Simon Conway’s day job certainly gives him some colourful anecdotes to weave into his novels.
In his latest thriller The Stranger, released last Thursday, his ability to describe bombs and those who plant them is well researched. For the past three decades, Conway, 53, has worked as a landmine clearance operator for the Halo Trust, a charity dedicated to removing debris left behind by war, particularly landmines.
The writer, a former bomb disposal expert, has assembled the ingredients for an excellent thriller
In The Stranger, Conway takes his readers from the 2003 occupation of Iraq to a former CIA detention centre in Syria, a refugee camp in Jordan and the corridors of power in Whitehall, London.
He admits his day job gave him plenty of real-life experience for his sixth novel. “I’ve been very fortunate that my work with Halo sends me to a lot of interesting places that are remote and hazardous. In the past five years I’ve been in the Middle East setting up country programmes in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. I’ve been to those places, smelled the air and seen the terrain.”
This on-the-ground experience lends his novels an authenticity some struggle to achieve. Conway has also met some interesting personalities through his work, as organising mine and bomb clearance requires an ability to mix with all sorts. The former British Army officer has a depth of knowledge that clearly give his characters credibility.
His latest novel's protagonist is an MI6 operator called Jude Lyon, his nemesis is the eponymous Stranger, an elusive ISIS mastermind. The plot involves a victim called The Engineer who is abandoned in a former interrogation centre in Syria after a CIA rendition flight – while the country was still "friendly" – but is later freed during the civil war by ISIS.
Lyon is sent to track down The Engineer in a journey that takes him to Syria, Iraq, Europe and Jordan, where he discovers a cover-up by his own intelligence people. The Engineer leads Lyon to The Stranger, who the MI6 officer discovers is planning a terrorist attack in London of “implacable horror”.
“One of the things I’ve become really interested in is the way terrorism works in a free-market economy, according to the law of supply and demand,” Conway says. “There is a commonality in making IEDs [improvised explosive devices]; there is a small cottage industry the length of the Euphrates Valley that ISIS controls that churned out IEDs to a common design.”
Conway is also concerned at ISIS becoming more dangerous, having hidden away money digitally. "ISIS is not defeated in Iraq. From the research I've done, I believe they have hundreds of millions in cryptocurrency from oil revenues and antiquities sales."
The writer-turned-bomb disposal expert has certainly assembled the ingredients for an excellent thriller, which he says people in the region should read. “I hope they see it is a sympathetic and knowledgeable portrayal of a difficult situation. I’ve known the Middle East since I was a child so I try and capture the complexity of the situation while also entertaining people.”
The Stranger is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton
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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.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
