Sugumar John Ratnam, known to his pupils as Sensei John, leads a class at the Zanshinkan dojo (formerly the Aikido Club Dubai) in the Karate Centre Dubai. Clint McLean for The National
Sugumar John Ratnam, known to his pupils as Sensei John, leads a class at the Zanshinkan dojo (formerly the Aikido Club Dubai) in the Karate Centre Dubai. Clint McLean for The National

Secrets of the inside story from UAE reporters



Sometimes the story behind the story can be just as interesting as what appears in print. In this second part of our look back at 2014, the Focus team reveals just what it takes to bring you the news.

Firefighting

"If you want the story, you better be up to the challenge," teased one of the Emirati firemen when I showed up to do a story on an Emirati policewomen who ended up being the first Arab and Khaleeji women to compete in an international firefighting championship.

They were heroes and truly on fire. I ended up having even more respect for what they accomplished when I tried my hand at some of the tasks.

I have to admit that, until then, I thought I was a pretty fit person who enjoyed challenges. This was a story where my editor teased that I might find my “Prince Charming”. After all, isn’t a heroic manly fireman who can save the day any woman’s dream?

Needless to say, I can say I probably never looked more ridiculous than stumbling about in a firefighting uniform weighing over 16kg, tripping and crushed by a 20kg human dummy I was supposed to rescue. I squirmed under it until rescued by the female firefighters. At least the group of firefighters watching me clapped and gave me an encouraging thumbs up – despite my utter failure. Real team spirit among all the firefighters from around the world.

With the weather hot and murky, my hair fizzed up to the point I looked like a lion, and add to it smudged eye khol, so you can imagine I looked very dishevelled.

Of course that would be when I bumped into one of the most handsome men I have ever seen.

Yes, life can truly be quite unfair.

* Rym Ghazal

Childbirth

As an expatriate journalist, an outsider, it can be difficult to tap into local knowledge, history and memories.

For The National's fifth History Project, the subject was women. I pitched a story on childbirth and maternal health in the 1950s and 1960s, before there were any modern hospitals.

The women I decided to speak to worked on traditional handicrafts at Abu Dhabi’s National Theatre, just around the corner from our office. They spoke only a few words of English, and I speak barely a few words of Arabic, no more than the basic pleasantries. In the seven years I have worked as a reporter here I have never let the language, or lack thereof, stand in the way of getting the story.

In asking women questions about what is probably the most personal time of their lives, the lack of language worried me.

But it was important to me that I spoke to these women in particular. They were from around the country, Fujairah, Liwa and Abu Dhabi, and I knew would all have different experiences.

Thankfully, I had the help of an amazing young woman, Khadeeja Alshehhi, who works at the National Theatre.

So through her, and over two days of drinking tea, eating dates and sharing stories, the women shared more details with me than I could have imagined.

They did not have any of the prejudices people can sometimes have about nosy foreigners asking personal questions. They were more than happy to give me as much detail as possible.

At one point one of the women was rolling on the floor showing me the position she found most comfy to labour.

In my final hours with them the conversation changed and the questions were directed in my direction. Was I married? What did my husband do? Did I have children? Why not? Did I need them to help me?

“You asked us all the questions,” Khadeeja translated as the women rolled over laughing behind her. “Now it’s our turn to ask you the questions. And bring your husband here, we want to meet him.”

* Mitya Underwood

Martial arts

In my adolescent years, I became obsessed with classic Hong Kong cinema. I would devour every film I could, from Fearless Hyena to Iron Fisted Monk.

I soon became a significant financier of the Video HI-Fi VHS rental shop in Dubai; constantly borrowing, and subsequently wearing out, its unrivalled range of martial arts videos.

Just as Jackie Chan delivered yet another fatal blow to the ever-elderly James Tien, I would jump out of my chair, fists swinging, rip out a garden cane to use as a staff and accidentally hit myself on the head.

While I always knew I would one day need to take up more formalised martial arts training, it was not until adulthood that I discovered aikido – which I immediately recognised was the martial art for me.

