Kagan McLeod for The National
Kagan McLeod for The National
Kagan McLeod for The National
Kagan McLeod for The National

Newsmaker: The Pope


Colin Randall
  • English
  • Arabic

Among savvy members of Facebook’s global army of a billion-plus users, few eyebrows will have been raised at the presence of Nelson Mandela, the Philippines typhoon, Miley Cyrus and Britain’s royal baby in the social network’s top-10 topics of online chatter.

But ahead of them all was an elderly man of simple tastes but high office.

Nine months into the papacy, Pope Francis has become an unexpected phenomenon of social media. Facebook’s own researchers calculate that he has driven more conversations than anyone or anything else in 2013.

Facebook is not alone. The Global Language Monitor, which scrutinises online activity in English, has named him as the year’s most popular person on the internet. Now, Time magazine has made him its Person of the Year.

Elected in March, the 76-year-old leader of the Catholic Church owes this huge interest in large measure to his well-documented concern for the poor, the sick and the oppressed.

Pope Francis opted to reside in an official Vatican guesthouse – “comfortable, but by no means deluxe,” according to Mary Ann Glendon, a former US ambassador to the Holy See – rather than the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace favoured by his predecessors. He has a long record of tending to the diseased and impoverished. His first pastoral visit outside of Rome took him to the Italian island of Lampedusa, where many illegal Muslim immigrants land from Africa after taking to dangerously rickety boats in search of new lives in Europe.

And he has shown a passionate desire to reach out to those of other faiths, in particular Muslims.

Among his first pronouncements was a call for more intense dialogue with Muslims. He also talked of taking deep satisfaction from the attendance of “so many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world” at his installation mass.

To the Muslim community in the pope’s native Argentina, the outstretched hand of friendship came as little surprise. As the archbishop of Buenos Aires, he incurred sharp Vatican disapproval – and, reportedly, was close to being removed from his post – after criticising comments made in 2006 by the previous pope that were widely seen as hostile to Islam.

Quoting from a medieval document in a lecture at an old academic haunt, the University of Regensburg in Germany, Pope Benedict had repeated a description of the Prophet Mohammed as “evil and inhuman”. The remark outraged Muslims and also prompted the Argentinian archbishop to declare that such sentiments would “serve to destroy in 20 seconds the careful construction of a relationship with Islam that Pope John Paul II built over the last 20 years”.

Benedict later apologised for the offence caused. His staff pointed out that the words reflected not his own thoughts but the ”astoundingly harsh – to us surprisingly harsh” view of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus, one of the last Christian rulers before the fall of Constantinople to the Muslim Ottoman Empire in 1453.

But the episode reinforced the admiration felt by senior Argentinian Muslims, representing an estimated 450,000 people, or one per cent of the total population, for the outspoken, open-minded and sympathetic archbishop destined to be Benedict’s successor.

Dr Sumer Noufouri, the secretary general of the Islamic Centre of the Argentine Republic, told the Buenos Aires Herald that his past actions made his election as pope, for Muslims, a source of “joy and expectation of strengthening dialogue between religions”.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, exactly 77 years ago on Tuesday, in the Argentine capital’s district of Flores, Pope Francis was the eldest of five children of an Italian accountant who, according to one sibling, emigrated to South America in dismay at the rise of fascism in Italy.

He was relatively slow to embrace a life devoted to religion, pursuing technical studies that qualified him as a chemical technician, and also working briefly as a janitor and nightclub bouncer, before joining a Buenos Aires diocesan seminary.

While studying for the priesthood, he confronted a serious challenge to the commitment to celibacy that his vocation demanded.

In a Spanish book translated by the Catholic news website Aleteia, he is quoted as saying: “I was dazzled by a girl I met at an uncle’s wedding. I was surprised by her beauty, her intellectual brilliance ... and, well, I was bowled over for quite a while.

“I kept thinking and thinking about her. When I returned to the seminary after the wedding, I could not pray for over a week because, when I tried to do so, the girl appeared in my head. I had to rethink what I was doing.”

Although he found the strength to conquer his doubts, the young seminarian was left with mixed thoughts on the discipline of clerical celibacy, applied in most branches of the Catholic Church. In the same book, he conceded that married clerics in the Eastern tradition – Ukrainian, Russian or Greek Orthodox churches – are nevertheless “very good priests”. So those seeking reform in Roman Catholicism, he said, had “a certain pragmatism” on their side.

