When a friend arrived back from a work assignment in Nigeria, I found myself doing a “Hey, how are you?” greeting from arm’s-length, waving my hand in the air in an almost-exaggerated way.
But then she extended her hand for a handshake. I paused, looked at her hand, and then found myself doing my notorious “elbow shake” that shows up whenever a new deadly disease makes the rounds.
The look on her face was of shock. But the look on the faces of passersby who saw her shaking my elbow, well, that was priceless.
My friend burst out laughing at my behaviour, then admitted: “Yeah, I didn’t shake hands or touch anyone when I was there. I was so paranoid.”
She wore a face mask and gloves most of the time. When forced to shake hands, she did so while wearing the gloves. She said it offended some people, but they understood why she was being cautious.
The World Health Organisation reported that, as of August 16, the number of Ebola cases was 2,240 with 1,229 deaths in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. In the current outbreak in West Africa, most cases occurred as a result of human-to-human transmission.
In general, I am not a big fan of handshakes – even though they have an interesting history.
The tradition is said to go as far back as the ancient Greeks and Assyrians. The Prophet Mohammed also shook hands, and within Arab tradition there are extensions to this, such as a kiss to the cheek or, among Gulf Arabs, a “nose kiss” or rub. The handshake became a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hand held no weapons.
Today, given the diseases that are making headlines, including the Mers coronavirus and Ebola, and information out there about how they get transmitted via “bodily fluids” it is understandable to think that the sweat in the palm of a person’s hands may carry hidden germs.
What if there is a cut? What if there is an infection? These thoughts inevitably get inside our minds as we read about these diseases claiming more victims.
Given that we are all connected via air travel, it is common for overreaction to set in whenever there is any kind of potential epidemic. A disease in one country rarely just stays there.
A photograph of signs put up in a restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, has gone viral on social media. The signs said: “We apologise, but due to Ebola virus, we are not accepting Africans at the moment.” The owner later replaced the signs with a letter. “I had no intention of being racist and I sincerely apologise,” he wrote, acknowledging that the previous signs were “horribly inappropriate, disrespectful [and] wildly selfish”.
A decade ago, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), which originated in southern China, infected more than 8,273 people worldwide, with 775 deaths. In Canada, where I was at the time, I remember that some people would move away in panic whenever someone who looked Chinese sneezed. In Toronto, we all walked around in face masks.
Diseases can also bring out dark humour. A car dealer in Saudi Arabia put up a large sign featuring a germ-like alien drawn next to the words: “We checked, our cars are 100 per cent Corona free.”
Of course, contagious illnesses should be taken seriously and precautions should be taken. In the past, people with illnesses would be cast out to an island or other difficult-to-reach area. Some elders have told me that the currently popular Umm Suqeim district in Dubai was once the place where very ill people were put. Some believe that “suqeim” refered to some kind of ailment.
“If you had something that the traditional doctor couldn’t fix, you would end up in Umm Suqeim,” an Emirati sailor in his 70s told me.
Living in isolation does not work in the modern world, and an elbow shake isn’t the best way of dealing with an epidemic. Compassion for the afflicted and pushing pharmaceutical companies to find cures is the better way.
rghazal@thenational.ae
On Twitter:@Arabianmau
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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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.
The%20Killer
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
PRIMERA LIGA FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (3pm)
Alaves v Real Madrid (6.15pm)
Malaga v Athletic Bilbao (8.30pm)
Girona v Barcelona (10.45pm)
Sunday
Espanyol v Deportivo la Coruna (2pm)
Getafe v Villarreal (6.15pm)
Eibar v Celta Vigo (8.30pm)
Las Palmas v Leganes (8.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Valencia (10.45pm)
Monday
Real Betis v Levante (11.pm)
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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.
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Company%20Profile
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FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
Company%20Profile
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THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
Who is Tim-Berners Lee?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in a household of mathematicians and computer scientists. Both his mother, Mary Lee, and father, Conway, were early computer scientists who worked on the Ferranti 1 - the world's first commercially-available, general purpose digital computer. Sir Tim studied Physics at the University of Oxford and held a series of roles developing code and building software before moving to Switzerland to work for Cern, the European Particle Physics laboratory. He developed the worldwide web code as a side project in 1989 as a global information-sharing system. After releasing the first web code in 1991, Cern made it open and free for all to use. Sir Tim now campaigns for initiatives to make sure the web remains open and accessible to all.
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
More on Coronavirus in France
THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
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Company%20Profile
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners