Iceland – Yrsa Sigur
ð
ard
ó
ttir, master of Icelandic thrillers
It’s not only the Swedes who have a way with thrillers – their Nordic neighbour has been producing its fair share of acclaimed authors, the biggest of whom is Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. She will be discussing her nail-biting series featuring the lawyer Thóra Gudmundsdóttir.
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Monday, 7.45pm to 8.30pm at The Tent
Call Me Gogol: The name as identity in The Namesake
With Jhumpa Lahiri’s acclaimed 2004 novel The Namesake translated into Arabic, Jordanian literary critic Fakhri Saleh and the novel’s translator, Sura Khrais, explore its themes and relevance to the region.
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Sunday, 5.45pm to 6.30pm at the Literature Oasis
Boussou Ganga: An evening of Gnawa Music
Among the hustle and bustle of the book fair, this intimate gig will feature Hassan Boussou and band. The Moroccan is hailed as one of the leading purveyors of gnawa, a North African mystical genre. He will present a set featuring traditional tracks and original songs.
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Monday, 8.30pm to 9.30pm at The Discussion Sofa
Proverbs without borders
The Emirati poet and veteran translator Shihab Ghanem leads a quirky discussion on how certain international pearls of wisdom can get lost in translation.
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Tuesday, 7.15pm to 8pm at the Literature Oasis
Homage to Sheikh Zayed
The book fair will conclude with a special session dedicated to the Father of the Nation. Ali Abid and Hamdy Tamam will discuss Sheikh Zayed’s vision in developing the UAE’s cultural scene.
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Wednesday, 6.45pm to 7.30pm at The Discussion Sofa
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Live English translation is available for all Arabic sessions and vice versa.
For details on all sessions, visit
www.adbookfair.com
sasaeed@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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The biog
Age: 30
Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium
Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology
Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging
Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
