A party at one of Egypt’s most historic and exclusive private members’ clubs has sparked a furore on social media and the possibility of criminal charges after images of cakes in explicit shapes being served to guests surfaced online.
Gezira Sporting Club, in the affluent Nile island area of Zamalek, faces investigation for hosting the birthday party at the weekend. Images appear to show the gathering of about 12 women in their fifties and sixties smiling and holding up the purportedly lewd cakes.
Police detained the baker, also a woman, for questioning but she was later released on a 5,000 Egyptian pound bail ($318). The Ministry of Youth and Sports, which supervises such clubs, said it intended to investigate the incident.
It was not immediately clear whether the birthday party guests would also be questioned by police or face repercussions.
The incident started a heated debate on social media about what constitutes an offence to public morality in the Muslim-majority nation of 100 million, as well as the boundaries of personal freedoms.
Some discussions also touched on whether images of reproductive organs should be taboo in public.
Members of the club, established by British colonisers in 1882, were divided on the issue, taking to club groups on social media to defend the women’s actions or attack them for bringing the elite establishment to disrepute.
Many criticised the apparent growing conservatism among many Egyptians.
The issue of moral decency has been at the forefront in Egypt in recent months. A Cairo appeals court last week acquitted two young female TikTok stars who were jailed last summer over videos found to “violate family values”. The pair remain in prison pending their trial on human trafficking charges.
The women posted online dance routines deemed by the initial court to be lewd or that could incite debauchery.
Although such charges remain on the Egyptian statute books, there is no agreed definition or legal threshold for such crimes. Campaigners argue they are selectively enforced and often unfairly penalise women.
Popular young singers have also recently been forced by Egypt’s musicians’ guild to drop references to alcohol and drugs from their lyrics.
Maestro
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
