In Elif Shafak's best-selling novel The Forty Rules of Love, the Turkish writer reinterpreted and adapted the ideas of 13th century poet Rumi in a powerful phrase: “When ink joins with a pen, then the blank paper can say something.”
The phrase emphasises the power of knowledge and expression when archived and communicated through the use of ink as a tool of writing. This week’s Arabic word of the week, hibir, which means ink, is connected to many concepts relating to knowledge and improving the appearance of things.
Officially, hibir is defined as a liquid substance, available in a number of colours, which is used for writing. Hibir is one of the words that is used in both classical Arabic as well as in most dialects across the region. In fact, qalam hibir, which translates to "ink pen", are two words commonly used across the region when referencing a pen.
Made up of the three Arabic letters Hah, Bah and Rah, hibir is derived from the verb habara, which has several meanings. Habara can refer to the act of embroidering fabric and writing in beautiful handwriting. Or it can mean to make an object appear more decorative.
It can also refer to the act of filling up an ink well for writing, which is called a mihabra – a word that is derived from the same three Arabic letters that hibir uses. Habara can also mean to write or draw something using ink. It is the action of mark-making in many different contexts for different purposes.
However, when used in the context of people, the meaning of habara changes. It can refer to one person welcoming another into their fold, or home, or when one person compliments another.
The versatility of the origin of the word hibir also shows that the essence of its meaning is a positive one, describing in a variety of scenarios things or people becoming better versions of themselves, either from an aesthetic perspective or are improved after being complimented.
There are several other Arabic words that are derived from the same root of hibir that also have extremely positive connotations. Al hibir refers to someone who is either very knowledgeable about a particular topic or, more interestingly, someone who holds a high rank in the hierarchy of religion outside of Islam. For example, the Pope would be considered al hibir of Christianity.
Another word is habera, which has several meanings. The first is when the Earth becomes lush with growth such as plants, trees and vegetation. Another is when an injury, cut, or scar is healed. And the third refers to the glow that appears on someone’s face when they hear good news.
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
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CREW
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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.
Brave CF 27 fight card
Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)
Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)
Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)
Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)
Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Dunki
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Andor
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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