The Looper filmmaker Rian Johnson has been roped in for Star Wars: Episode VIII – he will write and direct the second instalment in the new trilogy of Star Wars films produced by Walt Disney Co, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Johnson, 40, who also wrote and directed 2005's Brick and 2008's The Brothers Bloom, will also write the initial script for the third instalment of the trilogy, Episode IX. A Disney spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. – The National staff
Humshakals goes the way of Himmatwala
The filmmaker Sajid Khan's new comedy, Humshakals, which opened in UAE cinemas on Thursday, went from the third highest-opening movie of 2014 to empty cinemas within a few days. Critics across India have been unanimous in their reviews, refusing to give the film more than two stars and describing it as "miserable" and "torturous". Humshakals tells the story of three men (Saif Ali Khan, Ram Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh) who each happen to have two sets of doppelgangers. Khan's previous film, 2013's Himmatwala, starring Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah Bhatia, was the year's biggest box-office dud. – The National staff
British Blackadder actress Byrne dies
Patsy Byrne, who played Nursie in the popular British television comedy Blackadder, has died at the age of 80 – the second star from the cult 1980s series to die in two weeks, after Rik Mayall's sudden death. Denville Hall, a north-west London care home for elderly actors, said Byrne died on Tuesday. Her death came eight days after that of Mayall, who died at the age of 56 from a sudden heart failure following a run. In Blackadder II, Byrne played Queen Elizabeth I's bonkers former nanny Nursie – whose real name was Bernard. Educated in Kent, south-east England, Byrne joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, and played parts on the London stage. Blackadder, starring Rowan Atkinson, was voted Britain's second-best situation-comedy series in a 2004 BBC-organised poll won by Only Fools and Horses. – AFP
Preity to testify against Ness tomorrow
The Bollywood actress, Preity Zinta, who a week ago filed a molestation charge against Ness Wadia, her ex-boyfriend and co-owner of the IPL cricket team Kings XI Punjab, will record her statement before police tomorrow. Zinta said the incident happened on May 30 during an IPL match in Mumbai. The city's police commissioner Rakesh Maria said a team of investigators is scrutinising CCTV footage. Wadia has said the allegations are "totally false and baseless". – IANS
See Breaking Bad as a Mr Men animation on YouTube
An animator duo have recreated the story of Breaking Bad as a Mr Men cartoon. Jonny Lang and Jason Burke put up the story of Mr White, a four-minute spoof, to their YouTube channel, eagerbeaverfilms, earlier this week, reported Digital Spy. The video cleverly combines the simple illustrations of the Mr Men creator Roger Hargreaves with the crystal meth world of the AMC crime drama. The video more or less follows the Breaking Bad plot, but with silly twists that reflect the nature of the 1970s children's cartoon (for example, Walter White, fresh from his first cook, says he wants to be known not as Heisenberg, but Battenberg). – The National staff
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Hot%20Seat
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Book%20Details
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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