FUJAIRAH // Bookworms on the east coast are no longer lost for words with the launch of a book fair that runs until the end of the year.
Residents have complained about a lack of specialist shops stocking multi-language books, with avid readers forced to buy online or make the long journey to stores in Sharjah or Dubai.
The fair, held at Lulu Mall in Fujairah City, has been warmly welcomed by parents.
“I bought some interesting books for my five-year-old girl and I’m glad that I found useful educational books in English, which are difficult to find in Fujairah,” said Abeer Saifaldeen, a 34-year-old Syrian.
“I hope this fair would stay forever, although I do prefer a bigger bookshop with multiple options.”
The fair is organised by Al Mutanabbi Bookshop, which has held similar events in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.
“It’s considered a great opportunity to serve the residents of Fujairah and fulfil their needs by offering them a wide variety of books in different languages and topics,” said Ibrahim Salabbai, the sales manager.
“We organised a number of fairs in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi, in places without bookshops, and it is really surprising to find out that Fujairah doesn’t have bookshops. We hope to stay here until next year.”
Neha Kauur, an Indian who has lived in the emirate since 2003, took her children to the fair. She always encourages her two sons to read.
“I used to read to them while they were young, but now they have grown up and I hardly find them holding a book in their hands, although I try to buy them some interesting books each time I visit Dubai.
“Keeping them away from computers and replacing games with a book is something every mother dreams of,” she said.
“Most of the bookshops here just sell stationery supplies and school books. Some hypermarkets have a small corner with one or two shelves displaying old and uninteresting books. Ordering online takes more than three weeks to arrive and the cost is high,” said the 43-year-old.
Suad Abbas, an Egyptian teacher working in a private school in Fujairah, said reading should be a habit children learn from an early age.
“I always insist that my students and kids read and explain to them how important it is. They will enrich their vocabularies and they will have a better understanding of life and more experience along with self-improvement and creativity,” said Ms Abbas, 39.
rhaza@thenational.ae
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Twin%20electric%20motors%20and%20105kWh%20battery%20pack%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E619hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C015Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUp%20to%20561km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQ3%20or%20Q4%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh635%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Brief scores:
Southampton 2
Armstrong 13', Soares 20'
Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013