Now one of the most popular talk shows on YouTube in the Middle East, AB Talks is shattering stereotypes with sensitive, powerful, honest and much-needed conversations. It tackles the taboo subjects of masculinity, inclusivity, feminism and mental health, and highlights how our different struggles can end up bringing us together.
This week marks the 59th episode of the show and leading the charge is Anas Bukhash, an ambitious, motivated, level-headed and inquisitive Emirati entrepreneur. As well as being a successful businessman and motivational speaker, he is also a doting father, brother and son.
The purpose of the show is to highlight that no matter how successful someone might be, at the base level, we are one and the same, says Bukhash. However, everybody faces their own personal struggles, “which ends up uniting people, who can relate and know they are not alone”.
Bukhash's approach in interviews is objective and meaningful, while the athlete in him likes to keep people guessing. Notably, retired Brazilian footballer Ronaldo was one of his most famous guests, as were Gary Vee (Belarusian-American entrepreneur), Atif Aslam (Pakistani singer) and Balqees (Yemeni singer), among other celebrities from various parts of the world.
Bukhash’s first question to his guests, “How are you really doing?”, has become something of a catchphrase. “Everybody likes to ask me this question now,” he says. “I feel focused, productive, happy and am trying my best to give everything its fair time.”
Apart from what we see on his social media channels, Bukhash says he is “human, as typical as that may sound. My social media is a decent reflection of me. Other than that, people may assume I am very social, but I have a small circle of friends. I cherish all my close relationships.”
AB Talks was conceptualised in 2016, when Bukhash decided to launch his own talk show, on which he would have the freedom to initiate and steer conversations that mattered. He was working in TV at the time, and one of the shows he was on involved interviewing celebrities and entrepreneurs.
The show can help a young boy watching us discuss masculinity – to hear that crying is not a problem, nor does it represent a lack of masculinity. Just to know that you are not alone is a reason why the show exists.
He was allowed only seven minutes to ask specific questions, which he had to read from a teleprompter. “I didn’t enjoy it. That experience taught me that I enjoyed TV and interviews, but didn’t enjoy the format, style and lack of realness.”
So he flipped the script, and the show officially began in 2018. "Now, I have my own multimedia team and I can do things my way. I can write it the way I want, design it the way I want and ask anything I want," Bukhash says.
“Everything I do is out of passion. I am very protective of my time. I like everything to have a meaning. I am very curious, passionate and focused, and I want to leave this life with added value. Otherwise it would be a wasted life.”
Shows such as AB Talks provide young people with role models and new channels where they can share their thoughts and points of view. Leading by example, Bukhash addresses topics such as masculinity, offering a new perspective on what this might mean in today's world.
“The show can help a young boy watching us discuss masculinity – to hear that crying is not a problem, nor does it represent a lack of masculinity. Just to know that you are not alone is a reason why the show exists.”
Bukhash also talks about broader social subjects that hit close to home, including feminism, parenting, the stigma attached to divorce and family pressure when it comes to marriage in the Arab world. Such topics are sparking conversations and debates in households and communities, causing a ripple effect and encouraging out-of-the-box thinking.
Bukhash’s liberal views on society and women in the Arab world have boosted his growing fan base. “From the beginning, I didn’t see things the way others did. I’m always questioning things – why we do things a certain way. I’ve always been curious to look at the other side and perspective. With time, confidence and experience you can express it more.”
This mentality was cultivated by his mother, Hala Kazim, a renowned Emirati public figure, artist and motivational speaker who helped to shape his mindset from an early age. "She is a great 'life school'; even though she never graduated from college, her life wisdom is immense. I take a lot from her, even though I have a different personality.
"My foundation of no-judgement or trying to empathise, knowing there can be two or more sides to a story and a lot of these principles were instilled by her. Just having a strong and independent woman in your life inspires you, and helps you to appreciate and respect women much more from a younger age."
Bukhash purposely engages with subjects that may not have affected him personally, including depression and mental health, which are recurring themes in his episodes.
I believe people want to be heard and listened to. That's important. It's the non-verbal cues, subconscious energy and perception. It's the energy you feel, when you're not being judged and it makes it easier for people to trust you.
"I think it would be very selfish to talk about depression only if it affected me. Sure you can empathise and relate more, but that cannot be the only reason to share it. I know how common it is; seven out of 10 guests tell me they were depressed. It is something people perceive as a weakness."
He recalls a chance meeting with a fellow Emirati, who told him he was recently diagnosed with depression and said: "The fact that I watched your episode, I realised it is OK to be depressed and there is no shame in seeking help from a specialist."
AB Talks' star-studded guest list has boosted its popularity in the GCC and farther afield.
“It gives me the right kind of fame. Many people are famous for the wrong reasons. To do something good and to receive that in return is a blessing.”
As a result, Bukhash says, strangers approach him for meaningful engagement and not just selfies.
The show is also helping to change public perception of famous people, by allowing viewers to see their more human side. Most of the time, Bukhash is meeting his guests for the first time. And, as with most people, he might approach them with some kind of bias, based on his research. "But when you listen to them and find out their story, you're blown away and it humbles you. Even the viewers."
He offers the example of his interview with Aslam. Feedback revealed that before the show, viewers liked Aslam, but most weren't familiar with him.
"After watching, they saw his other side, they are in love with this human being and the way he thinks. When you're really popular, like Atif Aslam, and don't do many interviews, it is a great opportunity for the show. I loved his story."
The episode further helped to break down standard stereotypes about successful and “strong” men. It showed that some can be unapologetically vulnerable, honest and transparent about their love for their children, their relationship with their fathers or their powerful bond with their mothers.
Many of the guests on Bukhash’s show have broken their silence on personal subjects and shared intimate stories that have never been heard before. So how does he do it?
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Bukhash says, with a pause. “But here’s what I think. It’s a theory. I believe people want to be heard and listened to. That’s important. It’s the non-verbal cues, subconscious energy and perception. It’s the energy you feel, when you’re not being judged and it makes it easier for people to trust you.”
One of the most important things he has learnt to do since he launched AB Talks is to listen, Bukhash says. "It affects you consciously and subconsciously. Maybe I won't realise it until one day when I look back at how I was a few years ago and try to compare how I used to think, speak or even interrupt.
“It has definitely taught me how to listen. I can be a great listener when I want to be. It also taught me that if I focus and set my mind to something, I can be good at it. It humbles you and makes you less judgemental.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 1 (Martinez 18' pen)
Juventus 2 (Dybala 4', Higuain 80')
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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Match info
Uefa Nations League A Group 4
England 2 (Lingard 78', Kane 85')
Croatia 1 (Kramaric 57')
Man of the match: Harry Kane (England)
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
Liverpool’s fixtures until end of 2019
Saturday, November 30, Brighton (h)
Wednesday, December 4, Everton (h)
Saturday, December 7, Bournemouth (a)
Tuesday, December 10, Salzburg (a) CL
Saturday, December 14, Watford (h)
Tuesday, December 17, Aston Villa (a) League Cup
Wednesday, December 18, Club World Cup in Qatar
Saturday, December 21, Club World Cup in Qatar
Thursday, December 26, Leicester (a)
Sunday, December 29, Wolves (h)
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:
Juventus 1 Ajax 2
Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
