Hala Sarhan hosts political activists, from left, Asmaa Mahfouz and Abdelaziz Abdallah on her show; Nassbook in Cairo.
Hala Sarhan hosts political activists, from left, Asmaa Mahfouz and Abdelaziz Abdallah on her show; Nassbook in Cairo.
Hala Sarhan hosts political activists, from left, Asmaa Mahfouz and Abdelaziz Abdallah on her show; Nassbook in Cairo.
Hala Sarhan hosts political activists, from left, Asmaa Mahfouz and Abdelaziz Abdallah on her show; Nassbook in Cairo.

Egypt's 'Oprah' returns to television


  • English
  • Arabic

CAIRO // A dressing-room door opens at the recording studios of Rotana Masriya, spilling light into the hall. A hefty bodyguard steps out to block the way, a silver handgun tucked into his waistband.

"No, it's all right," a voice calls out from inside. "Nothing to worry about. Let them in."

Hala Sarhan, one of Egypt's most famous and controversial television personalities, waves her visitors to sit down. "I hate guns, but the studio insists we have one."

Laid out before her are dozens of note cards and an Apple laptop. Staff members walk in and out meekly calling "Dr Hala" before rushing over to discuss political developments and the agenda for the evening's edition of Nassbook (Peoplebook), a two-hour show that runs five days a week in the prime-time 9pm slot.

Known as the Oprah of the Middle East for her willingness to address society's taboos on air, Ms Sarhan returned to Egypt in May after three years of self-imposed exile in Dubai.

In 2008, one of her shows on the country's poverty had included interviews with several women said to be prostitutes. One had described how the police provided her with protection so that she could ply her trade.

Soon after, in what Ms Sarhan describes as a conspiracy against her by the government of Hosni Mubarak, the same women told newspapers and other television stations that Ms Sarhan had paid them to pretend to be prostitutes.

Newspaper editorials decried her "libel" against Egypt. The scandal erupted while she was on a trip abroad, and she decided not to return when she was told that arrest warrants awaited her in Cairo for damaging the reputation of the country.

The official charge was "aggravating public security and promoting promiscuous and licentious behaviour". Ms Sarhan insists the show was completely legitimate and the women were indeed prostitutes.

"They came after me because they couldn't put pressure on me. They couldn't use me and I wouldn't be part of their gang," she says of the Mubarak regime. "I didn't serve their regime."

She calls the revolution in January and February a miracle. "The only reason I couldn't come back was all these people who are now in prison," she says.

Within weeks of her return, billboards across Cairo carried images of Ms Sarhan wearing military fatigues and a gaudy golden brooch superimposed over photos of revolutionaries, and the slogan: "Revolutionary dialogue".

Nassbook launched in June and has quickly become one of the most watched shows in Egypt. While she used to tackle controversial topics such as sexual problems between married couples and other taboos, her new show is solely about politics.

"I don't think this is the time to talk about how you love your wife," she says, peering through black Gucci glasses and periodically checking her two iPhones. "It's a different time, a different situation. Our life now is talk about the constitution, a new parliament, elections, political parties."

The show includes monologues from Ms Sarhan, but is mostly filled with round-table discussions about the day's events and some investigative reporting.

A recent show featured discussion about the military's complicity in the "Camel Battle" on February 2, when a convoy of men on camels and horses descended on Tahrir Square to attack pro-democracy protesters. Another revealed footage of police shooting unarmed demonstrators.

On this particular night, she sat with Ahmed Maher and Asmaa Mahfouz from the April 6 Youth Movement, and Amar Ali Hassan, a political scholar and former editor at the Middle East News Agency.

The media atmosphere in Egypt is more open than during the Mubarak regime, says Ms Sarhan, but new forces have risen that have put greater pressure on television shows and newspapers.

Logging on to her computer to look at the show's e-mail and Facebook account and her Twitter feed, she inevitably finds campaigns against her, and numerous threats. Neeraj Khanna, her personal assistant, says the attacks are enough to make him rethink a career in television. "They can be really vicious."

"Before, it was simpler," Ms Sarhan says. "The ministry would even warn you sometimes that they were going to slander you the next day. They would say, 'Don't cry tomorrow'. Now, there is freedom of speech but more social pressure. If someone on the internet doesn't agree with you, they can be worse than the secret police in some ways."

Government interference in the media has not disappeared. The military government recently revived the Ministry of Information, an institution feared by journalists during the three-decade Mubarak regime, and sent out memos to organisations saying they should obtain permission from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces before discussing military issues publicly.

Ms Sarhan sees the pressures on media as a consequence of a radical remaking of Egyptian society that has been under way since Mr Mubarak stepped down on February 11. New voices are beginning to assert themselves, especially from conservative Islamist groups that were kept under tight control during by the Mubarak regime. The army is trying to plug the gap left by a dismantled government.

The pressure on thinkers and media personalities is now not only coming from the top ranks, but also from an activist population that has been repressed for decades.

"Freedom of speech is so fresh now," she says. "There are so many voices, so many people, who can start a campaign against you for addressing topics or discussing anything slightly controversial. It creates a new kind of censorship."

Amr Bargisi, a member of the Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth, says that before the revolution most organisations practised self-censorship to avoid trouble with the government, but that other topics were open for discussion. Now the situation has become inverted.

"Somebody like Hala Sarhan or any other controversial presenter could for instance make as harsh a comment as they liked about the Islamists, but not about Mubarak," he says. The situation was characterised by a disconnect between the haughty media and actual public opinion, he says.

The result, Mr Bargisi says, is that freedom of speech is eroding.

"Now you can say whatever you want about Mubarak, but there is almost no discussion of the negative side of the revolution."

Ms Sarhan says she is undeterred by the pressures, and vows to discuss anything she believes is vital for the country's future.

"Of course, the minute the revolution happened, it was a miracle," she says "Not only for my country, but on a personal level for me. I never believed it was going to happen and I didn't know when I would be able to come home."

For the media to play a proper role in society, though, she believed the country neeed a "new language to talk to each other".

"Egyptian society is so divided now," she says. "We need to talk about everything, but we also need a culture of freedom of speech and not attack people who say something other than a set of beliefs."

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
RACE SCHEDULE

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm

Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm

Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm

Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution) 

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space  

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
England-South Africa Test series

1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London

2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham

3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London

4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester

Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Everton (Rooney 45 1')
Man of the Match Phil Jagielka (Everton)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go

The flights

Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.

The hotel

Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850

 Events and tours

There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com

For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art. 

More information

For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEjari%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYazeed%20Al%20Shamsi%2C%20Fahad%20Albedah%2C%20Mohammed%20Alkhelewy%20and%20Khalid%20Almunif%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESanabil%20500%20Mena%2C%20Hambro%20Perks'%20Oryx%20Fund%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog

Name: Marie Byrne

Nationality: Irish

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption

Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston

Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams

How tumultuous protests grew
  • A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
  • Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved 
  • Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
  • At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
  • Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars 
  • Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
  • An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital 

Habib El Qalb

Assi Al Hallani

(Rotana)

Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species

Camelpox

Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.

Falconpox

Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.

Houbarapox

Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.

Reading List

Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung

How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever

Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays

How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Price: from Dh155,000

On sale: now

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
BLACK%20ADAM
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jaume%20Collet-Serra%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dwayne%20Johnson%2C%20Sarah%20Shahi%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Pierce%20Brosnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Profile of Foodics

Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani

Based: Riyadh

Sector: Software

Employees: 150

Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing

Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind