Some of the conspiracy theories Hosam Shibly comes across make him laugh – like the one aired by an Iraqi TV channel that claimed Covid-19 is unable to spread in Iraq – “as if the virus differentiates between people or lands!”
Others, including a newspaper article claiming the United States took responsibility for creating the virus, fill him with fear. “False news… is no less dangerous than the virus itself and puts everyone we love in big danger, so the team worked to refute this non science-based information and replace it with credible scientific facts,” the 23-year-old medical student says.
He is one of 15 student translators across the Middle East taking part in a campaign run by the Iraqi-led nonprofit Ideas Beyond Borders to make accurate information on Covid-19 available in Arabic.
The organisation challenges authoritarian and extremist narratives by facilitating access to knowledge in the Arab world through translation projects. So far, they have translated more than 11 million words from books and Wikipedia articles on subjects including science, civil rights, religious diversity and conspiracy theories into Arabic.
The new coronavirus has presented IBB with a fresh challenge, as controversial cures and blame theories hurtle round social media space faster than fact-checkers can refute them.
Conditions fuelling the spread of misinformation
Founder Faisal Saeed Al Mutar believes common difficulties faced by many countries across the Middle East give the rumour mill traction. “In general, conspiracy theories flourish in the Arab world because so many Arab countries are facing conditions that spur feelings of uncertainty and a lack of control.”
A writer and activist, Mr Al Mutar, 28, grew up in the culture of misinformation that permeated Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in the 1990s. He left in 2009 after his work made him a target for Al Qaeda attacks and was admitted to the US as a refugee four years later, where he launched IBB in 2017.
“MENA-region youth are already facing crippling levels of unemployment, humanitarian disaster and education systems created by authoritarian regimes to limit critical thinking; when you pair this with forecasted macroeconomic collapse and dilapidated healthcare systems unable to cope with Covid-19’s fallout, you get a vulnerable general public eager for answers wherever they find them,” Mr Al Mutar adds.
Despite being the fourth most-common language among internet users, only 0.6 per cent of online content is available in Arabic, an imbalance Mr Al Mutar aims to redress. Videos created by the team on the new coronavirus have drawn 5.5 million views, among them 'Top 10 myths and conspiracies about Covid-19', 'How to protect yourself from Covid-19' and 'There is no bio warfare'.
The students, who work for IBB on a volunteer basis, have also translated 29 public health articles from sources including the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention as part of its new Covid-19 anti-disinformation campaign.
Raghad Al Katlabi, a medical student at the University of Damascus and an IBB translator, noted the panic spreading among friends as conspiracy theories circulated. “I try to keep an open mind and encourage people to develop their own mindset with regards to the virus. Freedom of speech is important,” the 24-year-old says.
But she worries that misinformation can have more influence than expert advice, which could pose a serious risk for people seeking medical expertise. “They believe this kind of stuff more than anything the doctors might say.”
In times of crisis, people can become more susceptible to fake news messaging, says Irene Pasquetto, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Shorenstein Centre on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. "First they were scared, now they are angry. People share misinformation to channel fragilities and anger," she told The National.
Recent weeks have brought an intensification of partisan false news. "While at the beginning of the pandemic we observed mostly science-related false news (due to the confusing messaging from institutions, among other things), now misinformation is clearly turning into disinformation," Ms Pasquetto added.
Catastrophic consequences in countries ill-equipped to cope
Working in the ER at Tishreen University Hospital in Latakia, Syria, Bashar Ghalyouni says the "ridiculous rumours and false information" he hears every day from patients and family members pose a particular threat in countries affected by conflict.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of awareness in a region with a fragile medical system that’s barely holding on after years of war and devastation," says Mr Ghalyouni, who works as an IBB translator between hospital shifts.
Aid agencies have repeatedly warned of the catastrophic consequences the pandemic could have in countries with weakened health infrastructure, such as Syria, Libya and Yemen.
One rumour that caused Mr Ghalyouni particular concern has “spread like wildfire” and refers to a Chinese delegation that recently visited Syria. “It says they transmitted the virus to the country so now the peak is behind us and we’re fine. I think it’s the most dangerous rumour because it gives people false hope and a reason to ignore the lockdown instructions and medical advice at this sensitive moment.”
The past week has seen pushback against lockdowns in several countries, including Lebanon and the US, where disinformation and conspiracy theories are fanning protests against restrictions needed to protect public health.
Photos from a rally in Washington, US showed one man carrying a sign saying “No to 5G!” in a likely reference to the conspiracy theory that the 5G wireless network is linked to the pandemic.
In some Middle East countries, including Iraq and Lebanon, rumours rooted in religious and political views are encouraging people to resist social distancing measures as the economic impact of the lockdowns deepens.
“Some people think a global pandemic wouldn’t affect them because they are religious enough or they are protected for following the right faith. Others think it is a sign of the rage of God and contradictory theories (say) it is a punishment for people for not being religious enough,” says Abdullah Arafa, 25, a senior-year medical student at Tanta University in Egypt and a chief editor on the IBB team.
Others are also working to refute fake news and highlight the facts. In Iraq, videos and photos purporting to show people out in cities under curfew have been shared on social media. But a closer examination of the footage shows that it predates the lockdown, says Bahar Jasim, spokesperson at Tech 4 Peace.
Pushing back against the flood of fake news
The organisation, which was set up in 2016 to expose false narratives and propaganda circulated by ISIS, says disinformation is rife in Iraq. Among other things, it has been used to falsely accuse people of being members of the extremist group and to undermine demonstrations.
Now, the team of more than 200 volunteers across Iraq is focusing on the fake news buzzing around Covid-19. “Sometimes it’s in order to encourage people to go out so authorities can’t control them… other times it’s just people bored at home, but these pages have thousands of likes and with a single video post they can reach a lot of people,” Mr Jasim said.
The pandemic has also prompted a surge in state-sponsored disinformation and a simultaneous spike in censorship as governments cite fake news as a reason to clamp down on free expression.
Last month, Russia was accused by the EU of pursuing a “significant disinformation campaign” to subvert the coronavirus response in the West, including amplifying Iranian accusations that the virus was a US biological weapon.
A briefing paper on Covid-19 disinformation by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) examines some of the conspiracy narratives that are “proliferating on social media platforms bolstered by the state-sponsored blame game playing out between propaganda machineries.”
It points to the scope for exploitation by extremist movements and hate groups, which are using online platforms to spread messages that blame migrants, refugees, Jews, Muslims and other groups. This includes efforts to “mobilise violence and harm against them as targets.”
Anti-Chinese rhetoric has also been rife, with a spike in racist incidents around the world. Mr Arafa has seen this play out on campus in Egypt. “Some people in my university started to shy away from Malaysian students (mistaking them for being Chinese) and a Malaysian friend told me it’s been very hard for him to take a taxi because the drivers won’t stop for him.”
The anger stirred up by this messaging makes the job of sharing accurate information more challenging for IBB. “Fear makes people vulnerable to all sorts of misinformation and conspiracy theories, making it hard to think rationally,” Mr Arafa says.
“It is easier to deceive people than to tell them they have been deceived.”
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
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
WTL%20SCHEDULE
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Quick%20facts
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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
Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
