Q: (CNN) -- Mohammed Alshaya owns more high street brands than most fashion addicts could stuff in their closets.

Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of Alshaya's retail division, tells MME he sees a new mindset in the Gulf

Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island are just some of the big names he's imported from the United Kingdom to shopping centers in the Middle East.

As chief executive of M.H. Alshaya, he knows what sells: tried and tested Western brands that will appeal to local shoppers.

And his empire is not limited to clothing. In the past month, he's taken Mothercare and The Body Shop to Central Eastern Europe.

With the addition of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, M.H. Alshaya now operates in 16 markets including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Poland and Russia.

John Defterios spoke with Mohammed Alshaya, and started by asking him for his thoughts on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plans for a single currency.

(JD): I would imagine as a retail operation you'd be a huge proponent of a single currency within the GCC. Is it realistic within the next 4 to 5 years?

(MA): I think it can be, as long as there is a will of the leaders to get together and decide. It is a huge leap towards efficiency, conciliation, getting closer between the six countries. One single Central Bank that governs and regulates is much better than the current six, I believe.

(JD): Have you ever done any calculations of what impact it would have on your back office operations?

1. Mohammed Alshaya
2. Alshaya
3. CEO of retail division
4. Topshop, Coast, NEXT and River Island
5. the Middle East
6. Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia
7. 16
8. John Defterios
9. Gulf Cooperation Council
10. six
11. 4 to 5 years

Numbered questions:
1. Who own lots of high street brands?
2. What company does he work for?
3. What is his title?
4. What does he imports?
5. Where to?
6. And where else?
7. How many countries?
8. Who interviewed him?
9. Who did they say needed a common money?
10. How many nations are in it?
11. How much time will it take them to make it happen?

Q: (CNN)It was in a New York cab. That's when Grammy Award-winning signer Angelique Kidjo realized the extent that "fear-bola" had spread.

"The driver just asked, 'where are you from?' Of course I have an accent, and I'm not going to hide the fact that I'm from West Africa. Then he said, 'Ebola', and I said, 'do I LOOK like I have Ebola?'"

Later, when announcing her recently wrapped up Carnegie Hall tribute to South African singer Miriam Makeba, aka, Mama Africa, the trolls came out again.

"It should be Mama Ebola," one wrote, and "I wonder if she is bringing any Ebloa (sic) with her?" chimed in another.

"Until that point, I felt the hysteria of it, but I kept saying to myself, 'it's just the media.' Then it comes to you direct."

Overall, she's not been impressed with how the Western media has covered the epidemic. In her opinion, the current coverage represents a tragically lost opportunity.

"I thought Ebola would bring greater journalism, that they'd write about the need for great nurses and great doctors, or how every human being on this planet has the right to a good healthcare system," she confesses. Clearly, she's been disappointed.

"I hoped they'd show the beauty of the people. But it's much more dramatic and more entertaining to show us dying."

In typical Kidjo fashion, she channeled her outrage into advocacy, and penned a New York Times op-ed. That is how the Benin-born singer-songwriter operates. When something makes her angry, she speaks out.

1. Miriam Makeba
2. Angelique Kidjo
3. 'where are you from?'
4. because she had an accent
5. Ebola
6. Mama Africa
7. Mama Ebola
8. no
9. about the need for great nurses and doctors
10. people dying
11. penned a New York Times op-ed

Numbered questions:
1. Who was the singer who realized how scared people are of ebola?
2. The Singer who figured it out in a taxi?
3. What did the taxi driver ask her?
4. Why?
5. What was he concerned about?
6. What isMiriam Makeba's alias?
7. What did one mean person say it should be?
8. Does she think the media has does a good job covering the outbreak?
9. What does she think they should be reporting?
10. What did they report instead?
11. What did she do in response?

Q: (The Frisky) -- Everyone's favorite charmer, George Clooney, is suiting up to play a hired assassin trying to get out of the profession after one last assignment in "The American."

The flick comes out in September and it's about time that Clooney gave James Bond a run for his money! He's charismatic, cheeky, and looks fantastic in a suit how can you go wrong?

In honor of this new development, we've rounded up the sexiest male spies of all time! Cue the "spy who shagged me" jokes.

Clive Owen really steamed up the big screen with Julia Roberts in "Duplicity" as rival spies engaging in espionage and foreplay. He also plays the best kind of spy, relying on his charisma and smarts instead of crazy gadgets.

Matt Damon's made a pretty fantastic spy as Jason Bourne in "The Bourne Identity" and its sequels. As a government assassin afflicted with amnesia, Damon runs around trying to solve his identity crisis while the CIA tries to kill him. He makes the classic playboy spy stereotype seem crass with his boyish good looks and devotion to his lady love.

The Frisky: Amanda Bynes is retiring at age 24! Other young starlets we'd like to see throw in the towel

It's hard to pinpoint who the sexiest Bond was, but Pierce Brosnan did a good job of it in 1995's "Goldeneye." Between the British accent and the sophisticated chivalry, it was easy to see why women were throwing themselves at him when they were supposed to be taking him out. Plus, Brosnan is just so ridiculously pretty.

1. Juilia Roberts
2. No
3. spy as Jason Bourne
4. Yes
5. CIA
6. unknown
7. Pierce Brosnan
8. Bond
9. The American
10. September
11. retiring at age 24
12. 1995

Numbered questions:
1. Who was Clive Owen's co-star in "Duplicity"?
2. Does he rely on gadgets?
3. Who does Matt Damon play?
4. Is anyone attempting to murder him?
5. Who?
6. What major personal issue is he dealing with?
7. Who starred in 'Goldeneye'?
8. What role did he play?
9. What is Clooney's next film?
10. When does it come out?
11. What is Amanda Bynes doing?
12. What year did 'Goldeneye' come out?