Sales flat for HD service

Etisalat's cable television unit has signed up fewer than 1,000 customers for high-definition (HD) television since launching the service almost nine months ago. Humaid Rashid Sahoo, the chief executive of E-Vision, conceded the company needed to do more to publicise the service, and pledged to increase the number of HD channels to 20 by the end of the year from the current nine.

"The [HD service] penetration in the UAE is very high but people do not know if they have a HD-ready television or a regular LCD screen," Mr Sahoo said. When E-Vision launched its HD service in July, it was viewed as a significant step for the country's HD and pay-TV markets. The country's television offerings have traditionally lagged years behind those of more developed markets, mainly because of the dominance of free-to-air satellite television.

E-Vision is available only in the UAE, with coverage of about 60 per cent of the country. The company's basic cable service had about 1 million viewers, Mr Sahoo said, but he declined to specify how many of those were subscribers. Although E-Vision offers HD programming from Abu Dhabi TV, Luxe and Al Jazeera Sports, potential new customers may be deterred by the Dh999 (US$272) cost of a set-top box.

"We did not really push [HD] that much on our side because we're looking to get the bulk of new [set-] top boxes," Mr Sahoo said. New set-top boxes released this month will allow customers to upload content from USB drives as well as purchase on-demand programming. "Our future will be through these boxes," Mr Sahoo said. "All the new programmes and applications we will offer will be through this service."

The company also aimed to expand internationally into markets where Etisalat, its parent company, was present, Mr Sahoo said. E-Vision was negotiating with Etisalat subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia and Egypt to provide television services later this year, he said. "The television market is different from the mobile market. For example, the market between Saudi Arabia and UAE is so particular with pricing and strategy, so we have to study the market."

He said he was still negotiating with Al Jazeera Sports over the rights to air the FIFA World Cup this summer. While talks between the two companies have dragged on for several months, Mr Sahoo said he was confident of striking a deal in time for the lucrative tournament. "We're in discussions, but they're our partners, so it's no problem," he said. "This is not an issue, but you need to agree [on a deal]."

dgeorgecosh@thenational.ae

How to avoid crypto fraud

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Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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Fixtures

Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am

Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am

Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am

Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

While you're here

Kareem Shaheen: Even a pandemic could not unite today's America

Michele Wucker: The difference between a black swan and a grey rhino

Robert Matthews: Has flawed science and rushed research failed us?

Sole survivors

Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

Arabian Gulf League fixtures:

Friday:

Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm

Saturday:

Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Gunn%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Pratt%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Dave%20Bautista%2C%20Vin%20Diesel%2C%20Bradley%20Cooper%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: HyperSpace

Started: 2020

Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment

Number of staff: 210

Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners

CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036

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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance

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The%20new%20Turing%20Test

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