Whether you loved or hated the long-awaited finale of Game of Thrones, which aired this week, the last episode after an eight-year run signalled for many the end of an era. Over eight series, the immensely popular television show, based on George RR Martin's fantasy saga A Song of Fire and Ice, became a pop culture touchstone and a truly global phenomenon.
Although Game of Thrones is a US-produced series by an American writer, its universal themes of family, loyalty and power have connected with millions of viewers around the world. The fact the story takes place in an imaginary realm made it all the more global as it was not defined by any one country, yet managed to address very earthly concerns, such as climate change, immigration and class struggles.
Its reach has been impressive, from appearing on protest signs at the women's march in the US two years ago to sparking billboard wars in Beirut last month, with fans coming out in support of characters and even prompting a spate of Game of Thrones-themed weddings. The show similarly has an international cast, with 17 nationalities playing the main roles, while the series was shot in locations ranging from Northern Ireland to Croatia.
Now that it has ended, viewers will surely miss the thrill of anticipating weekly instalments, once a source of frustration in an era of analogue television but in the age of instant gratification with Netflix and online streaming, a rare treat that managed to bring together people from all around the world, gathering around screens at the same time to watch the latest episode. It united a global community as they fervently discussed the latest plot twists and predicted what might happen next – something not unheard of in this region, where Ramadan series are hotly anticipated and feverishly analysed. It might seem a simple pleasure but Game of Thrones has shown how people of all backgrounds can be brought together and share common interests over stories which speak to universal truths.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Brief scoreline:
Crystal Palace 2
Milivojevic 76' (pen), Van Aanholt 88'
Huddersfield Town 0
Normal People
Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
SHAITTAN
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'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.
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
