With all that’s happened over the past two years, one would think apocalyptic tales in which humankind faces its own impending destruction might be a little too close for comfort. But end-of-the-world content is booming, and the latest shows to hit the streamers are proof that zombies aren’t the only enemy humans may face when the end is nigh.
From the White Spikes of the Chris Pratt-starrer The Tomorrow War, to the zombie army taking over Las Vegas in Army of the Dead, while aliens and the undead remain a fan favourite, it’s the humanity-destroying likes of viruses and pandemics that leave us wondering if what we’re seeing on screen might actually happen.
Ahead of Netflix’s all-star Don’t Look Up, about Earth’s impending destruction at the hands of an asteroid on collision course, set for release on December 10, here are eight ways to watch the end of the world…
‘The Last of Us’, HBO
Based on the popular PlayStation video game, HBO’s coming series is set 20 years after civilisation has been wiped out by a deadly fungus. The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal stars as Joel, a survivor hired to smuggle Ellie (Game of Thrones’s Bella Ramsey) out of a quarantine zone.
Together, the pair embark on a dangerous journey across the US with only each other to rely on. Merle Dandridge, who voiced Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies resistance group in the video game, reprises the role onscreen, as they battle the government’s oppressive military regime.
‘Sweet Tooth’, Netflix
If the show’s main image of a boy with antlers has left you scratching your head, rest assured that this series, based on a comic book, successfully blends darkness and hope in equal measures.
Set in the aftermath of a global virus that has wiped out a huge swath of the population, Gus (Christian Convery), a hybrid who is half-human and half-deer, is being tracked down by hybrid hunters, people who fear hybrids caused the global catastrophe. Saved by the intimidating Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie), they, along with a ragtag band of survivors, embark on a journey together across the American West.
‘Good Omens’, Amazon Prime
Based on the book co-written by British sci-fi genre legends, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, the fate of humankind in the face of the apocalypse is left in the hands of an ambivalent angel who moonlights as a rare book dealer (Michael Sheen) and a rock star-esque demon (David Tennant).
The pair, who have been friends of sorts since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, are joined by a gang of four children – one whom may or may not be the anti-Christ – an ageing medium and part-time courtesan, a half-hearted member of the Witchfinder Army and a professional descendant and occultist, in their bid to divert disaster. Jon Hamm also pops up as the angel Gabriel.
‘The Rain’, Netflix
In this subtitled Danish offering, the weather turns against the Earth’s occupants with humankind wiped out by a virus that’s carried by the rain. Most of the population of Scandinavia have been killed when siblings Simone (Alba August) and Rasmus Andersen (Lucas Lynggaard Tonnesen) emerge from the bunker they have been sheltering in for the past six years ever since the killer precipitation began.
The pair set out to find their father, joining forces along the way with a small group of survivors searching for a quarantine zone in which to seek refuge.
‘See’, Apple TV+
The second season of the streamer’s original entry into the post-apocalyptic world dropped on August 27. Starring Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, See is set hundreds of years in the future following a global catastrophe in the early 21st century which wiped out all but two million humans, with the survivors left without their sight.
Unable to father children, Baba Voss (Momoa), the chieftain of the Alkenny tribe, marries a woman, Maghra, who is already three months pregnant. The baby's biological father, Jerlamarel, is being hunted as a heretic for being a “sighted”, a rare being with the ability to see, by an army led by Voss's estranged brother Edo (Bautista), who believes sight was taken by God as a way to save the Earth.
‘The 100’, Netflix
Currently on season seven, the humankind-wiping event in The 100 is good old-fashioned nuclear annihilation. Adding more of a sci-fi slant to the usual apocalyptic fare, The 100 is set 97 years after nuclear meltdown destroyed the Earth, leaving the survivors to take up residence in an orbiting space station called The Ark.
Battling overpopulation onboard, the decision is made to send 100 people back to Earth to test out its habitability. But because they don’t want to risk sending anyone who might be missed, they drop 100 juvenile delinquents on to the planet and task them with finding out if it’s time for humankind to come home. The problem is, the teens aren’t as alone on Earth as they first thought. It stars Eliza Taylor and Isaiah Washington.
‘The Last Ship’, Hulu
Stop if you’ve heard this one before, but The Last Ship centres around a global pandemic that strikes the world. In this Michael Bay-produced show, the crew of the USS Nathan James are isolated in the Arctic on a mission when the virus strikes, wiping out 80 per cent of the global population.
On returning from their icy mission, they find the world in ruins and the only hope for a cure in the hands of two virologists aboard the ship and the captain Tom Chandler (Eric Dane).
‘Zoo’, Netflix
Based on the novel by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, Zoo’s central premise on the destruction of humankind is all down to animals rising up and attempting to take over the world.
A genetic mutation called the “defiant pupil” causes animals to become highly intelligent and gain the ability to communicate and band together effectively enough to turn on their human masters. Cats hatch murder plots, dogs create ambushes, wolves stage a prison breakout and bats are capable of zeroing in on technology in order to destroy it.
At times entering B-movie territory, this series has become a fan favourite, starring Twilight’s Billy Burke and Mad Men’s James Wolk.
Read more
How to survive a zombie apocalypse: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention shares practical tips
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
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.
How Beautiful this world is!
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
Thor: Ragnarok
Dir: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson
Four stars
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Final: UAE beat Qatar by nine wickets
Third-place play-off: Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by five runs
Table
1 UAE 5 5 0 10
2 Qatar 5 4 1 8
3 Saudi 5 3 2 6
4 Kuwait 5 2 3 4
5 Bahrain 5 1 4 2
6 Maldives 5 0 5 0
ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
2011 Novak Djokovic
2012 Novak Djokovic
2013 Rafael Nadal
2014 Novak Djokovic
2015 Novak Djokovic
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The%20specs
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Kibsons%20Cares
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Rebel%20Moon%20%E2%80%93%20Part%20Two%3A%20The%20Scargiver%20review%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zack%20Snyder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sofia%20Boutella%2C%20Charlie%20Hunnam%2C%20Ed%20Skrein%2C%20Sir%20Anthony%20Hopkins%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