For now, he added, he preferred to keep the celibacy rule “because we have 10 centuries of good experiences rather than failures”, though future change was possible.

Having accepted the rule for himself, Bergoglio soon resumed an orderly career path as an academic and candidate for priesthood. In 1958, he became a novice in the Jesuit congregation of the Catholic Church. Then he studied humanities in Chile, graduated in philosophy in Argentina and taught literature and psychology. He was still working towards a theology degree when he was ordained in late 1969.

For the next 23 years, he combined teaching, preaching, senior Jesuit posts and further learning – including a spell in Ireland to learn English – before becoming the auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, then archbishop six years later.

He also presented himself as a robust critic of church acquiescence in the so-called “Dirty War” waged against dissidents by Argentina’s military dictatorship of 1975 to 1983, when tens of thousands of people disappeared, were murdered or tortured by the regime. He stood up for a bishop who had been defrocked for opposing those who held power. And he talked of the church’s need to “put on garments of public penance for the sins committed” during the dictatorship.

Conversely, he was later embroiled in controversy of his own arising from that bleak period. A human-rights lawyer lodged a criminal complaint against him in 2005, effectively accusing him of neglect or worse in the case of two priests kidnapped nearly 30 years earlier.

One of the pair, Orlando Yorio, went to his grave claiming that Bergoglio “did nothing to free us, in fact just the opposite”. The other, Franz Jalics, waited until Bergoglio’s election as pope before stating that they had been implicated by a lay colleague arrested for guerrilla activities. He added, in a follow-up statement: “It is wrong to assert that our capture took place at the initiative of Father Bergoglio ... the fact is, Orlando Yorio and I were not denounced by [him].” The litigation alleging wrongdoing, portrayed on Bergoglio’s behalf as “old slander”, had already been dismissed. Yet questions about whether he knew of abuses by the dictatorship, and did enough to stop them, persist.

It may be that Pope Francis still has hearts to win over. Not every action he has taken – or failed to take – in the past will, to his remaining critics, seem to have been satisfactorily explained. But the broad acclaim that he has won in a modern, online age speaks for itself. His conservative outlook on a range of issues – including abortion and contraception – is balanced by the popular appeal of attacks on the ”tyranny” of ugly aspects of capitalism.

Like Facebook, the Catholic Church has more than a billion followers worldwide. When white puffs of smoke rose from the roof of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on March 13, denoting that the new pontiff had been chosen, the world was unprepared for its new international face.

He later recalled that as his likely selection as pope became clear, he was hugged by the Brazilian cardinal Cláudio Hummes, who whispered in his ear: “Don’t forget the poor.”

His first decision as pontiff was a direct consequence of that message: he insisted that his papal name should be the one that floated at that moment through his mind: Francis, in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.

“Those words came to me: the poor, the poor, “ he later told journalists. “Then, right away, thinking of the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi ... For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace.”

The 266th pope, the first from the southern hemisphere, will earn himself a reverential place in history if he can live up to the guiding principles of his inspiration.

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The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Where to submit a sample

Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain

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.

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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
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier

The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier

Final: UAE beat Qatar by nine wickets

Third-place play-off: Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by five runs

Table

1 UAE 5 5 0 10

2 Qatar 5 4 1 8

3 Saudi 5 3 2 6

4 Kuwait 5 2 3 4

5 Bahrain 5 1 4 2

6 Maldives 5 0 5 0

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)

Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)

Wednesday

Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)

Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)

Norwich City v Everton (9pm)

Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)

Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)

Thursday

Burnley v Watford (9pm)

Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)

Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

 


 

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

Tips for SMEs to cope
  • Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
  • Make sure you have an online presence
  • Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
  • Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
    Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
The biog

Name: Samar Frost

Born: Abu Dhabi

Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends

Favourite singer: Adele

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
How tumultuous protests grew
  • A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
  • Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved 
  • Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
  • At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
  • Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars 
  • Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
  • An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital 
MATCH INFO

Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)

Manchester United 0

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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

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Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet

3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs  (one-time passwords) with third parties

6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.