It is said that if you want to get to know a person, travel with them, live with them or go through a difficulty with them. The same might be said for countries revealing who they are and what they stand for after this year’s pandemic.
Rightly or wrongly, for better or for worse, stereotypes of countries exist already, built on centuries of history, events and publicity. In recent years, many have been working on rebranding themselves in order to attract inbound investment and tourism.
At the end of the '90s, for example, the UK repositioned itself as "Cool Britannia". In 2002, India announced itself as "Incredible India". Malaysia in 2007 became "Truly Asia". Saudi Arabia has been pegging its transformation around Vision 2030. And earlier this year the UAE announced a new brand, voted for by 10 million people.
But this year the behaviours of countries, were evident in a different light, with regard to how well or poorly they handled the Covid-19 crisis. This was not an image created by branding agencies or slick PR machinery.
More from Shelina Janmohamed
Last week, the UK’s medical regulator was the first in the world to approve a vaccination against Covid-19. Like many others, I was thrilled. So were people in the UK government.
But the news elicited a rather bombastic response from the UK’s Education Secretary Gavin Williamson: “I just reckon we’ve got the very best people in this country and we’ve obviously got the best medical regulators. Much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.” He added: “That doesn’t surprise me at all because we’re a much better country than every single one of them, aren’t we?”
Reactions were split. Some said Mr Williamson was rightly proud of the country and why shouldn’t he be? Others likened him to a seven year old saying ‘my daddy is better than your daddy’, suggesting it was an inflated build on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s claim of the country’s handling of the pandemic being ‘world-beating'.
Either way, it brought home yet again, the UK’s fractured nature, with people of opposing views split over a national identity that is built on past greatness.
Other countries, too, couldn't help but reveal some personality. Sometimes nationalism verging on jingoism came through. Some countries were dismissive of evident problems, putting ideology above policy and people. Leaders of some first world nations used Covid-19 as a pretext to blame other countries, not holding back the racist overtones.
Rule enforcement in countries like China contrasted sharply with the rule-breaking, non-mask-wearing protests in the US. While traditionally the US has been called the 'world's policeman', it faced rule breakers at home, even in the White House.
Some countries appeared competitive, some more collaborative, while the approaches of a few other nations did suggest a sense of pride and unity, bringing people together to get through the tough times.
The UAE, for example, highlighted its heroes. Just last week it announced a fallen frontline heroes order to be awarded to anyone who died of Covid-19 while working on the frontline.
For still some others, abiding by the rules – or flouting them – became the defining issue of the pandemic. Take Japan, for instance. It reported negative excess mortality for the first seven months of 2020. The country's finance minister put this down to "the (high) cultural level" of the Japanese people.
Rule enforcement in China contrasted sharply with the rule-breaking, non-mask wearing protests in the US
As the world’s over 200 countries came under the same threat, it became clear the baseline from which each country began its fight against the virus was not the same.
New Zealand, for instance, fostered a particularly strong sense of community, taking advantage of its position as a small island nation to close its borders and promote a sense of resilience among its citizens.
Economic reality and history also played a huge role in preparedness and vigilance. Countries such as South Korea and Singapore that experienced Sars – and West African countries that had faced Ebola – responded better, having learnt from their past. Liberia, Sierra leone and Guinea too applied their learnings from Ebola. This sense of not wanting disaster repeated set them ahead of many western countries.
Countries like the UK rolled out ‘furlough’ schemes to offer financial support during lockdowns. The same was not available in countries where the government struggled to intervene in a timely and effective manner.
In India some 140 million migrant workers found themselves without jobs during lockdown, destitute and worried about starvation. After a public outcry, the government finally announced free food for them for two months.
Separately, we are about to see the second wave of this country inequality as richer nations purchase and roll out the vaccine.
Despite this retreat into our own individual nation behaviours, the vaccine, which will hopefully put an end to this year's horrific experiences, does leave us with an illuminating thought. That instead of hunkering down into our isolated bunkers, the future lies in global collaboration.
Shelina Janmohamed is an author and a culture columnist for The National
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Company%20profile
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The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Quentin%20Tarantino%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Uma%20Thurman%2C%20David%20Carradine%20and%20Michael%20Madsen%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
