A Journalist ‘In Cahoots’
That day, three coordinated ISIL suicide bombings would take place in Brussels. Thirty-two civilians and three perpetrators would be left dead, and more than 300 people injured. Another bomb was found during a search of the airport. The entire city, if not the whole continent, was consumed by horror and apprehension. However, our extensive experience of dealing with major events enabled us to restore our composure quickly. We went straight from tourist to journalist mode. Since we knew that Al Jazeera had no resident reporter in Brussels, we immediately telephoned the news desk in Doha. But we had no equipment apart from our mobile phones. Al Jazeera’s live coverage, which ran for days, started from my mobile. The newsgathering desk later informed us that satellite windows had been arranged for me to report live through a service provider. With a curfew in place, it was impossible to use a car or taxi. We had no alternative but to have our phones fully charged and venture out onto the streets of Brussels to walk to the live position. All of our moves were carefully calculated amid the overwhelming chaos and uncertainty. By the time we reached the live position, the third bombing had taken place at a Brussels metro station. The police cordoned off the area in anticipation of more attacks. The service provider cancelled the booking and closed their premises.
A Journalist ‘In Cahoots’ Rania Halaby | Presenter, Al Jazeera News Channel
It is common knowledge that journalism is not a job that adheres to strict office hours. I have accepted that working as a journalist is a passion that will, no doubt, take a toll on my personal life. News headlines sneak slowly into my head even at home, giving rise to many questions and ideas. Our families cannot avoid politics even during dinner conversations. I have been used to this since my early days in journalism in Lebanon. I grew up with my parents talking politics day and night, and then married a fellow journalist.
I always appreciated this intertwined work-family life; that is why I made no effort to resist it. My husband and I offered a lot with passion to the profession. This was best revealed when our vacation in Europe turned into a business trip in 2016. After a tour of the Belgian countryside, my husband and I arrived in Brussels hoping to explore Europe’s capital city. But we woke up to a totally unexpected scene from our hotel window: ambulances and a heavy police presence.
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