On Sunday, September 29, Kinokuniya in The Dubai Mall will host the launch of four new books from the Pakistani publishing house FK Squared. Two of these titles, The Hajj Journey of Lailamah Giselle Khan and The Euro Journey of Lailamah Giselle Khan, are by the country’s youngest writer — the 8-year-old Lailamah Giselle Khan. Encouraged by her parents to keep a diary during the two trips featured in the books, the young girl presents what may well be some of the first travelogues of their kind: for a child, by a child.
How do you feel about coming to Dubai to launch your books?
I am happy because Dubai is such a fun place. I am excited because my books will be in the biggest bookstore in the world.
How did the idea of writing these books come to you?
Before I started off for my trip to Europe, my mama and baba [mother and father] suggested that I keep a diary of everything I do so that later on I can read and remember the good times. So that is how it started and even if some days I didn’t feel like writing, mama and baba would not let me sleep before I finished. Before we started off for Haj, I knew I would have to write.
Why was it that you chose these two experiences to write about?
I didn’t choose them. They just happened like that. I went to Europe and then I went for Haj.
Was it difficult?
When I started writing it was just in a diary. I didn’t think my diaries would turn into my books. Baba said they would, but I thought it was to tempt me to write when I got lazy or tired. During Haj, there were days when we were on the move all the time or when we slept in camps and although I had my diary with me, it was nearly impossible to write.
What do you think makes a good writer?
A writer must have an awesome imagination, a sense of humour and, if they are writing for children, they should try to think like a child. It would be a great thing if the author has travelled a bit.
What made you feel that you wanted to be a writer?
I love reading. I want to make sure there are enough books in the world to be enjoyed and I want to be a part of that.
Who were the people who helped you the most along this journey, and how?
I couldn’t have written my Europe diary without the help of mama, and recording what happened at Haj would have been impossible without baba. They would sit down with me every night and we would talk about what happened that day, it would then become easier to write about it. There were so many places we went to and so many things that we saw that I would forget something. But they would remember.
Are you working on new books? What will they be about?
This summer we went to Greece and Turkey; I also went to the US. I’ve written a diary about each of these places, so, yes, I have been working on new books. This experience was different from my Haj and Europe trips. I think it’s because I’ve grown up a little and I look at things differently now.
Are there other writers in your family?
Yes, my dada [grandfather] and my father have each had two books published. My nano [grandmother] also writes, but she hasn’t been published yet. A lot of people in my family like writing.
artslife@thenational.aeNew arrivals
The Pakistani publishing house FK Squared will launch four new titles at Kinokuniya at The Dubai Mall today (SUBS Sept 29) from 5pm to 6.30pm
The Hajj Journey of Lailamah Giselle Khan and The Euro Journey of Lailamah Giselle Khan are travelogues, with colourful illustrations, written in the simple language and style expected from an 8-year-old.
Midlife and Naked by Shaista Ayesha is the biography of Faraz Khan and Khusro Ansari, two Pakistani entrepreneurs. The book combines the duo’s journey of self-discovery with the lessons that they have learnt about success in the business world on the way.
Pukh Theory, jointly written by FarazKhan and Farhad Karamally, is a parable on leadership management, featuring an unlikely protagonist: the uneducated owner of a donkey cart.
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Starring: Aida Abboud, Carol Mansour
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What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
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Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
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Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
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Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
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Rating: 1/5
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo (BMW B58)
Power: 340hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,600-4,500rpm
Transmission: ZF 8-speed auto
0-100kph: 4.2sec
Top speed: 267kph
On sale: Now
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
