Nancy Ajram will star in a drama series with Angelina Jolie, Cristiano Ronaldo

The new Turkish drama series will shed light on the plight of Syrian refugees.
By Rayana Khalaf Contributor

Seeing Nancy Ajram, Angelina Jolie and Cristiano Ronaldo all on the same screen may sound a bit far-fetched. But, it may happen soon, and for good cause.

The Lebanese singer, American actress/philanthropist and Portuguese soccer player are reportedly joining forces to shed light on the plight of Syrian refugees in an all-new Turkish television drama series.

According to Turkish media, the trio will be part of a new show titled Hayat Koprusu, which revolves around a Syrian family fleeing the country's civil war for Turkey.

"There will be appearances from actors and actresses from all over the world including Cristiano Ronaldo, Angelina Jolie and Nancy Ajram," said the director, Eyup Dirlik, according to Sky News.

The show will mainly be shot in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border. It is planned to air in the Middle East and Latin America.

More details are yet to be revealed.

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie meets with Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. September 2012. Source: UNHCR/J.Tanner

Jolie is rather known for her humanitarian work in the Middle East. She has been a strong ally to Syrian refugees ever since the crisis started, donating $100,000 to their relief in 2012.

The special envoy of the United Nations Higher Commission has been involved in charity work in refugee camps around Lebanon, Greece, Jordan and Turkey. 

She has repeatedly called upon leaders to put an end to the crisis in Syria, demanding that the root cause be tackled once and for all.

"After five years (Syrian) refugees do not want to know by what percentage their lives might be made fractionally more bearable, but when they will be able to go home. 

"They do not want to be the passive recipients of aid, they want a political solution," she said in a press release last September. 

Cristiano Ronaldo has supported Syrian refugees as well. Last December, he sent a message of hope to the children of Syria, telling them that they are "true heroes". 

The message came alongside a generous donation he made to those affected by the conflict in Syria through the international organization Save the Children.

Meanwhile, Ajram has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2009, acting as a regional ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa.

She has taken part in several fund-raising events and established her very own charity organization in Beirut.

Ajram has also contributed to MBC's 'Shelter for All' campaign, which was dedicated to helping refugees in the Arab world. 

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I just don't get why people are risking their lives for photos in Dubai

What price are you willing to pay for “likes” and followers?
By Ola Kseroof Contributor

What price are you willing to pay for “likes” and followers? Well, Russian model Viki Odintcova is willing to risk her life for it. 

The peak of irrationality?

Odintcova dangled herself from top of Cayan Tower in Dubai Marina earlier this month and filmed the entire process. She then posted the video on her Instagram page.

Odintcova got her 15 minutes of fame no doubt!

Unfortunately these extreme shots seem to have become a normal practice on social media and we keep seeing them every day. But, it looks like Ms. Odintcova’s stunt got her more than she bargained for. 

Apart from the much coveted "likes", she now has a court summons to deal with. 

Legal action

This week, Dubai Police Maj Gen Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, an assistant to the chief of police in Dubai, said that Odintcova "had been summoned to sign an undertaking not to repeat any dangerous moves that could endanger her life in Dubai".

But, it was Odintcova’s response that made things even worse. 

Speaking to the The National she said: “We deserve a reward for disclosing weaknesses in the security of that building. We were at the rooftop of that building without any evil intentions, however someone else could have come out there to commit suicide or an act of terrorism."

Needless to say, her response didn’t go down well with many people, who took to Facebook to voice their opinion about the issue.

mic drop!

Another valid point

Do you agree?

But, this isn't the first time such photos have been taken in Dubai

A couple of months ago, I was browsing through my Instagram feed, and I came across this photo which shows a photographer/influencer standing on the edge of a skyscraper somewhere in Dubai while looking down on the city. I immediately felt uncomfortable just looking at the photo. 

One has to ask... 

What is the point of all this?

Seriously, what is the purpose of these life threatening photos? 

If its creativity, then perhaps doing it without endangering the lives of others is one way to go about it. If the purpose is to influence and inspire people then it is being done in bad taste, here's why. 

Paying the ultimate price for likes and shares

In 2012, a Russian teenager died after falling from a railroad bridge in Moscow while trying to snap a photo for his Instagram feed. 

Another Russian teenager fell to his death in 2015 while attempting to capture a "dangling" photo of himself. 

Influencers should be more responsible

Most of the people who take these extreme photos are called “influencers”, but what or who exactly are they trying to influence with these reckless and irresponsible actions? 

One could argue that “they are free to do whatever they want”, which is true to some extent, but not when they have thousands of people, and young teenagers, following and possibly looking up to them. 

With a great number of followers comes great responsibility. These Instagrammers should take note of that.

Tell us what you think. Do you think there should be a ban on these high risk photos or not?

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