The first celebrity guests have been unveiled for the Middle East Film and Comic Con, which returns to Dubai World Trade Centre from April 6-8 for a sixth edition that promises to be the biggest and best yet.
Game of Thrones fans waiting impatiently for the later-than-usual start of the new season (season seven is expected during the summer, a departure from the usual April debut) will be pleased to hear that Liam Cunningham, who plays loyal adviser Davos Seaworth in HBO's epic-fantasy drama will appear.
Also on the bill is Greg Grunberg, one of Hollywood's busiest, and most familiar, actors. After his early breakthrough alongside Jennifer Garner in JJ Abrams's TV spy thriller Alias, he starred as telepath Matt Parkman in Heroes, and as X-wing pilot Temmin Wexley in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He also had a memorable cameo in the pilot episode of Lost, and also appeared in Star Trek Beyond as Commander Finnegan.
International guests joining the celebrity MEFCC line-up this year include superstar comics artists Simone Bianchi and James C Mulligan.
Linda Le, aka Vampy, one of the world’s top professional cosplayers, will also attend, as will custom toy designer J*Ryu.
Additional celebrities, international guests and artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
Another highlight this year is set to be Star Trek: 50 Years, 50 Artists, an exhibition sponsored by Dubai Film and TV Commission that will feature 50 words of art inspired by the classic sci-fi franchise, from artists including the late Leonard Nimoy, who portrayed the original Spock and died in 2015.
Over the past five years, MEFCC has welcomed more than 200,000 visitors to meet star guests including William Shatner, Gillian Anderson and Christopher Lloyd.
“Every year, we challenge ourselves to not only deliver a better event but also continue to support the development of regional talent, and to see local artists and entrepreneurs progress is hugely rewarding,” says MEFCC chief Ben Caddy. “We’ve got another great line-up planned, more food and beverage options for fans and families and we’re hoping for a record turnout with the new travel and ticketing options too.”
• For ticket details and more information visit www.mefcc.com
cnewbould@thenational.ae
AT%20A%20GLANCE
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Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
