021, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear is a painfully raw, and emotionally grueling foray into the mind of a Palestinian man in Gaza haunted by past, present, and future. Across the paperback’s 144 pages and 50 poems, Abu Toha traces the Palestinian experience across a lifetime of unrelenting — and horrifying — devastation.

This may be a short book, but it is not a quick read. The poet’s words are clear-cut, ungarnished — there is no purple prose to be found, no poetic embellishments. Nothing but the ugly truth is laid out across the collection’s length. Abu Toha writes of fading memories of homes left behind, music that has gone years unplayed, neighbors never to be seen again, and the pain — and guilt — that comes with leaving home behind.

“The scent of coffee still hangs in the air. But where is the kitchen?” In one particular poem, My City After What Happened Some Time Ago, Abu Toha features a series of photographs showcasing a war-torn Gaza, accompanied by his brief yet harrowing commentary. The poet seeks to remind the reader that these words are reflective of a tangible reality, one that is less reality and more a real-time nightmare.

WHERE TO GET IT - You can find Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear as an eBook on Amazon and Storytel, or place a special order for it from The Bookspot.

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4

Sports

Real Madrid has everything on the line

⚽ Real Madrid’s options are to win or hand the title to the Blaugrana. Tonight’s 10:30pm match against Real Mallorca is part of Matchday 36 of the Spanish league, and marks a pivotal moment in Real Madrid’s La Liga run.

The defending champions are walking onto the pitch of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium after losing out on El Clásico, with the gap to leaders Barcelona now stretched to seven points with just three rounds remaining in the competition. This means that the Blaugrana need only two points to secure the title due to their head-to-head advantage. Any result other than a Merengues victory means the end of the race, and Barcelona’s 28th La Liga title even before their anticipated match against Espanyol tomorrow.

Also tonight in La Liga:

  • Villareal vs. Leganés (8pm)
  • Alavés vs. Valencia (8pm)

Rome’s Olimpico Stadium will be the home of the Coppa Italia final between Milan and Bologna, with kickoff set for 10pm tonight. The Rossoneri have lifted the trophy five times, but not once in 22 years. Bologna have claimed the cup twice, with the most recent in the 1973/74 season.

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5

OUT AND ABOUT

Turn it up with Ehab Tawfik at Cairo Jazz Club 610

MARK YOUR CALENDAR-

🎵 Ehab Tawfik will be turning it up this Friday, 16 May at CJC 610. On the off chance that you woke up this morning quietly humming Tetraga Feya to yourself, we’re pleased to break the news that the Egyptian vocalist will be bringing his hits to life at Cairo Jazz Club, joined by Cairo-based DJ Andy Cheikho. Sounds like a Friday night well-spent? You can grab your tickets from Cairo Jazz Club’s official website.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

Hiba Tawaji and musical director Oussama Rahbani are touching down in Cairo after shows in Toronto, London, and Paris, for an unforgettable night of breathtaking music at Hyde Park New Cairo on Thursday, 15 May. You can grab tickets on Tazkarti.

Craving some ‘90s nostalgia? Amr Diab knows you are. On Friday, 16 May, the Egyptian superstar will be performing a medley of his most beloved hits at the American University in Cairo in a one-night only “Polaroid” concert. Tickets can be purchased through Tazkarti — though we’d recommend moving fast if the idea of not hearing Tamally Ma’ak live puts you through severe FOMO.

Beats for brunch. Everyone’s favorite make-believe grandpa DJ Dr. Alfons will be serving a side of sonics with your brunch at Italian restaurant Storia Katameya Heights this Friday, 16 May, starting at 2pm. Dr. Alfons will also be joined by DJs Adham Dou and STZ, so you know the beats will just keep on coming. You can reserve your spot by messaging Storia Karameya Heights’ official Instagram.

Cairo Photo Week returns under the banner of Finding the View, featuring over 14 exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and networking meetups. This year’s festival has kicked off, and is taking place until Sunday, 18 May Downtown and in the Cairo Design District at District 5. You can access all the exhibitions without a paid ticket, but talks and panels require either a day access or a full festival ticket and accept walk-ins. Workshops require advance registration. You can grab your passes from Ticketsmarché.

HAPPENING LATER-

Life’s a joke, and Cairo Comedy Club knows just when to deliver the punchlines. On Tuesday, 20 May at CJC 610, Cairo Comedy Club ’s Omar Kint, Abdelrahman Mahdy, Hossam Khaled, and Hatem Elsokkary will make it their mission to get you laughing. Feel like painting a coat over your blues? Grab your tickets from Ticketsmarché.

TV soundtrack nostalgia: Join iconic singer Ali El Haggar on a night of Tetrat w Zekrayat on Thursday 22 May, reviving timeless memories and singing unforgettable TV series theme songs at Theatro Arkan. You can grab tickets on Ticketsmarché.

Fans of smooth jazz have a rare chance to see Michael Bublé live on Monday, May 26 at the New Capital. The Grammy winner promises a landmark concert with his smooth, soulful voice and timeless hits for one special evening in Egypt. Tickets are now live on Ticketsmarché.

Rock’n’rollers: Don’t miss out on celebrating 50 Years of AC/DC on Friday 6 June at Mazeej Platform in Somabay, featuring the band’s original voice and co-founder Dave Evans hitting the stage. You can grab tickets on Tazkarti.

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6

GO WITH THE FLOW

What the markets are doing on 14 May 2025

The EGX30 rose 0.4% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 3.3 bn (27.1% below the 90-day average). Regional investors were the sole net sellers. The index is up 7.0% YTD.

In the green: Beltone Holding (+3.0%), Fawry (+2.3%) and Ibnsina Pharma (+2.1%).

In the red: Sidpec (-2.8%), Abu Qir Fertilizers (-2.3%) and Juhayna (-1.9%).

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THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

8-18 May (Thursday-Sunday): Cairo Photo Week in Downtown Cairo and District 5.

15 May (Thursday): Hiba Tawaji at Hyde Park.

16 May (Friday): Angham at the Cairo Opera House.

16 May (Friday): Ehab Tawfik at CJC 610.

16 May (Friday): Dr. Alfons at Storia Katameya Heights.

16 May (Friday): Amr Diab at the American University in Cairo.

20 May (Tuesday): Mustafa the Poet at MUST Opera House.

20 May (Tuesday): Cairo Comedy Club at CJC 610.

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

21 May (Wednesday): Gaby Bishara at Boom Room.

22 May (Thursday): Tetrat w Zekrayat at Theatro Arkan.

23 May (Friday): Project Meem at Cairo Festival City.

23 May (Friday): Redbull Jukebox at Taj City.

26 May (Monday): Michael Bublé at New Administrative Capital.

28 May (Wednesday): Jadalat CJC610.

29 May (Thursday): Omar Khairat at the Cairo Opera House.

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

30 May (Friday): Sharmoofers at Boom Room.

30-31 May (Friday-Saturday): Dalida: Bint Shoubra at The Theatre.

31 May (Saturday): AUC Alumni Folklore Group at Theatro Arkan.

JUNE

6 June (Friday): 50 Years of AC/DC concert.

7-8 June (Saturday-Sunday): Makadi Heights Music Festival at The Haus, Makadi Heights.

28 June (Saturday): Cairokee Empire concert at Cairo International Stadium.

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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