The Millennium Discourses by Etsko Schuitema. Courtesy Intent Publishing
The Millennium Discourses by Etsko Schuitema. Courtesy Intent Publishing

My favourite reads: Saeed Saeed



Whatever the genre, I am drawn to books that inspire or teach me something about life and myself. These are the five books that have had an impact on me either professionally or personally throughout my lifetime.

Hail to the Chief by Ed McBain (1973)

If you think you don’t like reading, it means you haven’t found the right book. Such was the case with me, till I discovered this gem in the school library. Released in 1973 as part of his celebrated police procedural series of novels, I remember being hooked by how “adult” the story was with its angry motorcycle gangs and petty criminals. This book set me on the path to becoming a voracious reader.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X (1965)

In 2004, I dedicated six months to travel, and despite what I told everyone, I was overwhelmed. There is no greater clarion call than the autobiography of the late African-American activist Malcom X. He spoke of his experiences, joys and regrets and the responsibility of being a father and leader with such fierce eloquence that it deeply moved me.

How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly (2011)

Paul Kelly’s memoir is a revelation. The Aussie singer-songwriter lays it all down in the book, the title referring to a much-loved song, and shows that the artistic process can be as exciting as it is mundane. Penning good songs is hard work, he explains. They need time, patience and living a life that provides you with something to say. A refreshingly honest change from some other memoirs I have read.

Heroes by John Pilger (1986)

This is the one that made me want to enter the newsroom. Iconic Australian journo John Pilger's Heroes is about the little people, those unnamed figures you find in the back of blurry photos or documentaries who made a difference and even saved lives. From dissidents in the former Soviet Union, to the women freedom fighters in Eritrea, Heroes is about people making it in difficult circumstances.
The Millennium Discourses by Etsko Schuitema (2011)

A life affirming gem; the book is in fact a series of transcribed lectures delivered by a South African Sufi sheikh and business consultant on finding balance in our increasingly fast paced lives. There are no wishy-washy sentiments, the thrust of Schuitema’s message is for one to live in the present and to methodically foster new habits to achieve those goals.

Saeed Saeed is a features writer for The National

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

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Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

The Penguin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Creator: Lauren LeFranc

Rating: 4/5

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Key changes

Commission caps

For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:

• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term). 

• On the protection component, there is a cap  of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).

• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated. 

• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.

• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.

Disclosure

Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.

“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”

Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.

Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.

“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.

Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.

Reading List

Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung

How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever

Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays

How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen

New schools in Dubai
Scoreline

Liverpool 3
Mane (7'), Salah (69'), Firmino (90')

Bournemouth 0

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

The Facility’s Versatility

Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
 
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
 
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
 
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
 
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
 
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket

Herc's Adventures

Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5

The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre

Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now

The Arts Edit

A guide to arts and culture, from a Middle Eastern perspective

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