.
.

Saif Ghobash Banipal translation prize shortlist announced



Four novels have been shortlisted from 17 works for this year’s Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.

The Dove's Necklace by Raja Alem (translated by Katharine Halls and Adam Talib), The Book of Safety by Yasser Abdel Hafez (translated by Robin Moger), No Knives in the Kitchens of This City by Khaled Khalifa (translated by Leri Price) and Limbo Beirut by Hilal Chouman (translated by Anna Ziajka Stanton) were selected from the long-list of novels. Saudi Arabian Alem won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction with The Dove's Necklace in 2011, while Khalifa's No Knives in the Kitchens of This City was shortlisted for the same prize in 2014.

The Saif Ghobash Banipal prize was set up by Emirati Omar Saif Ghobash in memory of his father, Saif Ghobash, who was passionate about literature. It was established by Banipal, the magazine of modern Arab literature in English translation, and the Banipal Trust for Arab Literature.

The prize aims to raise the profile of contemporary Arabic literature and was first awarded on October 9, 2006. This year’s judging panel, comprised of Dr Alastair Niven, Peter Kalu, Wen-chin Ouyang and Salam Sarhan, were tasked with taking into consideration nuance, contemporaneity and readability.

The winner, to be announced in January, will receive Dh14,800 at a ceremony on March 1.

__________________

Read more:

__________________

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.

Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances