Hitting the cinema screens this week is Peter Weir's The Way Back, an emotional drama set during the Second World War. The film stars Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess and Ed Harris as escaped prisoners fleeing a Siberian Gulag, who must battle the elements and exhaustion as they head to India, no doubt for the warmer weather. The prison break movie has become a classic genre over the years, and here we look at some of our favourites.
The Great Escape (1963)
You know the story: 76 allied soldiers escape from a high-security German camp through a tunnel. All but three are recaptured or killed. Steve McQueen throws a baseball around, jumps over a barbed-wire fence on a motorbike and generally looks quite cool. In the UK at least, this prisoner-of-war classic has become a festive TV favourite, and was recently voted the film most British men would like to watch on Christmas Day.
Papillon (1973)
What do you do if you're wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to a life of hard labour on somewhere called Devil's Island off the coast of South America? Yes, that's right, you get stuck in and accept what's given to you. Alternatively, you can plot your escape, which is what Henri Charrière did back in the 1940s. From the autobiographical book of the same name, Papillon sees Steve McQueen (again) floating out to sea on a sack of coconuts for several days before eventually hitting the mainland. Thankfully, the film glances over Charrière's seven years of solitary confinement, which might have made for somewhat dreary viewing.
Midnight Express (1978)
If you haven't seen it already, don't be fooled by the romantic title. This film starts darkly and gets progressively worse. Being locked up in a Turkish prison is not much fun, especially if it's the one Billy Hayes was sent to (the film is based on a true story). What follows is several years of twisted insanity inside considerably less-than-seven-star accommodation and - eventually - escape by swimming over a river. Midnight Express, by the way, is slang for a prisoner's break-out attempt.
Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
Alcatraz. The name alone could send a shiver down the spine of any professional prison-breaker. Set on an island in San Francisco Bay, this jail was considered among the most inescapable (after all, it is surrounded by water), but that didn't stop Frank Morris and a few others giving it a stab in 1962. Clint Eastwood plays Morris, who digs through the walls of his cell with spoons, makes a papier-mâché dummy as a decoy and makes a raft out of raincoats. But did he make it to the mainland? Nobody knows… but he probably didn't. Sorry.
Escape from New York (1981)
It's the future. It's 1997 (yes, bear with us here). A crime increase of 400 per cent has seen Manhattan transformed into a giant maximum-security prison with one rule: you go in, you don't come out. Unfortunately, Air Force One has crash-landed within its impenetrable walls and the US president would really like to leave, please. As usual in these situations, there's only one man up to the task: the leather-jacketed, eye-patch wearing ne'er-do-well Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), who must battle an entire city of baddies and get the president back in time for his dinner (or was it a world peace summit?). Thankfully, a 2007 remake with rom-com hero Gerard Butler was shelved.
Escape to Victory (1981)
It's another wartime escape, but this time involving football for an added bonus. An utterly implausible line-up sees Bobby Moore, Michael Caine, Ossie Ardiles and Pelé (yes, the Pelé), join forces with a rather fresh-faced Sylvester Stallone as the Allied POW FC, set to face Third Reich United in a propaganda match to boost German morale. Despite the odds being stacked against them (would you believe it?), the good guys hold back the Nazi front line, Stallone emerges as the world's greatest ever goalkeeper and they all escape into the crowd.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
It has been declared illegal in 57 countries to make a list of prison films without including this feel-good classic. An innocent Tim Robbins spends two decades tunnelling through the walls of Shawshank State Prison using just a toothpick (OK, so it was a rock hammer), with only posters of Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Raquel Welch to hide his handiwork. There isn't a man alive who didn't feel like fistpumping the air when he finally crawls to freedom, collects the ill-gotten gains of the corrupt warden and - later - meets up with his prison pal Morgan Freeman on the beaches of Mexico. Such a shame that he's killed by a falling coconut just a week later (or was that in the sequel?).
Cube (1997)
OK, so this one stretches the concept of a prison somewhat. A group of random strangers wake up one morning to find themselves not dribbling into their pillows, but stuck in a rather bizarre Kafkaesque nightmare; a seemingly infinite series of cube-shaped rooms filled with deadly booby traps and no instruction manual. Nobody knows why they're there, but they each start going slightly mental (as you might) and killing each other, which doesn't help the situation. Eventually, they figure out a mathematical solution to escape. But who will make it out alive? Watch it. Go on, it's really quite good.
Chicken Run (2000)
Hurray! Chickens can escape too! This Aardman Animations affair takes all the silliness of Wallace and Gromit and chucks it into a farmyard. A ragtag band of bird-brained, er, chickens are facing the chop after their grumpy welly-booted masters decide to switch production from eggs to (non-veg) pies. Suddenly, the unexpected arrival of Rocky, the rather boisterous rooster (voiced by Mel Gibson), gives them the impetus they need to escape. Hilarity ensues, the pie-making machine explodes in a mushroom cloud of gravy and the chickens head off to free-range luxury.
Rescue Dawn (2007)
Christian Bale went on a rather extreme diet to prepare for his role as Dieter Dengler, a US Navy pilot who escaped from a POW camp in the Laos jungle during the Vietnam War. Directed by the art house hero Wernor Herzog, the film studies themes of war, human torture and capture in the director's own unmistakable manner. Interesting fact: because it's easier to gain weight than lose it, the film was shot in reverse, with boney Bale back to his usual, cheery self by the end of production.
Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Company%20Profile
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Mental%20health%20support%20in%20the%20UAE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
Company%20Profile
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Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Tuesday, July 11
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic (2)
Venus Williams (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (13)
Johanna Konta (6) v Simona Halep (2)
Court 1
Garbine Muguruza (14) v
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
UAE Team Emirates
Valerio Conti (ITA)
Alessandro Covi (ITA)
Joe Dombrowski (USA)
Davide Formolo (ITA)
Fernando Gaviria (COL)
Sebastian Molano (COL)
Maximiliano Richeze (ARG)
Diego Ulissi (ITAS)
Who is Tim-Berners Lee?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in a household of mathematicians and computer scientists. Both his mother, Mary Lee, and father, Conway, were early computer scientists who worked on the Ferranti 1 - the world's first commercially-available, general purpose digital computer. Sir Tim studied Physics at the University of Oxford and held a series of roles developing code and building software before moving to Switzerland to work for Cern, the European Particle Physics laboratory. He developed the worldwide web code as a side project in 1989 as a global information-sharing system. After releasing the first web code in 1991, Cern made it open and free for all to use. Sir Tim now campaigns for initiatives to make sure the web remains open and accessible to all.
Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
MATCH DETAILS
Barcelona 0
Slavia Prague 0
RACE CARD
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Amith's selections:
5pm: AF Sail
5.30pm: Dahawi
6pm: Taajer
6.30pm: Pharitz Oubai
7pm: Winked
7.30pm: Shahm
8pm: Raniah