Now you've finished watching your final Christmas movie and vowed no more Elf until November next year, it's time to turn your attention to the queue of quality TV shows currently lined up in your list.
From biography to young adult, via strange goings on at an elite ballet school, here are 5 shows guaranteed to have you dissecting them around the water cooler. Socially distanced, of course…
‘Selena: The Series’, Netflix
It might be 25 years since her untimely and tragic death, but the hold Selena Quintanilla retains on her fans and the public consciousness remains as tight as ever. While there have been many retellings of Selena's story, most notably in the 1997 film, Selena, which launched Jennifer Lopez's career, the scope of this two-part series, with an initial offering of nine episodes, allows for more nuance and extended narrative.
Selena is played by Christian Serratos (most famous for playing Rosita Espinosa in The Walking Dead and Angela Weber in Twilight), with the show covering her life from her birth in Texas in 1971 to the release of her second studio album, Ven Conmigo. But this show isn't just about the music, it's about family, and the legacy of how Selena's struggle as a Latina woman in the music industry paved the way for so many others today.
‘No Man’s Land’, OSN
This OSN original stars James Krishna Floyd, Jo Ben Ayed and Julia Faure in a searing look at Syria’s ISIS and Kurdish camps in the chaotic aftermath of the Iraq war during 2014. Told across eight episodes, Parisian Antoine Habert (Felix Moati) flies to Turkey after believing he saw his dead sister in news footage, to try and find out what happened to her. But when he arrives, he is treated as an ISIS prisoner and imprisoned, until the arrival of three British jihadists who attack the Kurdish base, freeing him. From this point on, Habert is effectively trapped in the no man’s land of the title, dragged into violent skirmishes he cannot avoid, all while trying to find out if the woman he saw on the news, really is his sister.
‘The Wilds’, Amazon Prime
Lost, Lord of The Flies, Survivor, Running Wild with Bear Grylls… You could insert the word "meets" between any two of these shows and be pretty confident of coming up with the vague premise of The Wilds. But that's not to say the show is unoriginal. Plus, it carries on the tradition of quality young adult content perfected by the hit, The Hunger Games rather than the miss, Divergent.
A group of teen girls crash land on a remote beach with no sign of civilisation in sight, and in keeping with the latest trend in TV storytelling (see also HBO's Euphoria), each episode focuses on a different girl, alternating between their previous lives before the plane crash to their new existence on the island. For every "I saw them do it on 'Bear Grylls'" moment of genius from the girls there's plenty of true to form teenage behaviour, which makes for a stormy way to survive, with a group as culturally, financially, ethnically and behaviourally diverse as this.
‘Your Honor’, Showtime
First of all, it goes without saying that if Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) is in it, then it's going to be good.
Hot on the heels of Apple TV+'s Defending Jacob in which Chris Evans's William Landay, an assistant DA, gets dragged into a murky cover up when his son is charged with murder, comes Your Honor, whereby Cranston stars as Michael Desiato, a judge who discovers how far a father will go for his child when his son is involved in a hit and run that sees him collide with an organised crime family. The opening 15 minutes set the tone for the entire series, in which teenager, Adam Desiato's (Hunter Doohan) car collides with that of Jimi Stanton's Carlo Baxter, and after calling 911, he makes the decision to leave the scene. From that point on, everyone's lives are intertwined. "This is New Orleans," points out Mob matriarch, Gina Baxter (Hope Davis), "everything connects."
‘Tiny Pretty Things’, Netflix
Based on the book by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton, this is Gossip Girl meets Black Swan as the talented, diverse pupils at the elite Archer School of Ballet in Chicago come under suspicion following a mysterious accident at the academy.
With every variation of dancer represented - Neveah the raw talent, Shane from the wrong side of the tracks, rich boy Oren and Delia the prodigy, among others – it's left up to The Boys star, Jess Salgueiro's inquisitive cop, Isabel, to unravel the comings and goings of this determined troupe and their equally succeed-at-all-costs teachers.
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Race card
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m.
The National selections:
1.45pm: Galaxy Road – So Hi Speed
2.15pm: Majestic Thunder – Daltrey
2.45pm: Call To War – Taamol
3.15pm: Eqtiraan - Bochart
3.45pm: Kidd Malibu – Initial
4.15pm: Arroway – Arch Gold
4.35pm: Compliance - Muqaatil
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
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The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
SPECS
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
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Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
EXPATS
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The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
The%20specs
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High profile Al Shabab attacks
- 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
- 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
- 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
- 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
- 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
- 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
Dunki
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait this month is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
UAE’s fixtures: Fri Apr 20, UAE v Qatar; Sat Apr 21, UAE v Saudi Arabia; Mon Apr 23, UAE v Bahrain; Tue Apr 24, UAE v Maldives; Thu Apr 26, UAE v Kuwait
World T20 2020 Qualifying process:
- Sixteen teams will play at the World T20 in two years’ time.
- Australia have already qualified as hosts
- Nine places are available to the top nine ranked sides in the ICC’s T20i standings, not including Australia, on Dec 31, 2018.
- The final six teams will be decided by a 14-team World T20 Qualifier.
World T20 standings: 1 Pakistan; 2 Australia; 3 India; 4 New Zealand; 5 England; 6 South Africa; 7 West Indies; 8 Sri Lanka; 9 Afghanistan; 10 Bangladesh; 11 Scotland; 12 Zimbabwe; 13 UAE; 14 Netherlands; 15 Hong Kong; 16 Papua New Guinea; 17 Oman; 18 Ireland
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