It took a few more years for me to find the time and discipline to enrol at a dojo, but I soon found that it brought much harmony into my life. Learning from Sensei John Ratnam has proved to be a profound experience, and shortly after I began, I knew I wanted to share the story of his dojo.

The neurotic part of me began to worry that if I suggested it too soon, the dojo would assume that my motives were disingenuous – a problem compounded by my erratic schedule.

After enough time passed, I put forward the idea for a feature in The National, and it ended up being one of the pieces I am most proud of. Not only for the sheer amount of information contained, but because I knew I was sharing a philosophy that could greatly benefit a lot of people living in the UAE.

It takes much patience and dedication to progress in aikido, a very technical martial art, but watching yourself bloom – both as a martial artist and a person – is a wonderful feeling.

* Hareth Al Bustani

Architecture

People often assume that I am obsessed with old buildings, but they interest me less than the stories behind them and the lessons they contain.

In February I visited Al Ain's Al Jahili Fort to report on the reconstruction of a gate that had disappeared from history, but it was a chance remark by an interviewee that really fired my interest.

Apparently, the team behind the gate’s reconstruction included members of a family who had not only worked in Al Ain for generations but were also involved in the construction of Abu Dhabi’s Qasr Al Hosn.

The rumour proved true. Abdul Rahman and Mohammed Saleh Qayed now work as master craftsmen for the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority using skills passed through generations of a family whose story is inseparable from the architectural history of the emirate.

Salima Ali Al Farsi’s story is quite different because her family’s recent history is intimately connected with a single house.

Few buildings speak to the Emirati experience of modernisation and urbanisation as eloquently as the Bayt Al Jenaibi, Mrs Al Farsi's home since 1971. But the fact that her house remains, despite repeated threats of demolition, is testament to the love Mrs Al Farsi feels for her home.

In its own way, the Bayt Al Jenaibi is as much a monument as any of Abu Dhabi’s forts and palaces and I feel privileged to have witnessed the cherished family life that still fills its precincts.

Long may it stand.

* Nick Leech

Tradition

What do you do when you struggle to find an angle for an article? Simply look for stories. Stories help make a great start.

In October, I was assigned to write a piece about the First National Traditional Handicraft Festival in Souq Al Qattara, held in the heart of Al Ain. The festival aimed at promoting entrepreneurs and to enable them to showcase their artistic talents before a wider audience.

I set out in the evening for Al Ain, but hoping on my way that the festival would have more than the same repetitive themes – like traditional food, dress and dance.

At the entrance, from afar, I could see traditional music and dance. Soon there was the smell of crunchy sweet luqaimat dumplings wafting to my nostrils. I took a deep breath and began to look for people to interview. After spending three hours strolling through shops and interviewing, finding a new story seemed impossible.

Walking to my car, a picture suddenly stopped me in my tracks. It was of an Emirati woman making Arabian bread.

The shop owner, Maryam Al Mansoori, had hung the portrait to decorate her small kiosk. It had a sentimental value, Mrs Al Mansoori said. But when I asked if she would sell it to me, after much thought, she said: “Yes.”

The anonymous exceptional customer in the article who went to the festival and came home with something unexpected, was actually the author herself.

* Asmaa Al Hameli

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
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.
Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Bangladesh tour of Pakistan

January 24 – First T20, Lahore

January 25 – Second T20, Lahore

January 27 – Third T20, Lahore

February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi

April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi

April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450

Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000

Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km

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.

The%20specs
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Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

The biog

Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns

Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Food of choice: Sushi  

Favourite colour: Orange

PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Profile Periscope Media

Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)

Launch year: 2020

Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021

Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year

Investors: Co-founders

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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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MATCH INFO

Manchester City 3 (Silva 8' &15, Foden 33')

Birmginahm City 0

Man of the match Bernado Silva (Manchester City)

List of alleged parties

 May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members

May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party

Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff

Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson

Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party

Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters

Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz

Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party