The UAE's health ministry has announced that all eligible citizens and residents in the country can once again receive a Covid-19 vaccine free of charge. Yesterday's development comes after a six-week drive to inoculate the most vulnerable in society, which meant a temporary hold on the mass inoculation campaign. With almost 73 per cent of at-risk people now vaccinated, and more than half of the entire target population, authorities are encouraging the general public to receive doses of the vaccine.
On Saturday, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said this success was down to effective leadership and the "tremendous" efforts of the many people involved in rolling out the programme. For months, the UAE has had the world’s second-highest vaccination rate for every 100 people, having administered almost 7.2 million doses in total.
The countries with the most successful inoculation drives appear to have adopted a few common strategies. Both the UAE and Israel, which currently leads global vaccination tables, have benefited from the efficiency of advanced and digitised healthcare systems. They also embraced bolder procurement policies, placing early orders on doses as soon as they deemed it safe to do so.
High vaccination rates mean the UAE could be edging towards a return to normality. AFP
A December study found that just 40 per cent of French nationals said they would get inoculated
The EU, in contrast, despite being one of the most powerful and sophisticated trading blocs on the planet, continues to suffer from a lumbering and often contradictory strategy. In a scramble to improve the situation, EU policymakers have threatened to impose export controls on vaccines – a particularly draconian move for a political entity that contains some of the world's leading free market economies. There is also increasing concern about vaccine hesitancy among the European public. A December study found that just 40 per cent of French nationals said they would get inoculated. Recently, some EU member states suspended using the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, after sparse and ultimately flawed evidence that it increased the risk of blood clots. Medics now worry that this knee-jerk reaction, which occurred in the context of a political fight between the EU and UK over the vaccine's manufacturer, has eroded public trust in science even further.
Strain on global supply chains and the growing scarcity of resources are also affecting efforts across the world, even in countries that have so far been successful. The UK – another global leader – is being forced to slow down its programme in April, after an Indian manufacturer raised concerns about a lack of raw materials, which it attributes to US export bans.
Chain reactions of this kind are sign of global challenges to come. Extensive public vaccination campaigns of the kind needed to beat Covid-19, even in the most advanced societies, are not easy. And globally, vaccination remains a distant prospect for the vast majority around the world. The UAE has made it a priority to keep people safe and healthy in order to emerge from this crisis. For residents of the Emirates, who are among the few lucky enough to be in reach of a dose, this privilege is one more reason to book yourself in.
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now Director: Mudassar Aziz Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana Star rating: 2.5/5
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
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
Picture of Joumblatt and Hariri breaking bread sets Twitter alight
Mr Joumblatt’s pessimism regarding the Lebanese political situation didn’t stop him from enjoying a cheerful dinner on Tuesday with several politicians including Mr Hariri.
Caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted a picture of the group sitting around a table at a discrete fish restaurant in Beirut’s upscale Sodeco area.
Mr Joumblatt told The National that the fish served at Kelly’s Fish lounge had been very good.
“They really enjoyed their time”, remembers the restaurant owner. “Mr Hariri was taking selfies with everybody”.
Mr Hariri and Mr Joumblatt often have dinner together to discuss recent political developments.
Mr Joumblatt was a close ally of Mr Hariri’s assassinated father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The pair were leading figures in the political grouping against the 15-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon that ended after mass protests in 2005 in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s murder. After the younger Hariri took over his father’s mantle in 2004, the relationship with Mr Joumblatt endured.
However, the pair have not always been so close. In the run-up to the election last year, Messrs Hariri and Joumblatt went months without speaking over an argument regarding the new proportional electoral law to be used for the first time. Mr Joumblatt worried that a proportional system, which Mr Hariri backed, would see the influence of his small sect diminished.
With so much of Lebanese politics agreed in late-night meetings behind closed doors, the media and pundits put significant weight on how regularly, where and with who senior politicians meet.
In the picture, alongside Messrs Khoury and Hariri were Mr Joumbatt and his wife Nora, PSP politician Wael Abou Faour and Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el Nagari.
The picture of the dinner led to a flurry of excitement on Twitter that it signified an imminent government formation. “God willing, white smoke will rise soon and Walid Beik [a nickname for Walid Joumblatt] will accept to give up the minister of industry”, one user replied to the tweet. “Blessings to you…We would like you to form a cabinet”, wrote another.
The next few days will be crucial in determining whether these wishes come true.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
