Forty-two Arab poets from 16 countries have been chosen from 150 hopefuls to compete in the seventh season of the Prince of Poets competition.
The Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festival Committee in Abu Dhabi said that further tests and assessments are being carried out before the selection of final 20 who will appear live on the show, which is shown on Abu Dhabi TV and Baynounah TV.
The applicants who progressed were selected after interviews to test their creativity, linguistic flair and expression, carried out by judges Dr Ali Bin Tamim from the UAE, Dr Salah Fadhl from Egypt and Dr Abdul Malek Mortadh from Algeria.
Also involved were Issa Seif Al Mazrouei, the committee's director of the department for special policies and projects, Sultan Al Amimi, director of the committee's poetry academy, Dr Ahmed Khurais, and poet Raad Bandar, from the Prince of Poets TV programm's advisory committee.
One poet from the UAE is among the final 42: Ali Khamis Al Abdan Al Shamesi.
The contest is one of the most-watched reality-TV shows in the region. It aims to celebrate and encourage great works of Arab poetry and literature. It also highlights Arab cultural heritage and promotes the contemporary poetry scene in the Arab world.
The first of three pre-recorded episodes covering the initial selection process was broadcast on Tuesday, January 31. The series will continue on Tuesday nights, with live episodes featuring the final 20 contestants beginning on February 21 and continuing for 10 weeks.
aahmed@thenational.ae
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
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