Spider Man: No Way Home is officially the biggest film of the year.
The latest instalment of the web-slinger’s franchise swept past the $1 billion mark on Saturday, becoming the only film of 2021 to gross nine figures.
No Way Home achieved the feat 11 days after its release, putting it on par with Avengers: Infinity War as the second fastest film to gross a billion worldwide.
Avengers: Endgame is still the fastest to reach a billion, crossing the mark in five days.
With just a few days left until the end of the year, we look at seven of the highest-grossing films of 2021.
‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’
With a budget of $200 million, The Battle at Lake Changjin has been called the most expensive film ever made in China. The war film, directed by Chen Kaige, was commissioned by the Chinese Communist Party’s publicity department.
Set during the Korean war, it tells the story of Chinese soldiers defeating US troops at the Chosin Reservoir campaign during the 1950 battle.
The film has made more than $905m at the global box office, making it the second-highest grossing film of 2021.
‘Hi, Mom’
A Chinese family comedy written and directed by Jia Ling, Hi, Mom tells the story of a woman who travels back to 1981 to befriend her mother, hoping to give her a better life, husband and daughter.
The film has grossed more than $800m at the global box office. It is ranked as the third-highest grossing non-English film of all time, and the highest by a solo female director.
‘No Time to Die’
The latest 007 film was arguably one of the most eagerly anticipated films of 2021. It was initially set to be released last year, but was subject to a series of delays owing to the pandemic.
The film, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, marks the last time Daniel Craig takes on the role of the British MI6 agent. It also stars Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen and Ana de Armas.
No Time to Die did not bring in as much money as the last two Craig-starring Bond films. However, it still made a respectable $774m at the global box office, making it the second-highest grossing Hollywood film of 2021.
‘F9: The Fast Saga’
The ninth iteration of the Fast and Furious franchise made more than $726 million at the global box office. While nowhere near the $1.5 billion mark set by Furious 7, the most successful film in the franchise, F9 still set several pandemic box office records when it was released earlier this summer.
The film brought many franchise favourites back together, including characters played by Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris. It also features newer characters played by John Cena, Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron.
‘Detective Chinatown 3’
The third instalment of the comedy Detective Chinatown series made more than $680m at the global box office, setting the record for the highest-grossing non-US R-rated film of all time.
The film, directed and written by Chen Sicheng, continues the adventures of detectives Tang Ren and Qin Feng. While the first two films in the series were set in Bangkok and New York, the third is set in Tokyo.
Detective Chinatown 3 was initially set for a 2020 release but was delayed until February 2021 because of the pandemic.
‘Venom: Let There be Carnage’
The sequel to Venom was initially slated for an October 2020 release date, but came out almost a full year later because of the pandemic.
In the Andy Serkis-directed film, Tom Hardy reprises his role as investigative journalist Eddie Brock, who is also host of an alien symbiote, Venom. The film also stars Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris and Woody Harrelson.
It made just over $500 million at the global box office, making it the seventh highest-grossing film of 2021.
‘Godzilla vs Kong’
Godzilla vs Kong was arguably the film that led a box office revival during the pandemic. The film, which pits two of the most famous monsters in pop culture in an epic fight, suffered major delays, finally being released in March 2021.
The film grossed more than $467m worldwide.
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.
SPECS
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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
Switching%20sides
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
Saturday results
Qatar beat Kuwait by 26 runs
Bahrain beat Maldives by six wickets
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by seven wickets
Monday fixtures
Maldives v Qatar
Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
Bahrain v UAE
* The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Read more about the coronavirus
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
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
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
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