A new Arabic talk show from OSN is giving new meaning to teacher-student relations. Al Ghesh Mamnoua turns the tables on Egypt's political class as they face questions from youth involved in the recent Egyptian revolution.
The show
Showing on Thursday and Friday nights on OSN, Al Ghesh Mamnoua (it means Cheating is Forbidden in Arabic) picks up from the recent Egyptian revolution by bringing together the formerly warring political and cultural classes and young people, for fun and informal discussions on the state of the country.
Class resumes
The programme's format has already generated much interest. Programme guests appear in a Cairo classroom in front of "students", young people directly involved in the protests in Tahrir Square. They will go through three rounds of questions, focusing on their public life as well as personal and ideological stances. In a neat twist, the programme concludes with the students marking the guests on the quality and transparency of their responses and issuing them their final grades. "It is a very unique concept and this is what excites me about it," says Abdul Wahab. "It brings both the students and the young people together in the classroom where they can talk about a lot of things. During the shooting we found the guests, although appearing calm throughout, were really nervous about their marks and some were actually scared."
The teacher
Muna Abdul Wahab is no stranger to putting guests on their toes. The 28-year-old was the host of the successful "mock interview series" Al Hukum Bad Al Mawazala. The guests, again Egyptian and cultural leaders, were tricked into believing that Abdul Wahab was a foreign journalist and the interview was for broadcast outside Egypt. The show's magic lay in discovering whether guests change their tune when speaking to a non-Egyptian audience.
Abdul Wahab says her new role is more challenging as it involves more than just firing off questions. "There is a lot more to it as I am, in a way, the teacher," she says. "I have to make sure the conversation between the guest and judges goes smoothly and also make sure the guests stick to the question. So you are being a host, moderating and being an interviewer as well."
The students
You will seldom see more enthusiastic students on screen. From the 30 or so students attending each class, a core group of about 12 were protesters directly involved in the events in Tahrir Square. This group was selected for their tough opinions and will remain throughout the series. As well as guest responses, Al Ghesh Mamnoua will also present discussions between students of differing viewpoints. "Expect some interesting discussions among them as well," Abdul Wahab says. "They have a lot to say and sometimes they don't agree with each other, not just the guests."
The guests
They are a who's who of Egyptian politics, culture and celebrity. Previous guests have included the politician Anwar El Balkimy and the Egyptian imam Safwat Hegazi. Already signed up to appear on the programme are the Muslim Brotherhood member Ahmed Abu Baraka and the famed Egyptian writer and activist Nawal El Saadawi.
Sign of the times
Abdul Wahab says the programme reflects Egypt's new-found interest in politics and social justice. "It is really a great time to be here and I feel so proud," she says. "Everybody here is now talking about politics and history. You will find the most simple man telling you what they think of what's happening in Egypt right now, it is just great."
Al Ghesh Mamnoua is on OSN YaHala! HD on Thursdays and Fridays at 10pm
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
The%20Specs
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million