A I had the experience of meeting the late Boris Berezovsky several times in London in the early 2000s, soon after he fled Vladimir Putin's Russia for asylum in the United Kingdom.
We shared the same "staff canteen" - the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche in Mayfair - and I was introduced to him by Lord Bell, the PR supremo who became a close friend of the Russian exile.
Le Gavroche was a favourite among the wealthy Russian crowd, whether those who had been driven out of Russia, those who had been sent after them by the Kremlin, or those who were simply having a holiday in the UK.
I was there one day with a lunch companion who had to leave early, and Lord Bell called me over to join Berezovsky's table. This was in the early days of his exile, when he still had plenty of money and knew how to enjoy it, and we shared a bottle of something incredibly expensive.
He spent most of the time telling me about his case, and pointing out to me the other Russians in the restaurant and which side of the Kremlin - in or out - they inhabited.
One of them, it turned out, was later involved in a high-profile murder case in London. I thought then that Berezovsky had a haunted look about him, somebody who was marked by destiny to suffer some horrible fate.
We met several times after in the same place, but he always had that extraordinarily saturnine spirit.
Nonetheless, there was something deeply tragic in the manner of his passing a couple of weeks ago: bankrupt, depressed and suicidal at the age of 67. Lord Bell said some nice things about him on his death, and I, from a rather more limited acquaintance with him, would concur.
I always feel sorry for those poor mugs who get pulled out of the crowd at a public performance to "assist" the juggler, trick-cyclist, death-defying fire-eater or whatever else they have at these events.
You're on a hiding to nothing. Either you perform the (fairly) simple tasks the artist requests, in which case you walk off to an indifferent smattering of applause; or you mess up badly, in which case you get howls of derision and ridicule from a crowd of seven-year-old sadists.
But just a few days ago, that poor mug was me. Yes, on the terrace at Marina Mall, Dubai, just as I was digesting my Yo Shushi with my four-year-old Amira and wondering what further delights the contortionist Alakazam could offer, I found myself asking "who, me?" as he pointed me out in the crowd.
We'd already seen him squeeze his whole body through a squash racket, and twist himself into shapes you would not believe the human form could accomplish.
Now he was going to balance on top of a slender pole while juggling with balls, knives and other instruments of death handed to him by … me.
Alakazam - an Aussie, despite the name - obviously realised I was not quite tall enough to easily hand him the implements, and invited me to stand on a suitcase.
This just made the set-up all the more precarious. The knives looked very sharp indeed when stretching on tip-toe on the edge of a suitcase with the blade pointed eyewards.
Anyway, I got through it without serious injury, to be greeted by embarrassingly rapturous applause from my girl as I walked back to the crowd. I must admit I blushed.
fkane@thenational.ae
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
HAJJAN
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)