• Host Terry Crews, far left, with members of the female Lebanese dance troupe Mayyas, who were crowned winners of the latest season of 'America's Got Talent'. AP
    Host Terry Crews, far left, with members of the female Lebanese dance troupe Mayyas, who were crowned winners of the latest season of 'America's Got Talent'. AP
  • The Lebanese troupe will take home a $1 million prize and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show. AP
    The Lebanese troupe will take home a $1 million prize and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show. AP
  • Mayyas react to the announcement they had won this season of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty Images
    Mayyas react to the announcement they had won this season of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty Images
  • Kristy Sellars and Terry Crews react as Mayyas are announced the winners of season 17 of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty Images
    Kristy Sellars and Terry Crews react as Mayyas are announced the winners of season 17 of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty Images
  • America's Got Talent finale, from left, Mayyas, Terry Crews, Chapel Hart, Metaphysic, Drake Milligan, Kristy Sellars. Getty Images
    America's Got Talent finale, from left, Mayyas, Terry Crews, Chapel Hart, Metaphysic, Drake Milligan, Kristy Sellars. Getty Images
  • Nadim Cherfan, centre, with the dance group Mayyas, winners of season 17. Getty Images
    Nadim Cherfan, centre, with the dance group Mayyas, winners of season 17. Getty Images
  • Mayyas perform during the 'America's Got Talent' finals on September 13. Getty Images
    Mayyas perform during the 'America's Got Talent' finals on September 13. Getty Images
  • The co-ordinated dance featured white, feathered outfits and sparkling globes of light in a moody routine that won a standing ovation from the crowd. Getty Images
    The co-ordinated dance featured white, feathered outfits and sparkling globes of light in a moody routine that won a standing ovation from the crowd. Getty Images
  • Appearing on 'America's Got Talent', the group have their sights set on winning the coveted $1 million prize. Getty Images
    Appearing on 'America's Got Talent', the group have their sights set on winning the coveted $1 million prize. Getty Images
  • Terry Crews with Mayyas on stage. Getty Images
    Terry Crews with Mayyas on stage. Getty Images
  • Mayyas attend an 'America's Got Talent' Season 17 live show at Sheraton Pasadena Hotel in California. Getty Images
    Mayyas attend an 'America's Got Talent' Season 17 live show at Sheraton Pasadena Hotel in California. Getty Images
  • Lebanese dance troupe Mayyas perform in the semi-finals of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty
    Lebanese dance troupe Mayyas perform in the semi-finals of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty
  • Judge Simon Cowell said the performance was 'as good as it gets'. Getty
    Judge Simon Cowell said the performance was 'as good as it gets'. Getty
  • The group danced to a selection of Arabic melodies. Photo: YouTube
    The group danced to a selection of Arabic melodies. Photo: YouTube
  • Lebanese dance crew Mayyas have appeared on season 17 of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty
    Lebanese dance crew Mayyas have appeared on season 17 of 'America's Got Talent'. Getty
  • Judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara said they felt 'hypnotised'. Getty
    Judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara said they felt 'hypnotised'. Getty
  • The Lebanese dance company won season six of 'Arabs Got Talent' in 2019. Photo: MBC
    The Lebanese dance company won season six of 'Arabs Got Talent' in 2019. Photo: MBC
  • Mayyas celebrate with choreographer Nadim Cherfan (in black), after their ‘Arabs Got Talent’ win. Photo: MBC
    Mayyas celebrate with choreographer Nadim Cherfan (in black), after their ‘Arabs Got Talent’ win. Photo: MBC
  • Mayyas's 'Arabs Got Talent' win came with a new car and a 200,000 Saudi riyal ($53,333) cash prize. Photo: MBC
    Mayyas's 'Arabs Got Talent' win came with a new car and a 200,000 Saudi riyal ($53,333) cash prize. Photo: MBC
  • The group are known for their physical style, performed to Arabic melodies. Photo: MBC
    The group are known for their physical style, performed to Arabic melodies. Photo: MBC
  • At the time, Mayyas said they planned to use their 'Arabs Got Talent' cash prize to set up a dance studio. Photo: MBC
    At the time, Mayyas said they planned to use their 'Arabs Got Talent' cash prize to set up a dance studio. Photo: MBC
  • After winning 'Arabs Got Talent', they appeared on the UK spin-off 'Britain's Got Talent: The Champions' in 2019. Photo: Shutterstock
    After winning 'Arabs Got Talent', they appeared on the UK spin-off 'Britain's Got Talent: The Champions' in 2019. Photo: Shutterstock
  • The group on 'Britain's Got Talent: The Champions'. Photo: Shutterstock
    The group on 'Britain's Got Talent: The Champions'. Photo: Shutterstock

