Farida badly wanted a hug on her 22nd birthday last week. She did not get one.
Her parents and younger sister chose to put social distancing above family tradition. Her mother, however, made strawberry cheesecake, Farida’s favourite dessert, to mark the occasion.
“I know it’s a fluffy thing to say, but I did want a hug,” Farida said.
The Dutch-educated handicraft artist, who lives with her family in an upscale Cairo neighbourhood, celebrated her big day online with her closest friends.
“I just moved from one sofa to another at home for a change of scenery. When this thing is over, I will never take anything for granted,” she said.
An outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in Egypt, whose 100 million people make it the most populous Arab country, has upended people’s lives in a multitude of ways.
It has changed social practices, altered lifestyles and affected many of the things Egyptians have long taken for granted.
For some, the crisis has triggered soul-searching.
“To me, it’s all good. Death just comes at any rate. If you don’t die today, you die tomorrow,” mused Ahmed, 55, a father of three who has suffered from a heart condition for several years.
“Over the last few years, I buried my father and my mother. Last month, I buried my brother who died of cancer,” Ahmed said.
He recounted how mourners wearing masks showed up for a quick prayer at the hospital where his brother died, and his struggle to organise a wake during a ban on gatherings.
“This corona thing is making me treat people better than I used to," said the private-sector employee. "I try not to upset anyone anymore. Life may prove too short for all of us.”
Many changes brought about by the pandemic – some subtle, some jarring – are best observed in Cairo, a city of more than 20 million people. It has the country's largest share of coronavirus-related fatalities and infections – 164 and 2,190 respectively, according to the latest figures published on Monday night.
A sprawling, Nile-side metropolis where squalor and well-heeled society awkwardly coexist, Cairo has a reputation for being a lively city that does not sleep.
It is home to a wide range of entertainment without equal elsewhere in the country but stifling pollution levels, constant traffic congestion and a unique brand of rudeness from its inhabitants make living there something of a reckless proposition.
Making the social distancing measures tougher to accept is the gregarious nature of Cairo’s residents, who greet each other with hugs and kisses and many of whom routinely spend hours at tea houses and cafes chatting over black tea, coffee and smoking from waterpipes.
The city has been under night-time restrictions on movement for close to three weeks. Its mosques and churches have been shut along with schools, universities, restaurants, cafes, gyms and sports clubs. International air travel has also been halted.
The measures transformed Cairo seemingly overnight as streets that were usually choked with pedestrians and traffic became eerily quiet. On the bright side, the air is much cleaner.
The new-look city and the deepening fear of infection by Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has come at a time when Egyptians were preparing for Easter on April 19 and the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan less than a week later, the two most coveted occasions in the Coptic Orthodox Christian and Muslim calendars and a time of spirituality and giving.
In this spirit, the pandemic has brought out some of the kindest traits in Egyptians, from helping day workers who can no longer find employment to feeding the city’s tens of thousands of street cats and dogs who have been going hungrier than usual under the present conditions.
Combating ignorance of the methods in which the disease is transmitted, animal lovers have launched a vigorous social media campaign to reassure pet owners that their cats and dogs do not pose a threat.
Thanks to self-isolation, however, pet owners say their cats and dogs are having the time of their life, with their human friends hardly leaving their homes.
"Ramadan will give me the motivation I need because I intend to give part of my profits to charity. This will take me out of the flat loop of living and working at the same place," said Farida, who is self-employed and works from home. "Another plus these days is how happy Phoebe, my Yorkshire Terrier, is because we are around every day."
Cairenes, on the other hand, have shown their appreciation for the thin traffic and cleaner air and taken to the streets in droves, jogging and cycling, painting unfamiliar scenes of a city where doing either can fairly be labelled life-threatening.
But the pandemic has also brought to the surface some of the city’s darker traits, like greed and a lack of concern for others.
Cairenes with deep pockets have been panic shopping at supermarkets since the coronavirus restrictions were announced last month, emptying shelves and denying those who can only afford much less the chance to buy essentials.
Retailers seeking a bigger profit margin have significantly marked up the price of much-in-demand surgical masks, sanitisers and alcohol.
Fahd Hassan, a 35-year-old government employee and father of two, laments that he has so far spent a total of 500 pounds (Dh116) on Covid-19-related items – more than a third of a month’s salary.
“These items are sold at twice or three times their normal price,” said Hassan, who dabbles in literary writing. “I want to write about the fear and mystery that’s engulfing Cairo these days, but I am consumed with concern about my wife and children.”
Fearing an economic meltdown that would wipe out gains from years of painful austerity and reform, the government has gone to great lengths to strike a balance between protecting the population against Covid-19 and keeping at least some sectors of the economy running to prevent millions of workers and their families from going hungry.
Egypt's vital tourism sector has been hit the quickest and the hardest, a particularly harsh blow in a year that was shaping up to be the best on record until the coronavirus struck. Hundreds of thousands employed in the labour-intensive sector are now losing their jobs or suffering pay cuts.
Ahmed, a veteran French-speaking tour guide, was on a Nile cruise in southern Egypt with what turned out to be his last group of tourists when word arrived that they would have to be sent home on the first available flight.
With scheduled international flights later halted, the father of two became jobless, just the same way he was when tourism almost completely dried up in the years of turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak.
“I sat the children down and explained to them what was going on,” he said. “I told them that we will need to economise and do without some things, and they understood. Now my two chief challenges are boredom and money.”
Although self-isolation has kept families and friends apart, applications like FaceTime, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have become popular modes of contact.
The elderly, widely seen as the most vulnerable, are kept away from younger members of the same family for fear of infection, leaving children without the love and care provided by grandparents.
School-age children are now constantly at home, with online schooling taxing parents who had grown accustomed to having little to do with the education of their offspring.
Children who are into sports are coached online, with parents complaining that the sessions are too short, leaving their little ones with energy to spare and them with the tough task of keeping them busy the rest of the day.
“I feel that all my hard work with my daughter is lost,” said Marianne, mother of a promising seven-year-old gymnast who lives in central Cairo.
“Staying at home has spoilt her. Now she wakes up whenever it pleases her and goes to bed late. None of the discipline instilled by going to school every day is left,” she said.
“Her days used to be packed before the coronavirus struck. She is now missing all the activities she did with her friends and she cries for no reason. The other night she cried because she did not think I tickled her enough before she went to sleep.”
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The five pillars of Islam
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
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
%3Cp%3EMATA%0D%3Cbr%3EArtist%3A%20M.I.A%0D%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Island%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Result
UAE (S. Tagliabue 90 1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
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
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Everton v Tottenham, Sunday, 8.30pm (UAE)
Match is live on BeIN Sports
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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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
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Neo%20Mobility%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20February%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abhishek%20Shah%20and%20Anish%20Garg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Delta%20Corp%2C%20Pyse%20Sustainability%20Fund%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
