Rebranding a company is one thing. Changing the name of an entire country is an altogether more complex business, with ramifications far beyond the cost and inconvenience to cartographers. Commentators have suggested that Rodrigo Duterte's proposal to change the name of the Philippines to Maharlika is nothing more than a distraction designed to demonstrate that the president, whose health is the subject of increasing speculation, is still in charge. Whether he is serious or not, Mr Duterte has a valid point when he says that changing the country's name would be a symbolic break from the Spanish colonial past of his country, named after King Philip II of Spain.
Countries do change their names, and for a variety of reasons. In 1989, Burma became Myanmar to expunge the memory of more than a century of British rule. And in April last year, King Mswati III of Swaziland announced that his country would be known as Eswatini, meaning "home of the Swazi people", on the grounds that people often confused Swaziland with Switzerland. Earlier this week, Macedonia became North Macedonia, ending a three-decade-long row with neighbouring Greece over which country could lay rightful claim to an ancient name linked to Alexander the Great. But Mr Duterte's proposal, one which was first mooted by the late, corrupt dictator Ferdinand Marcos, seems little more than a divisive populist gesture. The name Maharlika speaks to a noble warrior status and certainly befits Mr Duterte's combative stance on many societal issues. However, politicians and Filipinos at home and abroad have expressed disquiet.
Opposition congressman Neri Colmenares said it was more important to protect the Philippines' sovereignty in the face of interference from China and the US. And senator Panfilo Lacson, while supportive of the idea, pointed out that Filipino culture, history and attitudes were inseparable from their colonial past. Others have pointed to the association between the name and the roots of Christianity in the country. Certainly name changes are emotive and political, evoking strong emotions on both sides of the debate. Many of the new names given to towns and cities in India have prompted accusations of an erasing of the country's Muslim heritage. Nor can history be rewritten by altering a few letters. But ultimately such changes are merely cosmetic when there are far more pressing issues in the Philippines, from mass unemployment and poverty to poor infrastructure. A new name will simply paper over the cracks of far bigger concerns.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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.
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
THE%20FLASH
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The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
SPECS
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Power: 630hp
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Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
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On sale: Now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Company%20Profile
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