Lebanese dance crew Mayyas make hypnotic 'America's Got Talent' semi-final return


Farah Andrews
  • English
  • Arabic

Mayyas have made a dazzling return to the America's Got Talent stage.

The Lebanese dance company, who received a golden buzzer from Modern Family actress and judge Sofia Vergara, put on a sensational show in the semi-final. Their hypnotic dance performance received cheers from the live audience on Tuesday night's show.

Performing a serpentine-esque routine, the crew wore gold body suits and masks, while the lead dancer wore bedlah-style attire, with a gold skirt and green long-sleeved top. Like their previous performance on the US talent show, they danced to a selection of Arabic melodies.

Watch Mayyas's full 'America's Got Talent' semi-final performance here

Halfway though the performance, the lead dancer broke away and made the figure of a snake with her hands, puppetting a message in Arabic, which translates as: "His soul and my soul, my soul and his soul, saw two souls existing in one body.”

They received a standing ovation from all four judges — Vergara, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel. Vergara attempted to climb on to the desk to get over to the group, before joining host Terry Crews on stage.

"Every single one of us in this room, I promise you, are going to remember this moment," Cowell said of the performance.

"This is not just going to change your lives, and this is going to sound very dramatic, this is a performance that changes the world. It was as good as it gets ... respect."

The group had strong support in the crowd, with people holding "vote for Mayyas" signs and waving Lebanese flags.

In June, the Beirut troupe of performers were fast-tracked to the live shows when Vergara hit the golden buzzer, telling them: "It was the most beautiful, creative dancing I've ever seen."

After the initial round, the group returned to Lebanon with their founder and choreographer Nadim Cherfan, who told The National that they had been putting in the rehearsal hours.

"Every day we're in the studio from afternoon 'til after midnight. We only leave when the power goes off," he said.

The finals will be shown on September 13 and 14.

This is not the first talent show experience for Mayyas. The group won season six of Arabs Got Talent in 2019 and participated in Britain's Got Talent: The Champions the same year. Their Arabs Got Talent win came with a new car and 200,000 Saudi riyals ($53,333).

The prize for winning America's Got Talent is $1 million.

Watch Mayyas' full 'America's Got Talent' audition here

Last month, the For You Lebanon campaign was launched to support Mayyas on America's Got Talent.

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International launched Kermalak Ya Lebnen — For You Lebanon, a campaign from America aimed at Lebanese and Arab citizens living in the US who are eligible to vote for acts performing on the show.

With this, the LBCI has created a variety of promotional advertisements that are being shared on television, YouTube and via social media platforms. In the clips, the women who form the group introduce themselves and show off some of their moves.

LBCI hopes the campaign will increase Mayyas's chances of winning, a triumph it says will serve "as a message of hope and faith in Lebanon rising again".

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Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

Desert Warrior

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Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books

MANDOOB
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

AL%20BOOM
%3Cp%20style%3D%22text-align%3Ajustify%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3BDirector%3AAssad%20Al%20Waslati%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%20style%3D%22text-align%3Ajustify%3B%22%3E%0DStarring%3A%20Omar%20Al%20Mulla%2C%20Badr%20Hakami%20and%20Rehab%20Al%20Attar%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20ADtv%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Results

6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: RB Money To Burn, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m, Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

7.40pm: Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m, Winner: Secret Protector, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

8.15pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

8.50pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Zakouski, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m, Winner: Motafaawit, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

The Freedom Artist

By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)

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Company%20profile
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BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5

Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder /  3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km

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Updated: May 16, 2023, 9:33 AM