• Tourists take selfies during a visit to the viewing deck of Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. Anthony Wallace / AFP
    Tourists take selfies during a visit to the viewing deck of Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. Anthony Wallace / AFP
  • A man prays in front of his deceased relatives’ tomb in Diamond Hill cemetery in Hong Kong. The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is marked by Chinese people by going to the cemetery to cleaning up tombs, bring flowers, and making offerings to their ancestors. EPA
    A man prays in front of his deceased relatives’ tomb in Diamond Hill cemetery in Hong Kong. The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is marked by Chinese people by going to the cemetery to cleaning up tombs, bring flowers, and making offerings to their ancestors. EPA
  • Hindu devotees pray outside the Kali Temple during the Navratri festival in Jammu, India. Navaratri lasts for nine days, with three days each devoted to the worship of Durga, the goddess of valour, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. Channi Anand / AP Photo
    Hindu devotees pray outside the Kali Temple during the Navratri festival in Jammu, India. Navaratri lasts for nine days, with three days each devoted to the worship of Durga, the goddess of valour, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. Channi Anand / AP Photo
  • Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Houston. Eric Christian Smith / AP Photo
    Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Houston. Eric Christian Smith / AP Photo
  • A worker cleans the pool at KLCC park in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. KLCC park is a 50-acre garden set close to Suria KLCC shopping centre and it was designed to provide a touch of greenery for the Petronas Twin Towers and the areas surrounding it. Daniel Chan / AP Photo
    A worker cleans the pool at KLCC park in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. KLCC park is a 50-acre garden set close to Suria KLCC shopping centre and it was designed to provide a touch of greenery for the Petronas Twin Towers and the areas surrounding it. Daniel Chan / AP Photo
  • Confetti falls as the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Tar Heels defeated the Bulldogs 71-65. Tom Pennington / Getty Images / AFP
    Confetti falls as the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Tar Heels defeated the Bulldogs 71-65. Tom Pennington / Getty Images / AFP
  • Women look at cherry blossoms in almost full bloom in Tokyo, Japan. Issei Kato / Reuters
    Women look at cherry blossoms in almost full bloom in Tokyo, Japan. Issei Kato / Reuters

World in focus – best photos for April 4, 2017


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Take a look at some of the best photos from around the world today.

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is a robo-adviser?

Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

The Breadwinner

Director: Nora Twomey

Starring: Saara Chaudry,  Soma Chhaya,  Laara Sadiq 

Three stars

What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Neil Thomson – THE BIO

Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.

Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.

Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.

Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.

Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.

Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5