Iraqi poet Ali Jaafar Alallaq has been named winner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s Literature category. He was awarded for his autobiography Ila Ayn Ayyathouha Al Kaseedah (Whereto, O Poem?).
Alallaq has been at the forefront of the Iraqi and Arab literary scene for half a century. His book shares his insights on the changes and challenges of the regional cultural landscape, while delving into his experiences in cultivating his craft as a poet.
Stylistically, Ila Ayn Ayyathouha Al Kaseedah is eclectic. The book, released by Alaan Publishing last year, prances between colloquial language and poetic prose while deftly incorporating Alallaq’s poetry as well as from other writers.
The Sheikh Zayed Award revealed the list of winners on Tuesday. An annual prize organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, a part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the competition recorded its highest number of entries this year. More than 3,000 submissions were considered from 60 countries with works competing across nine categories.
In the Arab Culture in Other Languages category, French author Mathieu Tillier won for his book L'invention du cadi: La justice des musulmans, des juifs et des chretiens aux premiers siecles de l’Islam (The Invention of the Cadi: Justice among Muslims, Jews, and Christians during the First Centuries of Islam), published by Editions de la Sorbonne in 2017.
The book explores the evolution of the judicial system in the early Islamic period. Utilising fresh sources and an innovative comparative approach, it examines the development of judicial procedures, shedding light on various critical questions, such as the processes involved in filing complaints and cases, their legal progression and the individuals responsible for delivering final judgments.
The book includes a comprehensive collection of narratives detailing the history of Egypt and Palestine during the Umayyad era, which offer invaluable contemporary insights into historical events. The book draws from an abundance of Arabic, Greek, Syriac and Coptic sources.
In the Young Author category, Said Khatibi from Algeria won for his novel Nehayat Al Sahra’a (The End of the Desert), issued by Hachette Antoine/Nofal last year.
The novel takes an innovative spin on the genre of detective literature. It mixes storytelling techniques in a way that caters to younger audiences. The text, with its seamless flow, aims to keep the reader engaged without pause or tedium.
Tunisian author Chokri Al Saadi won the Translation category for Al-Ibara wa-al-Mi’na: Dirasat fi Nathariyat al-A’amal al-Lughawiya.
The work was translated from the English book Expression and Meaning: Studies in the Theory of Speech Acts by John R Searle. It was issued by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs — Tunisian Institute for Translation in 2021. The work was hailed by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award as a scientific merit and was praised for effectively conveying the specialised terminology in the areas of linguistics and philosophy, which made the original book a challenging translation.
The book was praised as an important addition to the field of linguistics, presenting an opportunity for Arabic language specialists to familiarise themselves with advancements.
In the Art and Literary Criticism category, Jalila Al Tritar from Tunisia won for her book Mara’i an-Nisaa: Dirasat fi Kitabat al-That an-Nisaa’iya al-Aarabiya (Women Views: Studies on Arab Women Self Writings), published by La Maison Tunisienne Du Livre in 2021.
The research is regarded as a significant contribution to the study of women’s biographies. It explores Arab female innovators and how their identities were reflected within the Arab society’s context. Furthermore, it expands the scope of research in exploring women’s creative expression, highlighting their contributions to shaping ideas and advancing civilisation.
Dar ElAin Publishing in Egypt won the Publishing and Technology category. The cultural institution is known for its selectivity and meticulousness with regard to the books it publishes.
The house was praised for supporting the publication of high-value literary works and studies, not limiting itself to established authors, but also providing opportunities for creative youth.
“Every year, the winning works represent the top intellectual creations of a distinguished group of writers, authors, and thinkers from around the world,” said Ali bin Tamim, secretary-general of the awards and chairman of the Arabic Language Centre. “We congratulate them on their well-deserved win and encourage everyone to excel and work hard, starting today, to take part in the next round of the awards."
He said the awards' success is the result of "tireless efforts" from the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi.
He said the edition helped "shed light on a new and distinguished collection of intellectual and literary works", which "we count on to be the nucleus of a renewed cultural movement that enriches the cultural scene" in the region and the world.
The winner of the Cultural Personality of the Year award, who will receive Dh1 million, will be announced in the next few weeks. The winners will be honoured at a ceremony at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, coinciding with the 32nd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair on May 23. The ceremony will be broadcast live through the Sheikh Zayed Book Award social media platforms.
Winners of other categories will each receive a gold medal, a certificate of merit and Dh750,000.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
INFO
What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
Kibsons%20Cares
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Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Al Baher, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Talento Puma, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,950m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Stakes Listed (TB) Dh500,000 1,950m; Winner: Mark Of Approval, Patrick Cosgrave, Mahmood Hussain.
4pm: Conditions (TB) Dh125,000 1,400m; Winner: Dead-heat Raakez, Jim Crowley, Nicholas Bachalard/Attribution, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Jebel Ali Sprint (TB) Dh500,000 1,000m; Winner: AlKaraama, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
