A scene from the TV show Zain. Courtesy Abu Dhabi TV
A scene from the TV show Zain. Courtesy Abu Dhabi TV
A scene from the TV show Zain. Courtesy Abu Dhabi TV
A scene from the TV show Zain. Courtesy Abu Dhabi TV

Abu Dhabi TV relaunches two channels

Abu Dhabi TV relaunches two of its channels and nearly 20 new programmes on the UAE's 42nd National Day

Saeed Saeed
Saeed Saeed
Abu Dhabi

November 27, 2013

  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE's 42nd anniversary is on Monday and the spirit of renewal is not only felt by the population but also the local television landscape. Abu Dhabi TV (owned by Abu Dhabi Media, which also owns The National) is getting a make-over, with a slick new look and content that appeals to all segments of society.
Leading the pack of nearly 20 new programmes is Abu Dhabi Al Emarat's twin flagship variety programmes, the morning talk show Sabah Al Dar, and the evening current affairs broadcast, Uloum Al Dar.
The latter, which is broadcast at 8pm daily, focuses on news relating to Emirati life spanning the seven Emirates. From Sunday onwards, the show introduces a new team of hosts and will be presented from a new studio designed and developed by Abu Dhabi Media's broadcasting partners Sky News Arabia, Sky News UK and twofour54.
Sabah Al Dar screens on Abu Dhabi Al Emarat, Sunday to Thursday, 8am to 10am and on Friday and Saturday, 9am to 11am. Produced live in the capital, the variety show features morning talk-show staples,with health, fashion and beauty segments interspersed with news and weather reports.
The new game show So'alna wa Jawab (Catch the Answer) also makes its debut on Monday. The fast-paced entertainment programme has four contestants battling it out to win a Dh40,000 prize and broadcasts at 7.30pm from Sunday to Thursday. At the end of each episode, the contestant with the highest score will be asked the winning question. They can choose to not answer, leave with Dh4,000, and return for a further episode. Answer it incorrectly and the contestant leaves the show with no prize at all.
While the quiz focuses on general topics, the charm of So'alna wa Jawab lies in the answers being much easier than you think.
"They are actually in the questions themselves," says the host Abdullah Al Ghamdi.
So'alna wa Jawab makes its debut on Sunday with a special National Day edition featuring Emirati personalities, including the singer Faiz Al Saeed and the actor Marwan Abdallah Salah.
The special episode focuses on different aspects of UAE ­culture.
"It will be a special show and it is a great way to start the programme," Al Ghamdi says. "We will really test the local knowledge of these big stars and the best part is all of the money that is won goes to a charity of their choice." Al Ghamdi hopes the tricky questions will become a source of animated discussions in local households.
"It is definitely a show for the whole family and for people from all nationalities," he says.
"I am sure people will be arguing with the screen saying: 'look the answer is right there.'"
We look at some of the key shows starting next week, from regional dramas to cooking shows
1 Zain 
7pm, Sunday to Thursday, Abu Dhabi Al Oula
A 30-episode drama on the lives of the little Zain and her family. The Jordanian drama, starring Qais Al Shaikh Najib, has a fresh, modern look, quite different from the Bedouin-inspired TV shows the country is well-known for.
2 Matlloub Chef (Request a Chef)
10pm, Monday, Abu Dhabi Al Emarat
This culinary programme has viewers visiting some of the leading Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi as the chef showcases some of the finest local and regional cuisine.
3 What's Up Academy
7pm, Sunday to Thursday, Abu Dhabi Al Emarat
An Emirati sitcom following eight local traders who realise the only way to get ahead in the world is to embrace technology. The crew enrols in a computer course and chaos ensues.
4 Bain Nareen (Between Two Flames)
9pm, Sunday, Abu Dhabi Al Oula
A culinary show where temperatures - and tempers - are bound to soar. Each week, a man is put on the spot and made to taste a variety of dishes. The bottom line? He has to decide who is the better cook, his wife or his mother.
5 Il Ain Al Youm (Where to Today?)
11pm, Sunday to Thursday, Abu Dhabi Al Oula
A Gulf ensemble about a family whose members face daily struggles. Each character has his own set of challenges and the decisions they make affect everyone - for better or worse.
6 Mushabeh Aleik (I Get That a Lot)
9pm, Thursdays, Abu Dhabi Al Oula
An innovative take on the candid camera format where Arab stars are found working menial jobs and the public comment on their celebrity resemblance.
7 Samt Al Bouh (The Spoken Silence)
9pm, Sunday to Thursday, Abu DhabiAl Emarat
Trust an Emirati melodrama to leave you reaching for the Kleenex. Nashwa Moustafa and Mohammaed Al Amary play star-crossed lovers who struggle to maintain a relationship while going against family and societal norms. The show marks the first series to be fully produced in Abu Dhabi.
8 Joonon Al Ouloum (Crazy Science)
7pm, Fridays, Abu Dhabi Al Emarat
A programme that tries to bring the fun back in education. Its hosts, Nancy Iskender and Hassan Abdullah Al Malla, examine different cultural and scientific concepts each week through a mix of interviews and practical demonstrations.
9 Stories from Al Ain Zoo
9pm, Saturdays, Abu Dhabi Al Emarat
A family programme on the various animals inhabiting the UAE's most famous zoo. As well as getting up close to cute and furry creatures, the show goes behind the scenes and follows the staff as they feed and care for the animals.
. For more information, visit www.adtv.ae
sasaeed@thenational.ae

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic

Power: 169bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Price: Dh54,500

On sale: now

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
  • Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
  • Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
  • The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
  • Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
  • It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
  • Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
  • Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
On Women's Day
Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Television