As the world waits out the coronavirus outbreak by spending more time indoors than ever before, finding a binge-worthy TV show that will make you laugh feels as essential as the face mask and gloves you put on before stepping outside.
For millions of people in Egypt and across the Arab world, that much-needed dose of comedic comfort came in the form of Be 100 Wesh (Multifaceted), this Ramadan's biggest TV hit, starring Asser Yassin and Nelly Karim.
Joined by a stellar ensemble cast and directed by the masterful Kamla Abou Zekry, in this witty 30-episode comedy Yassin and Karim play the role of two con artists who come together to pull off a series of elaborate heists with an unconventional group of characters.
The show enjoyed tremendous success and its theme song, Millionaire, performed by El Madfaagya alongside Yassin and Karim, has taken social media by storm. It spawned countless TikToks, hit more than 15 million views on YouTube and, at the time of writing, is at No 6 on Apple Music's Top 100 chart in Egypt.
"It's the most successful thing I've done so far, in terms of level of exposure, and public reception," Yassin tells The National. "We had certain catchphrases and many different characters that got the audience hooked, very similar to Friends in a way.
“I don’t think an effect like that ever happened in the Middle East before. Not even the most successful show in comedy or in action has experienced this kind of success in Egypt for a very long time.”
The show is so popular that it has been given the green light for a second season. Yassin says the full cast is in, but it is still early in terms of signing contracts and talking storyline or details.
The actor, 39, had been longing to venture into comedy for the past decade, having found himself taking on more complex, dramatic and “dark” roles instead. And, while it has taken him a while, he is happy to have finally gotten the kind of part he had been craving – one that is less about punch lines and more about clever dialogue, physical comedy, an actual plot and on-set chemistry all rolled into one.
"I feel like Be 100 Wesh helped comedy get back on track in Egypt," says Yassin.
The show came at a perfect time as he had just finished shooting Fi Kol Osboo' Youm Gomaa (Every Week has a Friday) in which he plays an autistic character, opposite Menna Shalabi. Yassin says stepping out of an intense experience like that straight into Be 100 Wesh was similar to "therapy" and it perfectly showcased his versatility.
“I feel that we don’t have a lot of farsightedness here on the production side, where people don’t always see your full potential,” he says. “All the roles I’ve done are very complex and layered.
"So you see that certain kinds of roles will always come to you in that 'complex' realm. After Turab El Mas, all the roles I'm getting offered are psychological roles, which I hate. I do not want to delve into it again – I did that role because I wanted to work with [director] Marwan Hamed and I don't want to go into that dark zone again. I wanted to switch."
Be 100 Wesh offered that opportunity.
[Be 100 Wesh] is the most successful thing I've done so far, in terms of level of exposure, and public reception
Fi Kol Osboo' Youm Gomaa was Yassin's first involvement in a 10-episode series that was exclusively streamed online, behind a paywall. A Shahid Original production, the show aired one instalment every Friday from the start of March – a welcome deviation from the typical Egyptian 30-episode model tailored for Ramadan.
For Yassin, this is the production format the Arab world will soon be headed towards, as the pandemic steers the industry away from cinemas and towards digital platforms. It’s an opportunity he also welcomes.
“It is an advantage for me because there are movies I would like to make. I can see they will not be commercial, but it’s something important to be done.
"To be able to put it on a platform where it’s not tied to a movie ticket, where they don’t tell you, ‘Oh your last movie did not make 10 million, it only made five million’,” he says. “These kind of movies when they go straight to online platforms, it opens up a different world.”
A digital platform also means content would be created throughout the year, moving away from the rush of Ramadan productions.
"Actors go to Ramadan content because people get paid higher and definitely have maximum exposure, but outside Ramadan you still get good exposure and you can get paid well if you're going to be working with a good platform," he says.
While Yassin had dreams of becoming an international actor and looked at Hollywood as the ultimate goal, those dreams have shifted as he has worked more in Egypt. He starred in Rassayel El Bahr at the age of 28, which was helmed by director Daoud Abdel Sayed and was Egypt's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 2011.
“At the time, there was a bit of confusion; ‘What do I do next? Where do I go?’” he says.
“So I thought, ‘You know what, let’s go back to the goal of being an international actor, I want to act in Hollywood’. But then I was bombarded with the fact that it’s not as easy as before, it’s much harder. They have very strong syndicates, they have very strong talents there and to them, it will not add anything distribution or profit-wise if they bring a star from Egypt that they do not know of there.
“I refuse to leave here and go play a role of a terrorist and further associate people from the Middle East with a label like that, as an Arab.”
Now, he is happy to be Egypt’s star and prefers to take Egyptian productions to an international audience.
“I want to be the face of Egypt, just like Omar Sharif was the face of Egypt in Egyptian and international cinema," he says. "When you talk about an Egyptian actor, you remember Asser Yassin. That is my ultimate dream."
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
The five pillars of Islam
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
