The UAE will be the first country in the Middle East to hold clinical trials of Sputnik V, the Russian-developed vaccine against Covid-19, after having begun testing a joint trial with China last summer. Developing an effective vaccine or treatment for coronavirus is humanity’s best chance at beating the pandemic and securing a path to normality. It is therefore vital that countries continue to work together to find a solution.
Final-phase trials of Sputnik V are expected to begin in the Emirates by the end of November. The vaccine is currently being tested in Russia and Belarus, with a further trial planned in Venezuela. Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which has financed Russia's vaccine work, told CNN that his country plans to begin mass inoculation by November. There are currently more than 150 coronavirus vaccines in development worldwide, as countries compete over which nation will develop the first viable Covid-19 jab.
The Emirates has played an active part in the fight against Covid-19 by boosting international co-operation in healthcare and research. The country has sent vital medical aid to nations in need, and launched mass-testing campaigns at home. More than 11 million tests have been carried out thus far; an impressive figure in a nation of 9.6m people. The Emirates’ advanced healthcare sector and research centres have been instrumental in attracting pharmaceutical companies to roll out final phase testing for residents. Since July, more than 30,000 volunteers participated in such trials for a vaccine developed by Sinopharm, a Chinese drugmaker.
The Emirates makes for an ideal testing ground for vaccines, in large part thanks to the diversity of those living in it, which is comprised of local nationals as well as a large pool of expatriates and their families, who hail from virtually all parts of the world. The country is home to close to 200 different nationalities.
Having such variety in a pool of volunteers is crucial when testing treatments, as it reveals whether the drug works properly across race, gender and genetic factors. In the pandemic era, it is a fortunate side effect of the country’s long-term investments in the advancement of vaccine research, health care, technology and science more generally. Perhaps most of all, it is a result of long-term investment in drawing talent from around the globe, through a focus on education, promoting a welcoming environment and a culture of pluralism and tolerance.
Although vaccine development is making great strides in the UAE and elsewhere, ending the pandemic is not expected to be a straightforward process. There have been obstacles. A coronavirus vaccine study by US company Johnson & Johnson, for instance, was temporarily halted because a participant became ill.
Final-phase trials of Sputnik V are expected to begin in the Emirates by the end of November
Unfortunately, these kinds of setbacks have given fuel to concerns from anti-vaccine groups. For others, they exacerbate fears that a total cure may never be found. Severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as SARS, is a strain of coronavirus first discovered in 2003. To this day, it has no known remedy.
But our current experience with Covid-19 presents a completely different landscape – epidemiologically, scientifically, socially and politically. The efforts put into searching for a Covid-19 cure are much greater, and so are hopes for a solution. Scientific research and international co-operation, especially in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, are crucial to ending the pandemic and finding a path back to a new, safer normal. With enough resolve, we can not only find better ways to protect those most vulnerable, but to ensure that our whole society thrives.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
The%20specs
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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.
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
India squad for fourth and fifth Tests
Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rahul, Shaw, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Karun, Karthik (wk), Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Pandya, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah, Thakur, Vihari
SPEC%20SHEET
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Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
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.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
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Persuasion
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets