???? ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-

(all times CLT)

All is fair in love and war: If you can’t get enough of Pablo Escobar’s escapades that have inspired their fair share of TV content, rejoice — there’s an angle you probably didn’t get to see yet. Loving Pablo shows the notorious druglord through the eyes of journalist Virginia Vallejo, who falls in love with him. The two start a love affair and while Vallejo becomes privy to all the details of his illegal operations, she manages to portray him in the media as a grassroots hero who is looking out for the common folk. The situation changes suddenly when the US decides to go after the crime boss and a DEA agent approaches Vallejo to help capture him. What was once an intense love becomes a fatal situation where Vallejo must decide whether to side with Escobar and hope his feelings outweigh his suspicions, or to work with the US and negotiate her personal immunity. Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem both give solid performances, and you can check it out on OSN.

⚽ The European Champions League is on fire today as some of the continent’s biggest teams compete. Here are the matches to look out for:

• 7:45 pm: Real Madrid vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
• 7:45 pm: Milan vs. Porto
• 10:00 pm: Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid
• 10:00 pm: Manchester City vs. Club Brugge
• 10:00 pm: RB Leipzig vs. Paris Saint-Germain
• 10:00 pm: Borussia Dortmund vs. Ajax
• 10:00 pm: Sheriff vs. Inter Milan
• 10:00 pm: Sporting Lisbon vs. Besiktas

???? OUT AND ABOUT-

(all times CLT)

3al Intag and AK are taking the stage at Cairo Jazz Club tonight at 8pm, playing the latest rap and trap hits. The pair will also be joined by a surprise guest from Egypt’s rap scene.

El Sawy Culturewheel’s famous Um Kalthoum puppet concert will be held tomorrow at 6pm.

Eight of the world’s best padel players will be competing this weekend at the ZED Padel Cup in Sheikh Zayed’s Zed Club. The event is open to spectators, but you might want to get there early as there is limited seating.

???? UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

Cairo Circles by Doma Mahmoud builds a rich world between six different characters of varying socioeconomic backgrounds in Egypt: Sherif “Sheero” Abdallah is an NYU student who indulges in all the pleasures allowed to Egypt’s elite abroad, alongside his best friend Taymour. But when the FBI comes knocking on Sheero’s door asking about his cousin Amir, the young man is thrown back into a circle he left behind. As often is the case in Egypt, not all family members climbed up the ranks equally, and Amir was less fortunate than his privileged cousin. Neglected by his abusive parents, Amir doesn’t get a taste for the high life enjoyed by his cousin, and ends up becoming close friends with the children of Taymour's housekeeper: Omar, Mustafa, and Zeina. The novel keeps tabs on the six characters over the course of a decade, with their intertwining stories acting as social commentary on faith, class, and the diaspora.