An Arab pop queen is enjoying motherhood, American singer Meghan Trainor is as sweet as ever, and The Chainsmokers stick to their dance-pop formula.
‘Lya’ by Nancy Ajram
There is nothing unexpected about this fans-only affair. Just as she did for her first two daughters Mila and Ella, the Lebanese star has released a song to celebrate the birth, this month, of her daughter Lya. Just like Mila's Ya Rabi Tekbar Mila and Ella's Hadri Laabek, Ajram's ode to Lya is an intimate track. Acoustic guitars and subdued beats are the backdrop for Ajram to express her hopes and aspirations for her newborn.
‘On Social Media’ by Pet Shop Boys
It's probably fair by now to describe Pet Shop Boys as legends of the synth-pop scene, but being a legend doesn't stop you having a laugh. There has been a distinctly sardonic element to Neil Tennant's lyrics over the years ("I love you, you pay my rent") but with new track, On Social Media, he takes things deep into full-on satire territory. "When you care about the issues of the day / Check your facts on Wikipedia / You can get into an argument right away / If you're on social media," he sings, and carries on in the same sarcastic vein over a classic PSB house beat and upbeat synth track for three-and-a-half very enjoyable minutes.
‘Who Do You Love’ by The Chainsmokers, featuring 5 Seconds of Summer
Not as horrible as it reads on paper. American dance duo The Chainsmokers and Aussie pop-rockers 5 Seconds of Summer – both somewhat loathed in their respective scenes – pull off a solid piece of pop music with Who Do You Love. The lyrics addressing a failing relationship may sound like the scribbles of a paranoid boyfriend, but the music, with its folky verse and the beat drop in the chorus, is all rather buoyant and a nice mix of both of these artists' style.
‘Talk’ by Khalid, featuring Disclosure
Khalid teams up with British production duo Disclosure for the first single from his forthcoming second album, due to be released in April. It's an unfussy, but bright love song about the early days of a new relationship. A light RnB beat is enhanced by some poppy synths and electronic glitches, thanks to Khalid's new production partners, and it all passes by in a pleasantly dreamy manner. The single isn't as outrageously catchy as 2017's Young, Dumb and Broke, but then few singles are.
‘Good Morning’ by Meghan Trainor
This tune should come with a health warning. While Trainor has always kept things sunny and upbeat, this track is way too saccharine. Featuring her dad, Gary Trainor, on backing vocals, it melds her signature doo-wop style with a tropical vibe that features rolling synths and chirpy conga-playing. But it is all too much. Trainor’s voice is almost helium-like in its aim to please and everything is so polished it sounds soulless.
Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
EA Sports FC 24
Napoleon
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
Pushkin Press
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
match info
Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
