US President Donald Trump accuses CNN's Jim Acosta of reporting 'fake news'. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
US President Donald Trump accuses CNN's Jim Acosta of reporting 'fake news'. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

In an age of information overload, who can we really trust?



A German journalist friend was cycling to work when he heard someone call out his name. He stopped and smiled at a pedestrian who clearly recognised him from his TV appearances but then the man pointed accusingly and yelled out: “Lugenpresse”. My German friend was shocked, not so much by the abuse as by its roots. The word means “lying press” in English, and was used by the Nazis to intimidate journalists in the 1930s.

In Britain, media outlets, most notably the BBC, are constantly criticised on all sides for supposed bias. This month, the BBC was attacked for a lengthy interview with the multimillionaire Arron Banks, who gave millions of pounds to the Brexit campaign. Because Mr Banks is now the target of a National Crime Agency investigation into where he got his money, critics argued he should not be “allowed” on television.

Such controversies go right to the very top. In the US, president Donald Trump routinely attacks journalists as the “enemy of the people” – another phrase much-loved by the Nazis. Mr Trump’s attempts at revenge for media criticism include, in the past few days alone, withdrawing the White House press pass of CNN’s dogged correspondent Jim Acosta and attacking reporters he simply doesn’t like for asking what he terms “stupid” questions and producing “fake news”. In August this year, more than 300 US newspapers banded together to denounce Mr Trump’s inflammatory language and his attacks on journalists. Since then, matters have deteriorated further.

Journalists complaining about how hard it is to do their jobs are a bit like sailors complaining about the sea. You just have to get on with it. But sometimes the verbal attacks and controversies extend even further. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists says 45 have already been killed worldwide this year and at least 81 were killed last year, sometimes deliberately targeted and murdered.

But beyond physical threats and bullying by people in power, there is another concern that affects not just journalists but every one of us who reads newspapers or tunes in to TV and radio news. What information sources can you trust? In the past week, I’ve attended two conferences on trust – or rather, the lack of it – and they have been both provocative and depressing.

Depressing because in Britain, the BBC and quality newspapers like The Times and The Guardian continue to be trusted for the information they provide but trust in all media outlets has declined over the past 20 years. Some tabloid newspapers are not trusted at all – although there has been little change there. They have never truly been trusted.

Meanwhile, beyond what is often referred to as the mainstream media, platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, podcasts and information websites also have profound trust problems. Sometimes it is as a result of targeted, propagandist advertising or highly partisan supposed “news” that favours a political party or fringe political idea. But on the plus side, the internet is also the home of some of the most effective campaigning journalism anywhere. In Britain, a non-partisan organisation called Open Democracy consistently breaks high-quality stories that are then followed up by more mainstream news outlets.

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Nevertheless, the trust question persists. As contributors pointed out at the Trust in Journalism conference in London, part of the problem is the “media bubble". Too often, British journalists are London-centric. They operate without fully engaging with the social, cultural, economic or even the geographic diversity of the country they live in.

In the US, the statistician Nate Silver pointed out that in top US newsrooms over the past few years, only 7 per cent of journalists identified as Republicans. It’s hardly surprising that most reporters did not predict Mr Trump's presidency and find his success baffling. Most top-flight journalists are university graduates and – whatever their class or ethnic background – graduates on the whole are more likely to be in favour of ethnic diversity and immigration, and were proven to be less likely to vote in favour of Mr Trump or leaving the EU. In the 2016 presidential election, the US president won more than 67 per cent of white voters without a university degree. Meanwhile, a YouGov survey in the UK showed 68 per cent of voters with a university degree wanted to remain in the EU, while 70 per cent of voters with only GCSE qualifications or lower voted to leave. According to the BBC, 28 out of the 30 areas in the UK with the fewest graduates backed Brexit.

One other type of unconscious bias is equally disturbing. The internet activist Baroness Martha Lane-Fox spoke to me eloquently this week of another failure of diversity. She talked of a health app that catered to men's needs but did not allow women to track one of their biggest concerns, reproductive health. The app's designers, not surprisingly, were all men.

In an age of being deluged by information, the central problem is finding information we can trust, and trusted guides to deliver it to us. Journalists are right to stand up to bullying from the White House and to expose special-interest groups and super-rich corporate donors, whose contributions blight democratic politics around the world.

But the core of trust-building must begin with journalists themselves. News professionals have to be accurate and fair but we also have to be diverse enough to engage with the entire community we serve – not just the ones we agree with or those with whom we feel most at ease.

Gavin Esler is a journalist, author and television presenter

RESULTS
%3Cp%3E5pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C200m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20RB%20Sarab%2C%20Allaia%20Tiar%20(jockey)%2C%20Khalifa%20Al%20Neyadi%20(trainer)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.30pm%3A%20Mamsha%20Alkhair%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Mutaqadim%2C%20Ray%20Dawson%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al%20Hadhrami%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E6pm%3A%20Emirates%20Fillies%20Classic%20%E2%80%93%20Prestige%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Almotajalliah%2C%20Ray%20Dawson%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al%20Hadhrami%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E6.30pm%3A%20Emirates%20Colts%20Classic%20%E2%80%93%20Prestige%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Fadwaan%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E7pm%3A%20The%20President%E2%80%99s%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(PA)%20Dh2%2C500%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Mujeeb%2C%20Richard%20Mullen%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Ketbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E7.30pm%3A%20The%20President%E2%80%99s%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Listed%20(TB)%20Dh380%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Western%20Writer%2C%20Richard%20Mullen%2C%20Bhupat%20Seemar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Thanksgiving meals to try

World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.

Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as  well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.

The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.

Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.

The biog

Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren

Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies

Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan

Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India 

 

Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

What is Genes in Space?

Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.

It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration. 

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Company profile

Company: Verity

Date started: May 2021

Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif

Based: Dubai

Sector: FinTech

Size: four team members

Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000

Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors