Nutcracker revisited
Amal Choucri Catta finds Christmas is still Christmas

In progress: Sticks and stones
Basem Adly (1979-) began his professional life as a footballer for the Mallawi Youth Centre in Menya.

Plain Talk
By Mursi Saad El-Din

Going by the book
Negar Azimi speaks to Meschac Gaba, creator of the Museum of Contemporary African Art

Exorcising the familiar
Three German-Egyptian groups of artists collaborated for one month and presented the fruits of their labours at the Goethe Institut Cairo. Colette Kinsella speaks to the artists about their work

Briefs
Mohamed Mounir, Nubian-born rock star, was recruited for the Opera House's New Year's Eve celebrations, which took place at the centre of the grounds and lasted till the small hours of the first day in 2003