JEDDAH// While the Saudi mainstream is calling for strict punishment of a 32-year-old man who was arrested for bragging about his sexual conquests on a television show, others are demanding that the Lebanese channel that aired the programme be banned.
In a country where public protest is illegal, thousands of Saudis are involved in an internet campaign to ban the Lebanese channel LBC, which is part of Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's media empire (he owns 49 per cent of it), after Mazin Abdul Jawad accused the channel of sensationalising his interview that caused a public outrage.
Conservatives are blaming the relatively open social environment in Jeddah for the appearance of Mr Abdul Jawad, who is now known as Jeddah Casanova, in July on LBC's Red Line programme in which he told viewers that he engaged in premarital sex, which is illegal according to the kingdom's sharia-based Islamic legal system.
He also gave guidance on picking up women using his Bluetooth wireless in the segregated society where unmarried men and women are forbidden from mixing.
Saudi authorities blocked the interview on YouTube's website on Thursday after it attracted a huge number of viewers, according to Saudi Shams daily.
Media reports said that the hits totalled more than 300,000 in the first week after the interview was first aired on YouTube in mid July.
The outrage that followed LBC's programme is the second this summer involving companies owned by Prince Alwaleed.
Earlier his Rotana Studios were involved in a controversy about screening a Saudi movie in the capital Riyadh and sponsoring a Saudi film festival in Jeddah.
Among the conservatives who are against Prince Alwaleed's operations is his brother, Prince Khaled bin Talal.
Prince Khaled, in an interview with the hardline Islamist website Lojainiat, accused his brother of disseminating vice through his media empire.
Prince Alwaleed has always said that he wants to promote change among youth through his media group.
"There is nothing in Islam - and I've researched this thoroughly - not one iota that says you can't have movies. So what I am doing right now is causing change," he said in an interview in 2006 before the launch of his first-produced movie Kaif al Hal.
"Calling for the ban of LBC is unacceptable although I disapprove the approach of its Red Line programme," said Saud Kateb, a media technology professor at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah.
"The channel's programmes focused heavily on the open-minded viewers, a small segment of the population, and neglected the conservatives, the larger segment," Prof Kateb said.
He explained that in its search for exciting topics in order to attract more viewers, the channel, which is favoured by many Saudi advertisers, has lost its self-censorship ability in an ultra-sensitive environment.
The Saudi journalist Nawaf al Githami said that despite all the negativity surrounding LBC, it remains one of the few channels that discusses the problems of the common people.
"When you don't have a local channel that discusses our daily struggle in life, then you have to expect to see a migration towards foreign channels that fill the gap," he said.
"After so many years of watching government-owned channels, Saudis are attracted to watching independent channels, however, the society and the country were not ready for that change," said Abdullah Banakhar, media professor at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah.
"LBC is facing a credibility crisis and its Red Line programme had exhausted some of the strategic reserves of its viewers' trust," he added.
A spokesman for the LBC network told the Saudi daily Al Watan that the last episode of the current series of Red Line had aired and that it has not yet been decided whether to renew the programme for another season.
New episodes will not be broadcast until after Ramadan, the spokesman said.
Mr Abdul Jawad told Al Watan that he planned to sue LBC claiming the show's producers took his comments out of context.
Mr Abdul Jawad, who was arrested on Friday by Saudi police and now awaits trial, said in an interview with Okaz daily that he is sorry for what happened and he understood the hundreds of people who have filed complaints against him in Jeddah's court.
"They only know what they have seen. They do not know the truth behind how the channel conducted the interview with me," he said. "I apologise and I am ready to face the consequences [but] I am confident that the truth will come out."
Two other men who had appeared with him on the show were also detained for questioning in connection to the controversial segment.
If convicted of speaking openly about vice and of having premarital sex, Mr Abdul Jawad could be jailed and flogged under Saudi's strict sharia law.
wmahdi@thenational.ae
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
BELGIUM%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EGoalkeepers%3A%20Thibaut%20Courtois%2C%20Simon%20Mignolet%2C%20Koen%20Casteels%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDefenders%3A%20Jan%20Vertonghen%2C%20Toby%20Alderweireld%2C%20Leander%20Dendoncker%2C%20Zeno%20Debast%2C%20Arthur%20Theate%2C%20Wout%20Faes%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMidfielders%3A%20Hans%20Vanaken%2C%20Axel%20Witsel%2C%20Youri%20Tielemans%2C%20Amadou%20Onana%2C%20Kevin%20De%20Bruyne%2C%20Yannick%20Carrasco%2C%20Thorgan%20Hazard%2C%20Timothy%20Castagne%2C%20Thomas%20Meunier%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EForwards%3A%20Romelu%20Lukaku%2C%20Michy%20Batshuayi%2C%20Lo%C3%AFs%20Openda%2C%20Charles%20De%20Ketelaere%2C%20Eden%20Hazard%2C%20Jeremy%20Doku%2C%20Dries%20Mertens%2C%20Leandro%20Trossard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
T20 SQUADS
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf.
Company%20Profile
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)